# Brown Paper Bag



## mhenry (Mar 4, 2012)

I am very new to wood working so this might be common knowledge among you more experienced guys. I was talking to one of the drafters at work last week, and somehow we got to talking about the fact that he is an ex-cabinet maker, and finishing wood. He told me that he would use brown paper bag from the grocery store in his finish sander as a final step. I tried it this weekend and it works beautifully. I got better results than I have been getting with my buffer,worked well on the copper spacer also. So just thought I share this , and I am also curious if any of you guys have tried this.


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## Chifunda (Mar 4, 2012)

That's a new one on me, but I'll sure give it a try.:thumbsup:

If you've been using a smoothing plane, scrubbing your work with a hand full of shavings works too.


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## Mike (Mar 6, 2012)

I use common printer paper to finish shaving brushes and pens. I haven't tried the paper bag but I'm sure it would work in the same way.


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## ajhuff (Mar 6, 2012)

I remember using brown paper towels in eighth grade shop class for burnishing. Shop teacher said it was equivalent to 1500 sand paper. Not sure he's correct about that last part but it worked great.

-AJ


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## jmforge (Mar 6, 2012)

It probably works for the same reason that cardboard is unkind to knife edges. A lot of junk in low grade paper like that.


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## Mike Davis (Mar 6, 2012)

I am going to try this today. I can see how this would work like a 2k paper...


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## Chef Niloc (Mar 6, 2012)

Brown paper is called "Kraft paper" named from the process that it's made from. The stuff is almost pure celluloid fiber in a lousily bonded matrix. This makes it stronger then other paper side effect is its more abrasive. I don't know the grit of the stuff but I do know different Kraft paper is made from different wood and some crosier then others.


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## Marko Tsourkan (Mar 6, 2012)

I have contractor's paper (stuff they cover floors with). Going to give it a try.

M


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## UCChemE05 (Mar 6, 2012)

I can vouch for the OP's suggestion. I've done this with some refinished cabinates and other items with excellent results. Paper, not plastic please 


On a similar note, I use newspaper to "buff" the inside of my car windows to remove the haze which forms after a while. Works so much better for me than Windex.


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## Lucretia (Mar 6, 2012)

Newspaper is also good for washing windows.


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