Preppin' Weapon Sanding Block - Blue

Why would you spend more than $20 on a sanding block when you can grab a piece of wood from the scrap bin and wrap a piece of sandpaper around it for free or buy the usual hard rubber block for 1/4 the price. Well, if you're like me, after 20 minutes using the the thing you'll think it was a bargain. The tool fits the hand very well so is comfortable to hold and less fatiguing to use for long periods of time. The paper hold down mechanism makes it fast to replace sheets, and there is very little wasted paper (the length of paper used to hold the sheet on the block). The length is a little longer than most rubber blocks which is an advantage for keeping larger flat surfaces flat. I'm not crazy about the name, but it works really well and has become one of my frequently reached for tools.

This is the second one of these that I have purchased in the last few weeks - they are great! They are longer than most of the cheaper plastic sanding blocks and are heavier, both of which I consider a plus. The longer length allows for better sanding larger flat surfaces and the additional weight makes them more stable when sanding (when the sandpaper grabs the wood, the light plastic ones have a tendency to roll over on their edges). The cheaper plastic ones are much more apt to break when dropped, while these seem to be much more durable. These are also designed to take a full length strip from standard size sandpaper. If you sand a lot, this is the much better choice. Another plus is that it is designed so that your sanding motion lengthwise has the sandpaper rolled over the edges of the direction you sand when holding it. My normal grip is to hold a sanding block with fingers on both sides of the narrower side and sand in the direction of the longer length. Many of the cheap plastic sanding blocks have the hand holds so that what I consider the "normal" sanding motion of forward and backward would move against the side edge of the sandpaper instead of against the rolled edges. The open side edge of the sandpaper then tends to get caught on an edge splinter and either tear the paper or pull up a splinter of the wood. I'll keep using it for a couple of more weeks and if no issues arrive, I will buy one for each of the sandpaper grits that I use regularly.

I agree with all the other 5-star reviews. Silly name and not particularly cheap, but it is really comfortable to use. Best of all is the ease of loading paper. No mucking around with the box types where you press two halves together, or the rubber ones where you have to push the sandpaper into awkward slots and over sharp points just to find that the length wasn't precisely right or the paper isn't tight. (OK, I agree, these may be first-world problems...) With these the side levers release the steel "bar" seen in the bottom of the picture. You slide the paper in and rotate the lever back. No problem holding the paper tight and takes seconds to change. Very sturdy construction will likely last a lifetime. Just be aware that these are primarily designed for use on flat surfaces.

The rubber bottom and two mechanical wings hold the sandpaper firmly in place. It is easy to put the piece of sandpaper into the system. The shape fits the hand, and the heavy weight of the plastic helps do the job. On the downside, this is a large piece of equipment (not for small areas) and fits a big piece of sandpaper (good for large areas, again not for small things). I would highly recommend this, and am looking for a smaller one for parts of model boats other than lining up the ribs.

Read a recommendation for this sanding block in a woodworking magazine. It's expensive, but I decided to spend the money on what I hoped was a one-time purchase. It was money well spent. This thing is easy to use, fits my hand well, and has enough heft to do a good job. Made sanding my projects much easier - and quicker.

Absolutely love this sanding block! I purchased a couple of weeks ago and finally had the opportunity to use it on a project this past weekend. My initial response...why did I not order one of these sooner!? This sanding block is solid in construction. Ergonomic feeling in my hands...very comfortable. (I wear large size gloves) I love the clamping system and the fact that it is dimensioned perfectly to use a 1/4 of a 9x11 sanding sheet. I highly recommend this item if you are from the old school, rubber sanding block days, like myself. Cheers, Joe

I've owned this for about a year now and used it for sanding wood, and it's great! I've used sanding blocks in the past that are that rubbery kind with sharp pins that hold it in place (they're often 2 3/4x5"). This block solves several of the problems with these. This one takes 1/4 of a standard 9x11 sheet in the short direction, while those do 1/3 the long way- and most of that is tucked into the sanding block and not used. So you're getting more sanding out of each sheet. It's also a breeze to change out sheets, and the two levers are easy to hold the paper tight while attaching it.

great block except the paper holder section is smaller than the block width ? Its great to be stainless but wish the clamp was the full width of the bock for paper stability.