A comparison of grit sizes of belts, wheels, stones and hones used in knife sharpening. |
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Description | Belts and wheels | Waterstones | Average grit size in microns | Trizact | |
ANSI/CAMI (USA) | FEPA (Europe) | JIS (Japan) |
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12 | 1842 | ||||
P12 |
1764 | ||||
*American National Standards Institute B74.12. | 12* | 1575 | |||
16 | P16 | 1322 | |||
16* | 1118 | ||||
P20 | 984 | ||||
20* | 940 | ||||
20 | 905 | ||||
24* | 686 | ||||
P24 | 740 | ||||
24 | 715 | ||||
30 | 638 | ||||
P30 | 622 | ||||
30* | 556 | ||||
36 | 535 | ||||
P36 | 524 | ||||
40 | 428 | ||||
P40 | 412 | ||||
50 | 351 | A500 | |||
P50 | 326 | ||||
60 | 268 | A400 | |||
P60 | 260 | ||||
P80 | 195 | A300 | |||
80 | 192 | ||||
P100 | 156 | ||||
Coarse Crystolon | 100 | 150 | 141 | ||
P120 | 127 | A160 | |||
120 | 116 | ||||
100 micron belt | 100 | ||||
P150 | 97 | A130 | |||
Medium Crystolon, coarse India | 150 | 93 | |||
80 Micron belt | 80 | ||||
180 | P180 | |
78 | A100 | |
3M 74 micron diamond stone | 74 | ||||
P220 | 65 | A90 | |||
60 Micron belt, extra coarse diamond hone | 220 | 60 | |||
P240 | 240 | 58 | |||
Medium India, fine Crystolon |
240
|
F230, P280 | |
53 | |
280 | 50 | ||||
P320 |
46 | ||||
Coarse Diamond | 325 | F240 | 45 | ||
Fine India | 280 | 320 | 43 | ||
3M 40 micron diamond stone & belt | "400" |
P360
|
40 | ||
Medium diamond | 320 |
F280
|
360 | 36 | |
35 Micron belt | P400 | 35 | A45 | ||
400 |
32 |
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30 Micron belt | P500 | 30 | |||
Washita | 360 | F320 | |
29 | |
P600 | 25.8 | A30 | |||
Fine Diamond | 600 | 25 | |||
400 | F360 | 23 | |||
22 Micron belt |
P800
|
600 | 22 | ||
Soft Arkansas, 20 Micron belt, 3M 20 micron stone | "800", 500 | |
20 | ||
18 Micron belt | P1000 | 18 | |||
F400 | |
17 |
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600 | 800 |
16 | |||
15 Micron belt, 15 micron SiC paper |
P1200
|
15 | A16 | ||
Hard white Arkansas, extra fine diamond, and medium ceramic | 700 | 1000 | 14 | ||
P1500 |
|
12.6 |
A10 | ||
12 micron belt | 800 | 12 | |||
|
1200 |
11 |
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Queer Creek Blue Ohio Sandstone |
600 - 1000
|
|
9-16
|
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P2000 |
|
10.3 |
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3M 10 micron diamond stone | "1800" | 10 | |||
1000 |
F600
|
1500
|
9.2 | ||
Extra-fine diamond hone | "1200" | 9 | |||
Hard black Arkansas, 9 micron belt | 1000 | |
9 | ||
P2500 |
|
8.4 |
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2000 |
7.5 |
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1200 | F800 | 6.5 | |||
6 Micron belt | 6 | ||||
5 micron SiC paper | F1000 | 5 | |||
Extra fine white Ceramic, green chrome rouge, 3 Micron belt, Tormek compound* | 1500 | F1200 |
4000 | 3 | A3 |
|
F1500 |
6000 |
2 |
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Japanese Waterstone | F2000 | 8000 | 1.2 | ||
1 Micron belt, Linde C compound | 2000 | 1 | |||
Chromium oxide polishing compound, 0.5 micron Chromium oxide paper |
0.5 | ||||
There is another chart of fine abrasive equivalents at https://www.gemsociety.org/info/chmesh.htm | |||||
Crystolon is Norton Abrasives tm for Silicon Carbide stones | |||||
India is Norton Abrasives tm for Aluminum Oxide stones | |||||
Raybrite and Linde compounds are aluminum oxide powders |
Scotch-Brite Abrasive Belt Equivalent Grits
3M is not consistent in their use of color for a particular grit. This chart is based on Scotch-Brite surface finishing belt data.
Grade | Equivalent abrasive grit | Color | Abrasive Material | Finish (micro-inches) | |
Aluminum | Stainless Steel | ||||
Coarse | 80 - 150 | Brown | Aluminum Oxide | 130 - 150 | 62 - 72 |
Medium | 150 - 180 | Maroon | Aluminum Oxide | 80 - 100 | 32 - 40 |
Fine | 180 - 220 | Green? | Aluminum Oxide | 50 - 70* | 15 - 25* |
Very fine | 220 - 320 | Blue | Aluminum Oxide | 16 - 35 | 6 - 12 |
Super fine | 320 - 600 | Gray | Silicon Carbide | 8 - 12 | 4 - 6 |
*Estimated. Scotch-Brite is a tm of 3M Corp. |
Scotch-Brite Hand Pads |
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Grit Designation | Color | Equivalent Grit | Abrasive |
Extra Coarse | Brown | Aluminum Oxide | |
Coarse | Tan | Aluminum Oxide | |
Medium | White, Gray or Maroon | Aluminum Oxide | |
Fine | Light Gray or Green | 150 - 180 | Aluminum Oxide |
Very Fine | Maroon | 220 - 280 | Aluminum Oxide |
Extra Fine | Gray | 320 - 400 | Silicon Carbide |
Ultra Fine | White | 600 - 800 | Talc |
BearTex (Norton) Hand Pads in Order of Aggressiveness |
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Grit Designation | Color | Abrasive | Product code |
Very Fine | Maroon | Aluminum Oxide | 777 |
Very Fine | Maroon | Aluminum Oxide | 747 |
Very Fine | Green | Aluminum Oxide | 796 |
Very Fine | Gray | Silicon Carbide | 851 |
Ultra Fine | Gray | Silicon Carbide | 635 |
Micro Fine | Gray | Silicon Carbide | 748 |
Non-abrasive | White | None | 456 |
Chart of Abrasive cutting rate vs. Sharpness
Updated September 28, 2015