Thread: sandpaper troubles (ugh)

So I start sanding my first restore today. I bought a variety pack of grits (320, 400, 600, 800) as well as packs of 1000 and 2000.

I start off with 320 and things are going okay. It's taking a long time, but it's going ok. Until I get to some pits that just won't come out. I start looking for other sandpaper I have and I find some "230" laying around in the garage. So I try that.

Wow, it amazing, I'm taking off a ridiculous amount of metal and very happy with the way things have started to speed up.

I move back to 320 and take the next hour to two hours trying to remove the scratches from the 230. Nothing is working, they just won't go away. I look down while sanding and notice that the back of the 230 paper also has another number on it: "60". My heart almost dropped out of my chest. I looked at the package that that paper came from and sure enough, it's 60 grit. I scratched the crap out of my razor, from tip to toe with 60 grit sand paper.

I have no idea what to do, other then go get some 100 grit and some 200 grit paper and try to work my way up. What a sorry ass mistake that was.

Ouch. I feel for ya. I dont think you have much choice other than to slowly progress to higher grit papers until the scratches come out.



Sorry man


Patrick

Welcome to the club brother we have all made those kinda mistakes!!! but those are the ones we learn the most from.

Hope it's a wedge with lottsa steel. You've now learned there's no such grit as 230.
SiC papers usually progress 60, 80,100,120,150,180,220,240,280,320,360,400,600,800 etc. etc...
You can skip some coarser grits but whatever, you're up for some work.

But seriously you should be able to save it. You could try a Dremel with abrasive attachments of your choice to speed things along but that is not without it's own risks.

Good luck and welcome to resto rehab.

Yep, I saved it. I learned its better just to take your time and do things slow.

I also learned that a sandpaper progression (and some Maas) work great to restore scales too!!

Well done. We will of course require pics on completion.

Don't you just love hand sanding ???!