Abrasive grit sizes of belts, wheels and stones used in knifemaking, sharpening and woodworking

Abrasive Comparison Chart

NOTES: It is impossible to make exact comparisons between all the different abrasives because different standards are used for minimum and maximum size, the percentage allowed outside those limits, and the distribution of sizes within those limits. Sizes of 220 grit (60 micron) and larger (macrogrits) are determined by sieving, while sizes of 230 grit and smaller (microgrits) are determined by sedimentation. European "P" sizes are for coated abrasives; "F" sizes are for bonded abrasives.

Relative grit sizes of belts, wheels, stones and hones used in
knifemaking, sharpening and woodworking.

Description

Belts and wheels

Waterstones

Average grit size in microns

CAMI (USA)

FEPA (Europe)

JIS
(Japan)

12

1842

P12

1764

*American National Standards Institute

12*

1600

16

P16

1322

16*

1092

P20

984

20*

940

20

905

24*

686

P24

740

24

715

30

638

P30

622

30*

559

36

535

P36

524

40

428

P40

412

50

351

P50



326

60

268

P60

260

P80

195

80

192

P100

156

Coarse Crystolon

100

150

141

P120

127

120

116

100 micron belt



100

P150

97

Medium Crystolon, coarse India

150

93

80 Micron belt

80

180

P180

78

3M 74 micron diamond stone

74

P220

65

60 Micron belt, extra coarse diamond hone

220

60

P240

240

58

240

53.5

Medium India, fine Crystolon

F230

53

P280

52.5

280

50

P320

46

Coarse Diamond

325

F240

45

Fine India

280

320

43

P360

40.5

3M 40 micron diamond stone & belt

"400"

40

F280

36.5

Medium diamond

320

360

36

35 Micron belt

P400

35

400

32

30 Micron belt

P500

30

Washita

360

F320

29

P600

25.8

Fine Diamond

600

25

400

F360

23

22 Micron belt

600

22

P800

21.8

Soft Arkansas, 20 Micron belt

20

3M 20 micron stone

"800"

20

500

19.5

18 Micron belt

P1000

18.3



F400

17

600

800

16

P1200

15.3

15 Micron belt, 15 micron SiC paper

15

Hard white Arkansas, extra fine diamond, and medium ceramic

700

1000

14

P1500

12.6

12 micron belt

800

12

1200

11

Queer Creek Blue Ohio Sandstone

600 - 1000

9-16

P2000

10.3

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

2000

7.5

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

F1500

6000

2

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 http://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

Tormek compound contains a variety of grains of various size, the smallest down to 0.7 micron. The average effective size is 3 micron.

Scotch-Brite Abrasive Belt Equivalent Grits

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

3M is not consistant in their use of color for a particular grit. This chart is based on Scotch-Brite surface finishing belt data. *Estimated. Scotch-Brite is a ™ of 3M Corp.

Scotch-Brite Hand Pads

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 Agressiveness

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

3M Trizact Abrasives

Trizact Abrasive Grade

International Mesh (ANSI)

A5

1200

A6

1000

A10

800

A16

700

A20

500

A25

450

A30

400

A35

380

A45

320

A65

240

A90

220

A130

140

A160

110

A300

80

3M Trizact material is a microreplication technology providing consistent cut rates and uniform finishes throughout the life of the belt. Combining aluminum oxide with a waterproof backing, Trizact is ideal for wet-finishing operations on all types of metal. Great for spru removal, cast clean-up, parting line removal and all around finishing. Try the A16 and receive a pre-polish which will reduce your polishing time. Trizact belts work extremely well on inlay as it interacts with stone and metal to perfection. Belts are made in all sizes, allowing flexiblity on metal and stone applications.

This abrasive is arranged in pyramids. They produce finer finishes and last MANY times longer than conventional abrasives...Jeff Herman. Great place to buy.

Copied with permission from Steve Bottorff
Updated August 24, 2004

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Description	Belts and wheels		Waterstones	Average grit size in microns
Description	CAMI (USA)	FEPA (Europe)	JIS (Japan)	Average grit size in microns
	12			1842
		P12		1764
*American National Standards Institute	12*			1600
	16	P16		1322
	16*			1092
		P20		984
	20*			940
	20			905
	24*			686
		P24		740
	24			715
	30			638
		P30		622
	30*			559
	36			535
		P36		524
	40			428
		P40		412
	50			351
		P50		326
	60			268
		P60		260
		P80		195
	80			192
		P100		156
Coarse Crystolon	100		150	141
		P120		127
	120			116
100 micron belt				100
		P150		97
Medium Crystolon, coarse India	150			93
80 Micron belt				80
	180	P180		78
3M 74 micron diamond stone				74
		P220		65
60 Micron belt, extra coarse diamond hone	220			60
		P240	240	58
	240			53.5
Medium India, fine Crystolon		F230		53
		P280		52.5
			280	50
		P320		46
Coarse Diamond	325	F240		45
Fine India	280		320	43
		P360		40.5
3M 40 micron diamond stone & belt	"400"			40
		F280		36.5
Medium diamond	320		360	36
35 Micron belt		P400		35
			400	32
30 Micron belt		P500		30
Washita	360	F320		29
		P600		25.8
Fine Diamond	600			25
	400	F360		23
22 Micron belt			600	22
		P800		21.8
Soft Arkansas, 20 Micron belt				20
3M 20 micron stone	"800"			20
	500			19.5
18 Micron belt		P1000		18.3
		F400		17
	600		800	16
		P1200		15.3
15 Micron belt, 15 micron SiC paper				15
Hard white Arkansas, extra fine diamond, and medium ceramic	700		1000	14
		P1500		12.6
12 micron belt	800			12
			1200	11
Queer Creek Blue Ohio Sandstone	600 - 1000			9-16
		P2000		10.3
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
			2000	7.5
	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
		F1500	6000	2
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 http://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 Tormek compound contains a variety of grains of various size, the smallest down to 0.7 micron. The average effective size is 3 micron.

Grade	Equivalent abrasive grit	Color	Abrasive Material	Finish (micro-inches)
Grade	Equivalent abrasive grit	Color	Abrasive Material	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
3M is not consistant in their use of color for a particular grit. This chart is based on Scotch-Brite surface finishing belt data. *Estimated. Scotch-Brite is a ™ of 3M Corp.

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

Trizact Abrasive Grade	International Mesh (ANSI)
A5	1200
A6	1000
A10	800
A16	700
A20	500
A25	450
A30	400
A35	380
A45	320
A65	240
A90	220
A130	140
A160	110
A300	80
3M Trizact material is a microreplication technology providing consistent cut rates and uniform finishes throughout the life of the belt. Combining aluminum oxide with a waterproof backing, Trizact is ideal for wet-finishing operations on all types of metal. Great for spru removal, cast clean-up, parting line removal and all around finishing. Try the A16 and receive a pre-polish which will reduce your polishing time. Trizact belts work extremely well on inlay as it interacts with stone and metal to perfection. Belts are made in all sizes, allowing flexiblity on metal and stone applications. This abrasive is arranged in pyramids. They produce finer finishes and last MANY times longer than conventional abrasives...Jeff Herman. Great place to buy.