what do you cut sandpaper with?

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  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20913
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    what do you cut sandpaper with?

    I now have what seems to be a large number of 4" x 36" strips of sandpaper (used to be belts until the glue gave up). Guess they're going to become
    sanding blocks.

    So, what would you cut them with?

    Good Scissors? Seems like it would destroy the scissors pretty fast.
    $2 (el cheapo) scissors from Loews?
    Your wife's sewing scissors (when she's not looking)?
    Sheet metal cutters (tin snips)?
    Exacto/box cutter and guide?
    Make a sandpaper cutter with a hacksaw blade edge to rip it over?

    or???
    Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-28-2013, 09:47 AM.
    Loring in Katy, TX USA
    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions
  • Cochese
    Veteran Member
    • Jun 2010
    • 1988

    #2
    I'd try a guillotine trimmer personally, one of the heavy duty ones. Makes it dead simple and replacement blades or sharpening should be a simple matter.
    I have a little blog about my shop

    Comment

    • Pappy
      The Full Monte
      • Dec 2002
      • 10453
      • San Marcos, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 (x2)

      #3
      Broken belts that I use for hand sanding I usually just tear a piece off. If I need a cleaner edge I either use scissors or cut it on the backing side with a utility knife. the utility knife works good and blades are cheap. I buy rolls to cut strips for the drum sander from and made an aluminum template to cut the ends.

      When I need to cut down sheets of sandpaper, I have an old paper cutter in the shop dedicated for that job.
      Don, aka Pappy,

      Wise men talk because they have something to say,
      Fools because they have to say something.
      Plato

      Comment

      • leehljp
        Just me
        • Dec 2002
        • 8429
        • Tunica, MS
        • BT3000/3100

        #4
        Similar to Don. On most sheet SP, I usually cut from the back side with a knife.

        If I am cutting down 400 or higher, I will usually use the cheap sissors that HF gives away at sales. I have a bunch of them.
        Hank Lee

        Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

        Comment

        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20913
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #5
          ah good points made, cut the backside with a knife and avoid the grit, you can tear it the rest of the way.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • Stytooner
            Roll Tide RIP Lee
            • Dec 2002
            • 4301
            • Robertsdale, AL, USA.
            • BT3100

            #6
            HF often has coupons for free utility scissors with purchase like Hank mentioned. I have a couple pair of those in the shop as well as some Fiskars shop scissors. The HF's cut sandpaper well. The Fiskars will not see sandpaper.
            Lee

            Comment

            • lrr
              Established Member
              • Apr 2006
              • 380
              • Fort Collins, Colorado
              • Ryobi BT-3100

              #7
              I use the HF scissors for cutting sandpaper, also. I think I bought the last couple pairs for 99 cents. I've seen the same scissors at other stores for $6.99, but they do come in nicer packaging ...

              These scissors, and the box of 100 nitrile gloves, are about the only thing I buy anymore from HF. I did buy one of their cordless drills for my sister-in-law ...

              And I do occasionally buy from them if I need a tool that will see limited use, like an angle grinder. When the neighbor needs to borrow a tool, he is offered up one of the HF tools I have.
              Lee

              Comment

              • Bill in Buena Park
                Veteran Member
                • Nov 2007
                • 1865
                • Buena Park, CA
                • CM 21829

                #8
                I've been using a linoleum knife for many years. Fold the paper grit-out, and cut from inside the crease.
                Bill in Buena Park

                Comment

                • cwsmith
                  Veteran Member
                  • Dec 2005
                  • 2737
                  • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                  • BT3100-1

                  #9
                  I've never had to cut belts, but for other sandpaper I usually score the paper side with a utility knife, fold back and forth a couple of times, and tear. Sometimes, I might have to use a straight edge to keep the tear even.

                  Everytime I go to HF, my wife seems to have a coupon for something free (as well as at least a 20% discount coupon).

                  She gets so much "free" stuff, I can't keep track. But among that must be at least a couple dozen pairs of those scissors. (ten or so meters, screwdriver sets, gloves, etc.).

                  The scissors are pretty decent and if you foul one up, it can be a throw-away. But still, I keep using my old methods for cutting sandpaper.

                  CWS
                  Think it Through Before You Do!

                  Comment

                  • Daryl
                    Senior Member
                    • May 2004
                    • 831
                    • .

                    #10
                    I fold back and forth a few times, then tear across the bench top.
                    Sometimes the old man passed out and left the am radio on so I got to hear the oldie songs and current event kind of things

                    Comment

                    • gerti
                      Veteran Member
                      • Dec 2003
                      • 2233
                      • Minnetonka, MN, USA.
                      • BT3100 "Frankensaw"

                      #11
                      Either a cheap pair of dedicated scissors, or when that isn't handy any sharp edge: formica or particle board, or a cast iron surface with a sharp edge (lathe bed, band saw table). Paper side down, hold on strong and pull down sharply one edge of the paper. Works most of the time, sometimes it doesn't tear clean. Usually when it's the last sheet and there are no spares..

                      Comment

                      • wardprobst
                        Senior Member
                        • Jan 2006
                        • 681
                        • Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
                        • Craftsman 22811

                        #12
                        I like dedicated cutters and have made three. One is mounted on a file box I keep sandpaper in, just a hacksaw blade bolted to the top. Slide the paper under, pull up and you are done. The other two are mounted on blocks of UHMW plastic and sized for sanders we own- insert paper under hacksaw blade, line up with edge of block then tear. It's fast and old hacksaw blades are easy to come by here.
                        DP
                        www.wardprobst.com

                        Comment

                        • LCHIEN
                          Internet Fact Checker
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 20913
                          • Katy, TX, USA.
                          • BT3000 vintage 1999

                          #13
                          so, no one sneaks their wive's sewing scissors, eh?
                          Loring in Katy, TX USA
                          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                          Comment

                          • Stytooner
                            Roll Tide RIP Lee
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 4301
                            • Robertsdale, AL, USA.
                            • BT3100

                            #14
                            No. My dog house doesn't have a beer fridge.
                            Lee

                            Comment

                            • atgcpaul
                              Veteran Member
                              • Aug 2003
                              • 4055
                              • Maryland
                              • Grizzly 1023SLX

                              #15
                              Originally posted by leehljp
                              Similar to Don. On most sheet SP, I usually cut from the back side with a knife.
                              This is what I do. Create a crease where I want to cut it, then cut from the back side.

                              Comment

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