Review on 3M Sanding Block 2 75 Inch 5 25 Inch by Ronald Ingram

I have been using one of these blocks for 15 years and repainting (in my spare time) an old boat. Love this block and glad to see it's still available so bought 2 more. I use this block to prepare different wood surfaces for painting and then between coats to make the finish smoother and more even with each coat close. This requires a rigid flat block. Like a piece of wood. But the block of wood is uncomfortable. This plastic block is very handy. It easily splits in two, aligns with 4 pointed plastic pins in 4 holes and attaches (easily) by snaps to the sides of the block. The block is very light which is a big plus if you have to grind a lot. I've also used hard rubber blocks, but they're heavy and tire me out quicker. They are more flexible so are not as good at leveling the surface as this rigid hard block. And putting sandpaper in them is more difficult. In this block, simply press the end of the 1/4 sheet of sandpaper against the two pointed dowel pins, wrap it around the flat bottom of the block and onto the two dowel pins on the other end. Then reattach the curved back cover and off you go. No hassle peeling off the hard rubber and putting sandpaper on the sharp metal tips inside the block. Surprisingly, my first device still works well after all these years. While it looks like cheap, brittle plastic, I believe everything has been done to make the block light and easy to use. When I received my new blocks I was surprised to see that they were kits (yes I missed that in the description). By kit they mean it comes with a set of adhesive-backed sandpaper sheets cut to size. And a 1/10 inch thick felt pad is glued to the flat side of the block. I can't remember my first block. I will remove the soft padding to get the desired hard block surface. I was surprised to see negative reviews for this shoe. Yes it may seem flimsy but I found it to be quite durable. It is light in design. It is better than rubber pads for the tasks described above. For other tasks, a rubber block is better, it comes down to buying the right tool for the job.