What grit is considered Emery Cloth ?

[Cressida]

I am going to do a timing belt job and replace all the engine oil seals. I often read of taking some emery cloth to polish the shaft just a bit before installing the new seal. However, I never learned what grit would be considered "emery cloth". I have various fine grits of wet + dry sandpaper so would like to know what might be a good grit to use to polish the shaft ends before installing the new seals?

I know one does not want to introduce new scratches; just to polish the metal to remove anything left by the old hardened seal and smooth up the shaft end as needed.

I guess this same question would apply if one was to replace the connector rod bearings, some use emery cloth to polish the crankshaft surface before installing the new bearing but I never read about the grit level.

 

[Rick in PA]

Is it possible they meant "crocus cloth"? That's a very fine polishing cloth. Emery cloth is usually quite coarse and abrasive.

 

[BigD1]

Emery is for metal. I have used the 3M emery fine on Spyderco knives the last couple purchases because they are not finishing the thumb opening hole. The fine leaves a smooth surface.

 

[Warstud]

Emery Cloth comes in a variety of grits. Just use a fine wet sand.

 

[53' Stude]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emery_cloth

 

[Merkava_4]

The coarse grit emory cloth is comparable to 80 grit sandpaper. I just found that out yesterday while at the hardware store. I don't have the comparison numbers for the medium and fine grit yet, but I will on my next trip to the store. The emory cloth that I was comparing is the 3M 011K series.

 

[Smoky14]

Cloth refers to the backing not the grit.

Smoky

 

[andyd]

No thank you. Emery dust and assembled engines don't mix. I just leave the seal out a bit or in a bit so the lip doesn't contact the worn area on the shaft.