MSS-400 Semi-Rigid Sanding Sticks

A semi-rigid sanding stick, 400 grit

A sanding stick with a semi-rigid core, something between paper and a file. The core flexes slightly, so the stick follows a curved surface, yet at the same time it holds its shape firmly enough not to ripple a flat one. That is exactly the difference against a soft sanding sponge, with which edges round themselves off on their own. The 400 grit is the transitional step between coarse and fine sanding.

What it is suited to

• Taking down the scratches left by coarse sanding and the mold seams
• Sanding in tight places where a sanding pad will not go
• Work dry as well as wet
• Leveling surfaces without rippling flat parts

How it is used

Four hundred is the grade with which the scratches from coarse sanding are taken down and the mold seams are leveled. It still removes a noticeable amount of material, but the surface it leaves is no longer torn up, so you can judge on it whether the surface is truly flat. Guide the stick along the surface rather than in circles, otherwise the scratches cross and are then visible under the paint. Wet, the surface clogs faster with water and dust, so rinse it as you go. This grade tends to be the most important one. Most of the visible flaws on a finished model come from skipping straight from coarse sanding to polishing.

Who the sanding stick is for

For modelers who sand in places where an ordinary sanding pad is of no use, and for anyone who wants a complete range of grits to hand, from coarse leveling up to preparation under a gloss coat. The sanding stick is supplied on its own; the model and paints are not part of it.