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Mirka Abrasives; Get The Right One For You
In the world of abrasives, there are but a few household names, one of them being Mirka. The Finnish company has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 1943 with their dust free solution, Abranet, being at the forefront of that.
Mirka Abrasive Types
Although Abranet and it's different forms are the most renowned abrasive from the Mirka range, they're not the only ones. In this guide we will look at each different type of Mirka abrasive, best applications and suitable materials, allowing you to find the best abrasive for your needs.
Abranet
The abrasive that started it all and has revolutionised the woodworking industry. Abranet's unique open mesh design provides a dust free sanding experience, which leads to longer abrasive life. Other benefits include its high performance and versatility across a wide range of applications.
Applications
- Developed for sanding putty, primers and lacquers
- Perfect for the decorating, woodworking and automotive industries
- Designed for dry sanding by machine or by hand
Available in discs, rolls, sheets and Delta sheets
Abranet Ace
The next step in Abranet's evolution is Ace. With the same unique properties as standard Abranet, Abranet Ace combines them with a ceramic coating making it even tougher and even more durable. If you're thinking it couldn't get any better than Abranet, think again...
Applications
- Offers superior cutting performance in hardwoods
- Great for a variety of industries such as wood processing and vehicle manufacturing
- Can also be used for industrial roller conditioning
Abranet Ace HD
For the toughest jobs, Ace HD is the perfect companion. It has an extremely strong net structure with an aluminium oxide grain with ceramic coating. Available only in 40, 60 and 80g.
Applications
- Coarse grit ranges makes it very suited to paint stripping
- Also good in the automotive industry
Available in discs
Abranet Max
Using the Abranet technology and putting it into a belt and roll format was a big step for Mirka, but they have pulled it off. Abranet Max is extremely durable and provides very high stock removal, as well as giving a consistent surface finish on your projects.
Applications
- Designed for dry sanding with machine or by hand
- Especially suited to the wood processing industry
- Also good in construction and decoration
Available in belts and rolls
Avomax Plus
Designed for improved aggressivity, stronger bonding and longer life, Avomax Plus is guaranteed to perform in even the toughest industrial applications.
Applications
- Developed for the woodworking industry
- Ideal for use with soft and resinous woods
Available in rolls
Basecut
The aluminium oxide grain on Basecut has a calcium stearate coating which minimises clogging and loading of the abrasive. This makes them very efficient, with a very high initial aggressive cut.
Applications
- Is suitable for a wide variety of applications
- Especially good for the sanding of wood and composites
Caratflex
Caratflex is used primarily in dry sanding applications and has a very fine scratch pattern and enhanced durability. This is mainly due to the silicon carbide grain with calcium stearate coating.
Applications
- Used for hand sanding wood, sealers, lacquers and paints
- Flexible latex backing makes it great for contoured work
Available in rolls
Deflex
Deflex features an aluminium oxide grain bonded onto latex impregnated paper. This makes it highly flexible, ensuring smooth sanding even on surface edges.
Applications
- Can be used on both hard and soft woods
- Also suitable for a variety of other materials such as metal, plastic and lacquers.
Gold
Mirka's best selling abrasive, Gold is very well suited to high speed sanding across a multitude of applications. It features an aluminium oxide grain with calcium stearate coating for increased abrasive life.
Applications
- Specially designed for use in the automotive industry
- Also great in woodworking, decorating and construction industries
- Can be used on a wide range of materials
Available in discs
Hiolit X
These cloth backed abrasive belts have great resistance and durability, which makes them very suitable for aggressive sanding, such as rust removal as well as other operations that require high stock removal.
Applications
- Great for use in the car industry, especially refinishing
- Can also be used in wood and metal processing
- Produces excellent results on all woods and metals
Hiomant
Hiomant is a paper backed abrasive that is suitable for both hand or light machine sanding. The paper backing is tough and durable with excellent edge wear resistance.
Applications
- A great all round choice for DIY and preparation before painting
- Coarser grits are great for sanding down filler and hand sanding
- Fine grits are perfect for fine wooden surfaces
Available in rolls
Q.Silver Ace
A ceramic premium abrasive with paper backing, Q.Silver Ace is very aggressive, for fast and efficient stock removal. This results in a consistent finish across a variety of different materials.
Applications
- Ideally suited to sanding hard woods and composites
- Also performs well on mild, carbon and stainless steel
- Industries include wood and composite processing as well as vehicle manufacture
Abralon
The silicon carbide grain on a foam backing makes Abralon extremely flexible, making it the ideal partner for contoured surfaces. The flexible open weave allows both water and air to pass freely making it suitable for both wet and dry sanding.
Applications
- Perfect for very fine sanding applications such as cutting back, denibbing and buffing
- Can also be used for applying oil finishes to wooden surfaces
- Materials it can be used on include all wood, aluminium and stainless steel
Available in sheets and discs
Mirlon
A three dimensional, non-woven abrasive with either a silicon carbide or aluminium oxide grain, Mirlon can be used wet or dry and will last much longer than conventional abrasives.
Applications
- Can be used across the full range of industries, from car manufacture to composite processing
- Coarser grits are great for denibbing, finer grits fantastic for smoothing and polishing
- Suitable for almost any surface including woods, metals, paints and lacquers
Available in sheets and discs
It's safe to say that when it comes to most wood and metal applications, Mirka will have you covered. As they continue to lead the way in terms of innovation we're sure that more and more Mirka abrasives will become available. For now, it's great to have a range as substantial as this and we hope this guide has helped you pick the right one for you.