Black & Decker MOUSE Fine Grit Sandpaper (5 pack)

Why I reached for these sheets

On small refinishing jobs, I lean on my compact MOUSE sander a lot—baseboards, cabinet doors, stair spindles, and anywhere a random orbit won’t fit. For final prep and between-coat scuffing, I’ve been running the 180‑grit MOUSE fine‑grit sheets, and they’ve become my go-to option when I need a clean, consistent scratch pattern without oversanding.

These are straightforward replacement sheets, but a couple of thoughtful touches make a difference: the perforations line up well for dust collection, the tip is replaceable so the point stays crisp longer, and the contour‑compatible sheets actually cooperate with the sander’s attachments rather than fighting them. Nothing flashy—just a set of consumables that do what they’re supposed to, reliably.

Setup and fit

Fit matters more with MOUSE‑style sheets than people think. Misaligned holes can hobble dust collection, and a sloppy outline makes the tip curl or wear unevenly. These sheets index well on the pad, and the perforations matched my sander’s base and dust shroud without fiddling. I didn’t need to trim or stretch anything to hit the edges and apex.

The replaceable tip is the standout. Anyone who sands inside corners knows the nose of the sheet gives up first—the grains load, the point rounds off, and you start polishing dust. With the spare tip pad, I could keep a sharp point for corners and window muntins by swapping just that segment instead of burning a whole sheet. It’s a small feature that saves time and material.

Performance on wood and paint

At 180 grit, these sheets sit in the sweet spot for finishing: they clean up 120‑grit milling marks, prep bare wood for primer, and scuff between coats without cutting through. I used them on poplar trim, birch plywood, and a couple of factory‑finished cabinet doors I needed to recoat. In all cases, the scratch pattern was even and easy to read under raking light. With light pressure, I didn’t get the hazy overburnishing that can happen with finer papers.

On bare wood:
- Poplar and pine leveled predictably, with no random deep scratches or grit shedding.
- Edges stayed crisp as long as I kept the sander moving and let the pad do the work.
- On face frames and beveled profiles, the contour sheets gripped well around the attachments and avoided chatter.

On previously painted surfaces:
- The sheets scuff glossy latex efficiently, provided the dust extraction is working.
- They’ll clog on gummy paint if you’re aggressive. A quick tap or wipe restores the cut, but consistent vacuum extraction is the real fix.
- For heavy removal (old varnish or thick oil), this grit is slow by design; I drop to 120 first and return to 180 for a uniform finish.

Between coats of waterborne topcoat, a few passes were all it took to knock down nibs and give the next coat something to bite. The paper didn’t telegraph swirl scratches through the final sheen as long as I stayed off the edges at full pressure.

Dust collection and cleanliness

The perforations align properly with the MOUSE’s intake, and that matters. With a vac hooked up, the paper ran cooler and stayed cleaner. I noticed less loading in the nose and along the leading edge, which is typically where fine grit packs up first. On drywall patches and primer, the difference is night and day—without suction, 180 grit cakes quickly; with it, I could finish an entire room’s worth of touch-ups on two sheets.

If you’re not using a vacuum, these still perform, but expect to knock dust loose more often and change the tip sooner. Fine grit plus soft resins equals buildup; the holes just give that dust a way out.

Durability and lifespan

Aluminum oxide is the sensible choice here: tough enough for paint and hardwoods, friable enough to keep exposing sharp edges as it breaks down. In my runs, one full sheet comfortably handled:
- A set of four cabinet doors (scuff sand only), with one nose tip swap midway
- Thirty linear feet of primed baseboard, including inside corners around returns
- A spindle cluster on a small banister using the contour attachments

The replaceable tip genuinely extends the useful life at the point of contact. It’s where I usually waste most of a sheet, and being able to refresh just that zone kept the cut consistent. The rest of the sheet wore evenly and never shed grit in a way that scratched unpredictably.

Working in tight and curved areas

The contour‑compatible pieces are worth mentioning separately. On chair legs and stair spindles, the sheets conformed nicely without tearing, and they held their grip on the attachments. I didn’t get the annoying edge curl that sometimes happens when paper is forced around a radius it wasn’t designed for. The nose stayed planted in inside corners, and swapping to a fresh tip restored that crisp point for louvered shutters and sash corners.

If your work skews to trim carpentry or furniture touch‑ups, this is exactly where these sheets earn their keep. A standard pad can’t reach those transition points; the MOUSE with these sheets can.

Technique tips that helped

• Use light pressure. The abrasive cuts cleanly without bearing down; pushing just heats the surface and loads the paper.
• Keep the sander moving. With fine grit, dwelling in one spot polishes rather than cuts.
• Align the perforations. Dust collection is the difference between steady cutting and glazed paper.
• Refresh the tip first. If your corners stop cutting, swap the nose before replacing the whole sheet.
• Step your grits. For stock leveling, start at 120 or 150 and finish at 180. Don’t ask 180 to do everything.

Limitations to keep in mind

• This is a finishing grit. If you’re stripping thick finishes or flattening uneven joints, step down to coarser paper first.
• It’s a five‑pack. For large jobs—say, a whole kitchen’s worth of fronts—you’ll run through a pack quickly, especially on paint.
• Dust extraction matters. On resinous pine or glossy alkyd, the paper loads without suction. The holes are only half the system; the vacuum is the other half.

None of these are faults of the sheets themselves, but they’re realities of working with fine abrasives on a small pad.

Build quality and coverage

The sheet outline is accurate, the perforations are clean, and the backing holds up to multiple removals without losing grip. I swapped sheets several times to jump between a flat pad and contour attachments; the hook‑and‑loop bond remained secure and didn’t fuzz out prematurely. Packaging is straightforward, and while I don’t usually think about warranties on consumables, the two‑year limited coverage against defects is a nice assurance that the materials and cutouts are up to spec.

Who will appreciate these

• Trim carpenters prepping new installs for paint or stain
• Cabinet refinishers scuffing between coats
• DIYers handling window sash, louvered doors, and other corner‑heavy pieces
• Anyone who relies on the MOUSE platform and needs a consistent, predictable 180‑grit finish

If your work leans toward rough carpentry or heavy stripping, these aren’t the sheets to start with—but they’re the ones to finish with.

Recommendation

I recommend the MOUSE fine‑grit sheets for finishing and detail work with MOUSE‑series sanders. The even cut, reliable hole alignment, and genuinely useful replaceable tip set them apart among basic consumables. They excel at final prep on wood, scuff‑sanding paint between coats, and reaching into corners and curves with the contour attachments. Pair them with dust extraction, use light pressure, and they deliver a clean, uniform surface ready for primer or topcoat. For small to medium projects and any job with tight spaces, they’re an easy choice.