Abrasives - What are they?

At the risk of insulting your intelligence, dear reader, an abrasive is "a hard material (either synthetic or natural), that is commonly used for polishing, buffing, honing, sharpening, grinding, cutting, or drilling." Of course, right? But did you know that some of these materials are manufactured (synthetic) and some are mined (natural)? Okay, you probably knew that to, smarty pants.

Given the geopolitical landscape in recent years and taking into account the world-wide restrictions placed on certain mining operations (not to mention celebrity campaigns against such practices -- here's to you, Leo), naturally occurring minerals are often times quite expensive. So, nowadays, most of the abrasives that you will find on the market are manufactured. Some examples of these commonly manufactured minerals used in abrasives are ceramics, silicon carbide, zirconia alumina, alumina or aluminum oxide. Did you get all that? Good! Moving on.

Both synthetic and natural minerals are available in a wide variety of shapes and styles such as wheels, belt blocks, discs, rods, sheets, pads & loose grains. Each version is shaped for its specifically intended application. The size, shape, and material of the surface you wish to apply the abrasive to, will all be determining factors in which style abrasive you should choose. So, yes, size does matter. Wait, you didn't ask that did you? Oops.

Now for the nitty gritty (get it?). Manufactured abrasives are classified as either coated or bonded, depending on how the minerals are joined to the product. Coated abrasives adhere a layer of abrasive material to the outside of the surface, while bonded abrasives are formed by the fusion of the grains and binder to itself. A fancy way of referring to the way bonded abrasives are fused is "held in matrix." Fun, right?

Okay, okay I hear you...you know all about what they are made of, but how are abrasives used? Seriously, great question! It's like you are reading my mind. Let's talk applications! The industrial space uses abrasives pretty much the way you'd imagine, grinding and shaping tools, smoothing surfaces, removing unwanted material, and so. much. more. For real though, there are endless applications for this stuff. One you are probably the most familiar with is sandpaper. You know that scratchy stuff you used on the birdhouse you made in shop class to round off the corners? Yep, that's a coated abrasive. Also, that tool you saw the cool Property Brother using to smooth the beaded seams of a newly welded staircase (You probably remember it for the billions of sweet, slow-motion sparks that it made)? That's a grinding wheel, and, as it happens, a great example of a bonded abrasive.

There it is. Now we can all sound intelligent the next time abrasives comes up casually in conversation. Use this newfound enlightenment wisely, however, and don't just flippantly drop "held in matrix" at the next family gathering, or you risk alienating the lesser informed. You've been warned.

Thanks for reading, and I am already looking forward to our next chat!

- Rex Watkins, Marketing Specialist, Assembly Fasteners, Inc.