Knowledge Base
Guides, technical advice & new product updates
Our knowledge base includes articles on various topics, ranging from new products which we offer to technical guides on specific applications, and more!
- Flap Wheel Guide – Finishing Abrasives for Deburring, Blending & Surface Prep
Flap wheels are finishing abrasives designed to provide smooth, controlled deburring, blending and surface refinement where grinding discs are too aggressive. Their layered abrasive flaps… Read more: Flap Wheel Guide – Finishing Abrasives for Deburring, Blending & Surface Prep - Roloc Disc Guide – Quick Change Abrasives for Precision Surface Work
📘 Shop Roloc Discs → Roloc discs are a family of quick-change abrasive discs designed to deliver rapid disc changes, precise surface prep, blending, deburring… Read more: Roloc Disc Guide – Quick Change Abrasives for Precision Surface Work - Surface Conditioning Disc Guide – Finishing, Cleaning & Blending with Non-Woven Abrasives
📘 Shop Surface Conditioning Discs → Surface conditioning discs (non-woven discs) are abrasive pads made from synthetic fibres coated with abrasive grains. They deliver controlled… Read more: Surface Conditioning Disc Guide – Finishing, Cleaning & Blending with Non-Woven Abrasives - Orbital Sanding Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Velcro-Backed Disc
📘 Shop Orbital Sanding Discs → Orbital sanding discs (also known as Velcro-backed or hook & loop sanding discs) are designed for use on random… Read more: Orbital Sanding Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Velcro-Backed Disc - Grinding Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Aluminium, Steel & Stainless
📘 Shop Grinding Discs → Grinding discs are designed for material removal, weld dressing, edge grinding and surface preparation. Unlike cutting discs, they are thicker… Read more: Grinding Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Aluminium, Steel & Stainless - Cutting Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Steel, Stainless & Stone
📘 Shop Cutting Discs → If you’re unsure whether to choose aluminium oxide, INOX stainless discs, or silicon carbide — this guide breaks down how… Read more: Cutting Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Steel, Stainless & Stone - Fibre Disc Guide — Types, Grits & Best Uses for Metal Grinding📘 Shop Fibre Discs → Fibre Discs Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Grinding & Heavy Stock Removal Fibre discs remain one… Read more: Fibre Disc Guide — Types, Grits & Best Uses for Metal Grinding
- Flap Disc Guide – Types, Grits & Best Uses for Metal Grinding
📘 Shop Flap Discs → Flap Disc Guide – How to Choose the Right Disc for Grinding & Finishing Flap discs are one of the… Read more: Flap Disc Guide – Types, Grits & Best Uses for Metal Grinding - PPE for Sanding Wood & Metal: What Inspectors Look For in 2025
PPE for sanding wood and metal is a frequent inspection topic in 2025. Inspectors want to see the right respiratory, eye, hearing, hand and body… Read more: PPE for Sanding Wood & Metal: What Inspectors Look For in 2025 - Wood Dust Compliance Checklist (2025)Wood dust is a respiratory sensitiser and hardwood dust is classified as carcinogenic. This 2025 checklist helps woodworking and fabrication shops meet UK COSHH duties… Read more: Wood Dust Compliance Checklist (2025)
- Trizact Belts Explained: Consistent Finishes on Stainless & Hard Metals
When it comes to achieving a consistent, repeatable finish on stainless steel and other hard metals, traditional sanding belts can sometimes struggle — cutting too… Read more: Trizact Belts Explained: Consistent Finishes on Stainless & Hard Metals - Wet vs Dry Sanding Belts: Pros, Cons & Best Uses
When it comes to sanding, the choice between wet sanding belts and dry sanding belts can make a big difference in performance, finish quality, and… Read more: Wet vs Dry Sanding Belts: Pros, Cons & Best Uses - Why Do Sanding Belts Break? Common Causes & FixesSanding belts are designed for durability, but even high-quality belts can break if something isn’t quite right. Most failures come down to a handful of… Read more: Why Do Sanding Belts Break? Common Causes & Fixes
- Aluminium Oxide vs Zirconia vs CeramicChoosing the right abrasive grain is just as important as choosing the correct grit size or belt dimensions. The abrasive mineral determines how aggressively the… Read more: Aluminium Oxide vs Zirconia vs Ceramic
- Wood vs Stainless vs Aluminium
A quick-reference grit guide for Wood, Stainless Steel and Aluminium. Start coarse to remove stock, then step through grits for a clean, even finish. Wood… Read more: Wood vs Stainless vs Aluminium - How to Measure a Sanding Belt (4 Fool-Proof Methods)Record sizes as width × length (full loop circumference). Choose a method below. Method 1 Fold & Measure (fastest) 1 Lay the old belt flat… Read more: How to Measure a Sanding Belt (4 Fool-Proof Methods)
- Blending & Finishing Stainless Steel With Norton Vortex Rapid Prep SCM Flap DiscsNorton Vortex Rapid Prep SCM Flap Discs, featuring layers of non-woven surface conditioning material, offer a longer life over traditional single layer products. Featuring high-performance… Read more: Blending & Finishing Stainless Steel With Norton Vortex Rapid Prep SCM Flap Discs
- Sanding Applications With Mirka® GalaxySand faster and longer with the new Mirka® Galaxy. A clog resistant coating and the new Multifit hole configuration will let you sand without dust.… Read more: Sanding Applications With Mirka® Galaxy
- How to Clean a Boat and Restore a Marine Gelcoat SurfacePrepare your boat for the upcoming season with Mirka’s Polarshine® Marine Cleaning products. This comprehensive range is designed to wash, clean, finish, and preserve your… Read more: How to Clean a Boat and Restore a Marine Gelcoat Surface
- How to Sand and Polish Solid Surfaces
Solid surface materials have become a staple in interior and architectural design, used extensively in homes, public spaces, and commercial environments. They are ideal for… Read more: How to Sand and Polish Solid Surfaces - High-Gloss Polishing of Wooden SurfacesHow to Polish To A High-Gloss Finish A shiny, high-gloss finish on painted wooden surfaces can transform interior spaces like kitchens into striking showpieces. However,… Read more: High-Gloss Polishing of Wooden Surfaces
- How to Choose the Right Sanding Belts for Your ApplicationChoosing the right sanding belt can make all the difference in achieving a smooth, professional finish on your application. Whether you’re working with wood, metal,… Read more: How to Choose the Right Sanding Belts for Your Application
- The New Norton RazorStar Precision Shaped Grain
Optimise your grinding performance with Norton RazorStar Fibre Discs, featuring engineered shaped ceramic grain technology for the best cutting performance in the industry. Designed for… Read more: The New Norton RazorStar Precision Shaped Grain - A Breakdown Of All Surface Finishing & Abrasives TerminologySurface finishing is a minefield of technical terminology, and we understand that it can be difficult to identify the benefits of one product over another… Read more: A Breakdown Of All Surface Finishing & Abrasives Terminology
- Your One-Stop Shop For Common Narrow Belt Sander SizesIt can sometimes be difficult to know what size sanding belt your machine uses, particularly if you have quite an obscure machine or do not… Read more: Your One-Stop Shop For Common Narrow Belt Sander Sizes
- Your One-Stop Shop For Dynabrade Sanding Belt SizesDynabrade offer a wide selection of abrasive belt tools, with these being listed below along with their applicable range of belt sizes. Tool Range Model… Read more: Your One-Stop Shop For Dynabrade Sanding Belt Sizes
- NEW Mirka Galaxy High Technology Abrasive – Non-Sticking. Self-Sharpening. Long-LastingMirka® Galaxy: New High Technology Abrasive Mirka Galaxy is a new kind of high technology abrasive. It combines effectiveness with long use life, thanks to… Read more: NEW Mirka Galaxy High Technology Abrasive – Non-Sticking. Self-Sharpening. Long-Lasting
- Abrasive Grains – Choosing The Right Abrasive For Your ApplicationWith so many products now available in the surface finishing market, it is important to choose the most effective type of grain for your application,… Read more: Abrasive Grains – Choosing The Right Abrasive For Your Application
- Tool Profile: Dynabrade Dynafile RangeIntroduced in 1969, the original Dynabrade Dynafile was intended to replace tedious hand-filing. Since then the design has been improved and refined, with various new… Read more: Tool Profile: Dynabrade Dynafile Range
- Tool Profile: Fein WPO 14-25 E Electric Polisher
The Fein WPO 14-25E is an extremely powerful tool that works as a fully-functional sander, polisher and satin-finisher for cool machining of stainless steel. Versatile… Read more: Tool Profile: Fein WPO 14-25 E Electric Polisher - The Basics of Polishing Mops & Compounds
What is Polishing? The bar of compound is pressed against the edge of the mop as it is spinning, with the heat generated melting the… Read more: The Basics of Polishing Mops & Compounds - Norton’s 3 Step Process To A Mirror Finish On Stainless Steel With An Angle GrinderWhat Is A Mirror Finish? On stainless steel, a mirror finish is a highly-polished commercial finish characterised by a bright, shiny and reflective surface. You’ll… Read more: Norton’s 3 Step Process To A Mirror Finish On Stainless Steel With An Angle Grinder
- Maintenance For Air ToolsAir tools have moving parts and as such they require regular servicing to maximise their lifetime & performance. With the right preventive maintenance in place… Read more: Maintenance For Air Tools
- Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome – The Risks and How To Manage ThemWhat is HAVS? Hand – Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a condition related to the consistent use of tools or equipment that operate with a… Read more: Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome – The Risks and How To Manage Them
- How To Achieve A Grained Finish On Stainless SteelWhich tools can help me achieve weld seam removal followed by a grained finish? Stainless Steel Handrails and Balustrading If joints are TIG welded and… Read more: How To Achieve A Grained Finish On Stainless Steel
