Synopsis: Learn how today’s sandpaper is made, and why different types of abrasives work best on different surfaces. Then take a tour of a sandpaper factory. We may never convince you to like sanding, but you will gain a new respect for this disposable yet indispensable tool.

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When sanding is mentioned, most woodworkers groan. But sandpaper achieves results that no other tool can match. whether it is taming wild grain without tearout, perfecting a curve, or getting a totally smooth surface prior to finishing, you’d be lost without sandpaper. And so would generations of woodworkers.

I’ll show you how today’s sandpaper can trace its ancestry back 800 years (below), tell you why different types of abrasives work best on different surfaces, and give you a tour of a sandpaper factory. I’ll never convince you to like sanding, but you will gain a new respect for this disposable yet…