The most common abrasive for heavy duty cleaning and peening jobs. Rounded like glass but harder and denser, this shot blasts away heat-treated scale, heavy forgings, and other stubborn irregularities while leaving a uniformly peened finish. It also lasts for 500 times more cycles than glass, so it’s perfect for abrasive blasting cabinets and other systems that let you reuse your media.

Also known as black diamond, this media is the most widely used grit-style abrasive. Known for its use in sandblasting, its sharp, angular shape etches a wide range of surfaces. It won’t leave behind contaminants. A lower-cost alternative to Black Beauty grit, it produces a less uniform finish. It’s not recommended for removing paint from aluminum and plastic.

A step up in finish quality from coal slag grit. Every lot is tested and certified to exceed the standards of MIL-A-22262B, so it produces a uniform finish and contains less than 0.1% free silica. Sharp, angular edges etch a wide range of materials—everything from aluminum to stainless steel to wood. This grit produces less dust than coal slag grit due to its strict processing. Any dust it does leave behind won’t contaminate surfaces. It’s not recommended for removing paint from aluminum and plastic.

A more aggressive alternative to steel shot, steel grit blasts harder and leaves a rougher finish thanks to its sharp, angular edges. It digs below the surface to remove material, which is why it’s commonly used to strip paint, remove rust and scale, and prep surfaces for coatings to bond to. However, you should only use it on steel and iron surfaces because it will leave iron behind that could contaminate other materials.

The grit you think of for sanding, grinding, and polishing. As abrasive blasting media, aluminum oxide grit does it all—from blasting away paint to frosting glass to deburring and etching metal. It’s hard and has sharp, angular edges for fast cutting. It won’t leave behind contaminants like steel grit, so it can be used on a wider variety of materials.