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Chart of Abrasive cutting rate vs. Sharpness
Scotch-Brite table
Trizact table
NOTES: It is impossible to make exact comparisons between all the different abrasives because different standards are used for average, minimum and maximum size, the percentage allowed outside those limits, and the distribution of sizes within those limits.  Sizes of 240 grit and larger (macrogrits) are determined by sieving, while sizes of 240 grit and smaller (microgrits) are determined by sedimentation. Yes, both ANSI standards have a 240 grit.  European "P" sizes are for coated abrasives; "F" sizes are for bonded abrasives.
A comparison of  grit sizes of belts, wheels, stones and hones used in knifemaking, sharpening and woodworking.
Description
Belts and wheels
Waterstones
Average grit size in microns
 Trizact

ANSI/CAMI (USA)
FEPA (Europe)
JIS
(Japan)


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
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

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
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
 A3


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

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
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
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 Abrasive grades
(This abrasive is arranged in pyramids.  They produce finer finishes and last 2 to 4 times longer than conventional abrasives.)
(Although Trizact "A" sizes are nominally the average mineral size in microns they produce a finer finish than conventional abrasives.  See top chart on this page.)
  JIS and P-grade equivalents
A3
 JIS 4000
A5
 JIS 3000
A6
 P2500
A10
 P1500
A16
 P1200
A20
A30
 P600
A40
A45
 P400
A60
A65
 P280
A80
A90
 P220
A100
 P180
A110
A130
 P150
A160
 P120
A300
 P80
A400
 ANSI 60
A500
 ANSI 50


Chart of Abrasive cutting rate vs. Sharpness
Copyright 2008 Steve Bottorff
Distribute freely with proper credit.
Updated March 29, 2008

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