1" x 44" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 24 PACK
1" x 44" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 24 PACK
Available in stock (50000)
A 1" belt sander is the tool most small shops reach for to deburr a bracket, sharpen a chisel or clean up a weld on a tab, and a 1" x 44" belt is the size that class of bench machine and small belt grinder runs. These 1" x 44" metalworking belts come in two grains that suit low-horsepower machines: Zirconia+ with a grinding aid for steel and stainless, and cloth A/O for aluminum, brass and every finishing grit from 150 to 600.
Sold as a 24-pack so a shop can keep a full grit ladder on the bench, converted in Anaheim, California. If your machine takes a 1" x 42" or another length, we stock or make that too.
- Two grains matched to bench machines: Zirconia+ grinding aid and cloth A/O
- Grinding-aid top coat keeps small parts cooler on stainless and steel
- 24 through 600 grit on one page, from deburring to edge finishing
- Y-weight poly-cotton backing on Zirconia+; poly-cotton on A/O, both wet or dry
- 24 belts per pack so you are not stopping work to reorder
- Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200
Zirconia+ or cloth A/O on a 1" x 44" bench sander?
Ceramic is not offered in this size on purpose. Most 1" bench sanders do not have the horsepower to keep a ceramic belt fracturing, so it glazes and heats the part. The two grains here are the ones that work on that class of machine.
- Zirconia+ (Grinding Aid): zirconia alumina with a grinding-aid top coat over the resin bond. The zirconia self-sharpens under load, and a 1" belt concentrates whatever pressure you apply onto a small contact patch, so the grain fractures properly even on a light bench machine. The grinding aid lubricates the cut and lowers heat, which is exactly what you want on stainless, spring steel and thin parts that would otherwise blue. Stocked from 24 to 120 grit, the band where zirconia does its best work.
- Cloth A/O: brown aluminum oxide on poly-cotton cloth. Choose it for aluminum, brass, copper and mild steel at light pressure, and for every grit from 150 through 600. A/O cuts predictably as it dulls rather than glazing, so it is the grain for sharpening progressions, chamfering and edge finishing where control matters more than removal rate.
A typical bench set is Zirconia+ 40 or 60 for shaping and deburring, Zirconia+ 120 to blend, then cloth A/O 220 and 400 for a finished edge. For knife and tool sharpening, run A/O 220 through 600 only.
Grit guide for deburring, shaping and sharpening on a 1" belt
| Grit | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 24–36 | Weld beads on small parts, heavy shaping | Zirconia+; firm pressure, keep the part moving |
| 40–60 | Deburring cut edges, profiling, setting a bevel | Zirconia+; the most-used coarse grits on a bench sander |
| 80–120 | Blending, removing grinder marks, chamfers | Last Zirconia+ grit; A/O also fine here |
| 150–220 | Pre-finish, refining a bevel, prep before paint or plating | Cloth A/O |
| 320–400 | Fine deburring, sharpening chisels and plane irons | Cloth A/O, light pressure, edge trailing |
| 600 | Edge finishing, pre-polish before a strop or buff | Cloth A/O; slowest speed available |
On aluminum start no coarser than 60, rub a grease stick on the running belt, and finish at 120–220. Never skip more than one grit step or the coarse scratch will still be there under the fine finish.
What machines take a 1" x 44" belt?
- 1" bench belt sanders and belt/disc combination sanders that specify a 1" x 44" belt. This is a common length on small shop and hobby machines, alongside the 1" x 42" and 1" x 30" sizes.
- Small 1" belt grinders used by knife makers, gunsmiths and tool-and-die shops for detail grinding, plunge lines and handle work.
- Bench sharpening stations built around a 1" belt for chisels, plane irons, turning tools and kitchen knives.
Check the length in your machine manual before ordering: a 1" x 42" machine will not tension a 44" belt, and a 44" machine will not accept a 42". Look for a direction arrow on the inside of the belt and run it that way. On a 1" machine, use the platen for flat bevels and edges and the slack section above the platen for curves and inside radii.
How to get the most out of it
- Let Zirconia+ bite. Push firmly enough that the belt is clearly cutting. A zirconia belt that is stroked lightly across steel dulls fast; one that is loaded fractures and keeps cutting.
- Keep the part moving and dip it. On stainless and thin steel, a few seconds of dwell blues the edge. Work across the belt, dip in water often, and swap to a fresh belt when the cut slows.
- Slow down and lubricate on aluminum. Use the lower speed if the machine has one, and apply a grease stick to the running cloth A/O belt so the chips do not pack the grain.
- Sharpen edge-trailing. When sharpening on the fine A/O grits, present the edge so the belt runs away from it, not into it, and use only enough pressure to raise a burr.
- Use the whole belt width. A 1" belt wears a groove quickly if the part sits in one spot; move it across the face.
- Clean and store. A crepe belt eraser clears a loaded A/O belt in seconds. Keep spare belts hanging in a dry drawer rather than folded or on a damp bench.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Deburring and chamfering small steel, stainless and aluminum parts
- Shaping and profiling brackets, tangs, springs and hardware
- Cleaning up tack welds and weld toes on tabs and small assemblies
- Sharpening chisels, plane irons, lathe tools and kitchen knives on the fine A/O grits
- Fitting and finishing knife handles and guards (cloth A/O)
Don't use it for
- Heavy stock removal on hardened or thick steel; a 1" belt is a detail tool, not a hogging tool
- Expecting a finish from Zirconia+ above 120 grit; switch to cloth A/O
- Glass, stone or tile, which need silicon carbide
- Machines that call for a 1" x 42" or 1" x 30" belt; those are different lengths
Specifications
| Size | 1" wide x 44" long |
|---|---|
| Abrasive grains | Zirconia+ (zirconia alumina with grinding-aid top coat), cloth aluminum oxide (Cloth A/O) |
| Backing | Y-weight poly-cotton cloth (Zirconia+); poly-cotton cloth (A/O) |
| Coat | Closed coat |
| Joint | Check inside of belt for direction arrow before mounting |
| Grits offered | 24, 36, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400, 600 (150 and finer in cloth A/O) |
| Pack quantity | 24 belts |
| Wet or dry | Both |
| Machine class | 1" bench belt sanders, belt/disc combos and small belt grinders that take a 1" x 44" belt |
| Converted in | Anaheim, California |
| Custom sizes | Made to order in about 3 days |
Frequently asked questions
What does the grinding aid on the Zirconia+ 1" x 44" belt actually do?
The grinding aid is a lubricating top coat applied over the resin that bonds the zirconia grain to the cloth. As the belt runs it reduces friction at the cutting point, so the part and the grain run cooler. On a 1" bench sander, where the contact patch is small and heat builds fast, that is the difference between a clean stainless edge and a blue one.
Can I sharpen knives and chisels on a 1" x 44" belt?
Yes, on the cloth A/O grits. Use 220 to set or repair a bevel, 400 to refine it and 600 to finish before a strop or buff. Keep the edge trailing so the belt runs away from it, use light pressure, and dip the blade in water between passes. Leave the Zirconia+ belts for shaping and deburring; they are too aggressive for edge work.
Why is ceramic not offered in the 1" x 44" size?
Ceramic grain needs a rigid, high-horsepower machine to keep it fracturing, and most 1" bench sanders cannot deliver that. Run too lightly, ceramic glazes and puts heat into the part. Zirconia+ self-sharpens at the pressure a small machine can produce and the grinding aid controls heat, so it is the better coarse-grit choice for this class of tool.
Will a 1" x 44" belt fit a machine that takes 1" x 42"?
No. Two inches of length is more than the tensioner on a small bench sander can absorb, so a 44" belt will not track on a 42" machine and a 42" belt will not mount on a 44" machine. Check the belt size printed in your manual or on the old belt. We stock 1" x 42" and 1" x 30" belts as well and make other lengths to order.
Which grit should I start with to deburr laser-cut steel parts?
For small laser-cut or sheared steel parts, start with Zirconia+ 60 grit to knock off the burr and break the edge, then blend with 120. If the parts will be painted or plated, follow with cloth A/O 180 or 220. Starting coarser than 60 on thin sheet tends to round the edge more than you want.
Can I use these 1" x 44" belts on aluminum without loading?
Use the cloth A/O belts for aluminum. Run the sander at its lower speed if it has one, rub a grease stick across the running belt before you start and again when the cut slows, keep the pressure light, and finish at 120 to 220. If a belt loads anyway, a crepe-rubber belt eraser held against the running belt clears it.
How many belts are in the pack, and are they all one grit?
Each pack contains 24 belts of one material and one grit, so you would order a pack per grit for a full progression. Orders over $200 ship free, and bulk or case pricing for schools, sharpening services and production shops is available by calling 714-646-3299 or emailing sales@maverickabrasives.com.
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