Sandpaper origami

Sandpaper comes in standard sheets that are 9"x11". I know of no tool that uses the full-sized sheets, and this is certainly too big to use for hand sanding.  For hand sanding, start with a quarter of the full-sized sheet.  When splitting down the big sheet, cut on a fold, from the paper side of the sheet so as to minimize the damage to the knife (here I am using one of our galley knives - don't tell Jane).

Start with a quarter of a full-sized sheet

If you then just fold the quarter sheet into quarters, there will be grit-sides of the sandpaper in contact.  This will dull the grit and cause it to shed abrasives.  To prevent this, follow this procedure:

First fold the quarter sheet in half, paper side in, the short way:

Fold in half the short way

Next, open it up and fold in half the long way.  Both folds should be creased firmly.

Fold in half the long way

Now open up the paper.  It should look sort of like a tent, or a roof with four gables.

Looks like a tent

Along one of the short folds, tear the paper carefully, to the center of the sheet.

Tear one of the short folds to the center

Fold one of the resulting flaps under,

Fold the flap under

And then fold the doubled flap under...

Then fold the doubled side under

Voilà! 

Et voilà!   A perfectly sized piece of sandpaper for hand work, with no grit sides facing each other.  Two sides are exposed; when they are dull, you can refold the paper to expose the unused sides.

And by the way... when all four sides have become dull, don't keep sanding in a vain attempt to save money on sandpaper.  Get another quarter sheet - that's what the pros would do, because their labor is worth more than the price of a quarter sheet of sandpaper.  Yours is too.

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[Editor's note: Also, don't scrimp when purchasing the sandpaper - buy the good stuff.  Here I am using Norton's open-coated aluminum oxide paper.  It stays sharp a long, long time, and because it is open-coated it is very resistant to clogging - even in 220 grit.]

Sandpaper origami