Used with water, our 3M™ Hookit™ Wetordry™ Paper Disc 401Q enables the user to rinse areas of the workpiece and the sheet during use to prevent dust and debris from clogging the points of the abrasive, while producing a faster cut at the same time. These versatile discs are ideal on surfaces that tend to generate a lot of dust, such as paint, primer, and wood, and can also be used dry for finishing metal and gel coats. We chose silicon carbide, a mineral that is very hard and fractures easily, resulting in freshly exposed sharp edges that cut extra fast and produce a smooth, professional-looking finish. Silicon carbide products are commonly used for low-pressure applications such as paint prep and finishing on wood and metal. While it wears faster than aluminum oxide, it produces a superior finish. 3M™ Wetordry™ products are backed with a proprietary durable waterproof paper backing that supports both wet and dry applications. Lighter weight than cloth, and smooth rather than textured, paper backing is preferable for lighter applications such as finishing and paint prep. At the same time, many such applications produce a significant amount of dust, clogging the abrasive points and creating an inferior work environment. These effects can be minimized by sanding with water to rinse dust away from the workpiece and the abrasive surface. 3M offers a complete line of hook-and-loop style 3M™ Hookit™ discs for work spaces where adhesive backed discs may become contaminated by dust or dirt. They are often used in applications where a 3M™ Stikit™ disc may be too aggressive, as Hookit™ discs tend to leave finer finishes than adhesive backed discs. Hookit™ sanding discs conveniently attach to a hook-and-loop backup disc pad (sold separately), can be removed cleanly and easily, and can be re-used again and again for the extent of the abrasive life.