Excel brusný pásek zrnitost 400 (5)

Sanding strip of 400 grit, a package of 5 pcs — Excel

This is a consumable, not a kit or a paint: five replacement sanding strips of 400 grit from Excel. The strips are fiber-backed, with an aluminum oxide (corundum) abrasive, and they are fitted into a sanding stick — a flat holder with spring tension that grips the strip. The holder itself is not in this package and is bought separately; these strips serve as replacements once the original one is worn down.

Why a sanding stick and not abrasive paper

A sanding stick is stiff and flat — something like a nail file. Thanks to that it sands flat and does not round off edges. Abrasive paper held in the fingers always bends and rounds off an edge or a panel line, which is the classic mistake a modeler only notices under the varnish. The stick can also be held precisely, it reaches into corners and up to edges, it does not buckle, and once an area is worn the strip can be shifted along, so you use its whole surface.

Use

• 400 grit is a coarser, intermediate step — for the remains of sprue gates, leveling mold seams, flattening dried putty and roughly truing a surface.
• Always sand from coarser to finer. The rule is: the higher the number, the finer the grit. After 400 grit come 600, 800, 1000 and higher.
• Do not skip steps — coarse scratches from 400 grit will not hide under the varnish, and least of all under a gloss coat, and will show through.
• Add finer grits of strips for the same holder — without them the work cannot be taken to a finish.
• Wipe the sanded surface as you go and check it against the light, ideally after a light coat of primer.

Who it is for

For anyone who builds plastic models or works with putty — and does not want to round off the edges. Five strips is a common refill package for builders who sand regularly and do not want to wait until the last one runs out.

Safety: do not inhale the sanded plastic and putty dust — work at an extraction point or in a well-ventilated room and wipe the surface as you go with a damp cloth, so that the dust is not stirred up. Better not to try wet sanding (with water) with these strips — the fiber backing could suffer from water.