Does anyone have experience with the Granat Net abrasives? Is it really more effective at collecting dust and is it worth the extra cost? I was thinking of getting some 80x133 to use with the HSK-A sanding block since they don't make any for the Rotex 90.

Thanks, @luvmytoolz. You convinced me to give them a try.

I find Granat Net the best for wood with a surface finish (varnish, vax, paint...), which is the most troublesome case because the finish clogs to sanding papers.

My experience from the main sanding papers I have used is the following:


For wood with a surface finish:

1. Festool Granat Net by far the best

2. Festool Granat

*** BTW avoid like heck : Mirka Iridium, doesn't even adhere well to the pad (I made the mistake of buying a full range of grids, thinking it would be as good as Abranet..)


For wood without a finish:

1. 3M Cubitron Xtract: most efficient; most durable on flat surfaces; can also be reused by hand (I explain this below). Sole negative: it is made by alternating abrasive and mesh areas, the later are weak and will easily tear apart if the rim of the paper rubs against a surface perpendicular to the surface I am sanding (e.g. a surface surrounded by a frame, or having a perpendicular panel)

2. Mirka Abranet ACE: clearly not as good as Cubitron, except that its rim handles much better rubbing against a perpendicular surface

3. Festool Granat Net or Rubin, both not being as good as Abranet on unfinished wood. I haven't used Rubin for a long time, I never tested it against Granat Net. Rubin, being closed, should more solid but not as good re. dust extraction compared to a mesh product.

If you want a single kind of sanding paper, and ever have to sand some surfaces with finish, then, because such surfaces are the most tricky, Granat Net would be the overall sole best choice in my opinion.
But the best is to have different kinds of sanding papers, each optimised for a different case (wood with or without finish).


About my reuse of 150 mm damaged Cubitron Xtract paper:
Because it has this thin mesh-only alternating areas, it is very supple. So when the rims are damaged, I reuse them like this:
I hold the paper by closing my fist on it, and letting enough of it to cover the part of my hand opposite my thumb, which part I then use for sanding by hand (this is the part you would use to slam on a table when your fist is closed), as well as covering a part of the back of my hand. This is for me the best manner of hand sanding when I don't need dust extraction and when I need top control, and the capability to apply a lot of force and to move very fast (very efficient).

A very informative and helpful description, @bidn. Thank you.

I'm starting to wish I had bought some net paper instead of just all standard Granat and Rubin.

Never found the Rubin that good compared to Granat, but even the Granat paper is still excellent for coated surfaces, it doesn't load up anything like the other types. And Granat paper in the higher grits than the net comes in is superb for polishing.