Abrasives For Metal

Metalworking Abrasives

As a cornerstone of industrial craftsmanship, metalworking abrasives play a pivotal role in shaping, refining, and perfecting metal surfaces across a multitude of applications. From grinding to polishing, our wide array of metal sanding abrasives are designed to meet the exacting demands of professionals and hobbyists alike.

Types Of Abrasives We Offer For Metalworking

Red Label carries the abrasives you need, no matter the tools you use. Having trouble finding abrasives for your tools? Our technicians can help you find what you’re looking for. If it’s something we don’t regularly manufacture, we can alsocustom manufacture an abrasive product for you. 

• Metal Sanding Belts: Benchtop belt grinders, belt file sanders, and tube belt sanders are all commonly used for sanding metal. Red Label manufacturesmetal sanding belts in sizes ranging from ¼” x 18” all the way up to 54” x 85” that can be used for a variety of different belt sanders.
• Metal Sanding Discs: Red Label manufacturesmetal sanding discs with both hook and loop and adhesive backings. Our discs range in size from 5” up to 30” to be used with both handheld orbital sanders and benchtop disc sanders. We also offer premiumceramic flap discs, which are great for various metalworking applications. 
• Metal Sanding Rolls: Sanding rolls can be a huge cost saver if you do any hand sanding with sanding sheets. Instead of buying pre-cut sheets, you can buy in bulk with a roll and cut your own sheets. You’ll get about three times as many sheets for a similar price with ourplumber shop rolls as you will buying pre-cut sheets. 
• Metal Sanding Sheets:Handsanding sheets are great for finishing work and detail sanding. Red Label offers sheets for both dry and wet hand sanding to meet your needs no matter your process. 

The Best Abrasive Grains For Sanding Metal

When shopping for abrasives, you’ll quickly find that abrasive products come in a variety of different grains. Not every grain type is going to be well-suited for sanding metal. Ultimately, there are four different types of abrasive grains that can be used for metal sanding. An overview of each grain can be found below. 

• Closed-Coat Aluminum Oxide: Closed-coat aluminum oxide is one of the most commonly used grains for metal sanding. It’s your best option for sanding with medium to fine grits (ceramic and zirconia both only go up to 120 grit). When it comes to stock removal and heavy material removal, aluminum oxide will work, but it will take longer than the more premium abrasive grains. If you’re buying aluminum oxide abrasives for metal sanding, make sure you’re buying closed-coat and not open-coat. Open-coat is designed for softer materials like softwoods. 
• Zirconia:Zirconia is a medium-tier abrasive grain. It’s stronger than zirconia and is offered at a lower price point than ceramic. Zirconia will remove material faster than aluminum oxide and last longer than aluminum oxide as well.  
• Ceramic: Ceramic is an ultra-premium abrasive grain. It’s one of the strongest abrasive grains available on the market and it will make quick work of any metal sanding job. Ceramic costs more than zirconia and aluminum oxide, but the additional cost is easily justified when you consider that ceramic abrasives are some of the longest-lasting abrasives and they’ll also significantly reduce sanding time. 
• Silicon Carbide: Silicon carbide is less commonly used for general metal sanding and is instead used for very specific metal sanding applications. One of silicon carbide’s most desirable properties is its ability to remove material without generating excessive heat. This makes silicon carbide an attractive option for heat-sensitive materials. As such, silicon carbide is commonly used for blade sharpening. 

Still not sure which grain would be best for your application? Our technicians would be more than happy to help you find the right fit. A Red Label technician can review your tools and what you’re trying to accomplish to point you in the direction of a product that would best meet your needs. 

Common Uses For Metalworking Abrasives

Abrasives can be used for a wide variety of metalworking tasks. They are commonly used for shaping, deburring, blending, contouring, smoothing, and beveling metal. They can also be used to remove spot welds, rust, and forge scale. Our metalworking abrasives are popular for: 

• Knife sanding
• Sword sanding
• Auto body sanding
• Pipe sanding
• Furniture sanding

Why Buy Metal Sanding Abrasives From Red Label? 

Red Label has been producing sanding products for metalworkers for over 40 years. We’re a family-owned factory based out of Belding, MI, and all of our products are produced here in the United States. Every purchase you make from Red Label directly supports American families. Over the last 40 years, we’ve earned a reputation for producing high-quality industrial-grade abrasives at affordable prices. Not only are our abrasives competitively priced, but we also offer quantity discounts and free shipping for orders over $150 to save you more money. 

While the product quality and prices initially attract makers, it’s our commitment to customer service that keeps them coming back. You’ll never have an issue reaching a member of our team during office hours and we’re always happy to provide technical support. We’re so confident you’ll be satisfied with your order that we offer a 90-day 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.  We look forward to serving you and welcoming you to the Red Label family. 

Questions? Speak With An Abrasive Technician

Have questions about our metalworking abrasives? Need help determining which abrasives to use? Our knowledgeable abrasive technicians can help you determine the type, size, grain, and grit of abrasive you need for your projects. You can speak to an abrasive technician by calling (844) 824-1956 or by filling out an online contact form.