How to use abrasive paper in a tannery
Practical guidance for operators: identify the abrasive format, prepare it correctly and follow the route appropriate to the machine. Buffing changes the leather surface; results depend on the leather article, abrasive and machine settings.
Practical guides
How to wrap abrasive paper on leather buffing machines
The video shows a length of CARM paper being prepared and positioned on a buffing cylinder. This is paper wrapped around a roller, not a continuous belt fitted to a belt machine.
How to unpack abrasive belts without damaging them
A closed-loop abrasive packed in folds needs careful handling. The official video, titled “How to Remove Abrasive Sleeves from the Box”, shows the protective packaging and the folded format being opened. This guide covers unpacking and unfolding, not installation on a machine.
Three purposes of leather buffing
- Flesh side and splits: working the fibres produces a suede nap and helps even out the reverse surface.
- Grain side for nubuck: controlled light buffing creates a velvety surface.
- Corrected grain: surface removal reduces some imperfections and prepares the leather for subsequent finishing stages. It does not remove every defect or, on its own, guarantee finish adhesion.
Wrapped paper and belts: two different systems
On paper-wrapped roller machines, abrasive paper covers the buffing cylinder. Belt machines use a continuous-loop abrasive following the path specified by the manufacturer. The formats and mounting systems are not interchangeable. Belt machines may provide adjustable abrasive speed as well as feed speed. On fixed-speed roller machines, operators adjust the available parameters, including leather feed; the actual options depend on model and equipment.
FB for belt buffing machines
For belt buffing machines, CARM recommends type FB for its backing consistency and abrasive type. This is CARM application guidance: format, grit and compatibility must be checked for the particular machine and leather.
Understanding abrasive grit
Within the same grading system, lower numbers mean coarser grit and higher numbers mean finer grit. P designates FEPA grades for coated abrasives. Grit alone does not define the result: backing, grain distribution, pressure and passes also matter. No universal chart assigns one grit to every leather article.
As a documented example, Rémy Carriat tannery describes producing nubuck with P240; other training material mentions 400, 600 or 1000 for light surface abrasion. These are examples of different processes, not recommendations for every leather or confirmation of CARM stock availability.
Keeping the process under control
Check surface appearance, cutting uniformity and signs of loading. Moisture, fatliquoring and abrasive condition affect the process: validate settings on a representative sample. Follow plant instructions and company procedures for extraction, dedusting, guards and dust handling.
KP20 for heavily fatliquored leather
For heavily fatliquored leather, CARM offers KP20 aluminium oxide paper with a semi-open coat. Space between grains helps discharge residues and reduce loading. Product selection does not replace checks on leather and machine conditions.
Products
Technical sources
Contact CARM
Contact CARM with the machine make and model, abrasive format and dimensions, current grit, leather type and required result. We can check format, grit and compatibility with you.
carm@carm.global