Brilliant is a
paper based
material of dif-
fering weights
to which high-
strength alumi-
num oxide has
been bonded
by a synthetic
resin com-
pound. It uses
antistatic
agents to re-
duce loading of the abrasives as you
sand. It is ideal for both sanding of bare
woods and for sanding paints and var-
nishes (sanding the finish itself). Since
the backing is thinner than Rubin or Sa-
phir, it will follow minor contours some-
what better. It is also less expensive
which makes it an all-around good choice
for most furniture making applications.
Cristal is an open coat material similar to
Brilliant but with fewer grit particles per
unit of surface area than Brilliant or Ru-
bin. It is especially good for rapid stock
removal and for taking off old finishes
without undue damage to the underlying
surface. It is my first choice if the wood
surface is damaged and in need of flat-
tening before finish sanding can begin or
where I am intending to shape the wood
before final finishing. It cuts very quickly
and does not load up even on resinous
woods like Bloodwood, Jataba, Teak, Co-
cobolo, Rosewoods and other exotics. It
does leave a more noticeable grit mark-
ing than either Brilliant or Rubin but those
grit marks can be quickly taken out by
starting with Brilliant or Rubin several grit
levels coarser than the last Cristal grit
used.
Rubin uses a heavier weight paper to
which another form of aluminum oxide
has been bonded, also by a synthetic
resin compound. It uses special filling
materials to prevent premature clogging
with sanding dust or wood fibers. It tends
to last longer than Brilliant and is some-
what more expensive. It is also a good
all-around choice for most furniture mak-
ing applications and does an especially
good job on bare wood.
Saphir is a
cloth based
aluminum oxide
designed for
rapid stock re-
moval on wood,
metal, or man-
made materials.
It is most com-
monly used
with rotary ac-
tion sanders.
The heavy cloth
type backing can take more heat and
abuse than the paper backed materials
used on Brilliant, Cristal and Rubin.
While it can take more heat, be careful as
it is very aggressive and can remove a lot
of stock very quickly. In the process a lot
of heat can be generated. Use a light
touch and the results are very impressive.
Titan has a water resistant backing mate-
rial and is designed for smoothing solid
surface (manmade) countertop materials
or automotive finishes.
Vlies is more like a
scouring pad and is
designed for smooth-
ing finished surfaces or
for removing rust,
paints or pollutants
from just about any
surface. It uses both
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