Black & Decker MOUSE Assorted Sandpaper, 5-Pack

Why I reached for these sheets

On a recent refresh of a nursery dresser and a set of window stools, I relied on a pack of Black & Decker’s Mouse sheets—the assorted 80/120/220 grits that match the triangular MOUSE detail sander. I keep generic triangular pads around, but the Mouse sheets save me setup time: the hole pattern lines up with the sander’s pad for dust extraction, the replaceable tip extends their life, and the contour variants get into places where a rectangle can’t. After several days of practical use—bare wood, older varnish, and tricky profiles—I’ve got a clear sense of where these sheets shine and where they come up short.

What’s in the pack and how they fit

You get five sheets total, in an assortment of 80, 120, and 220 grit aluminum oxide. Each pad is roughly 5-1/4 by 3-3/4 inches, with a pointed nose and perforations for dust collection. The hook-and-loop backing locks onto my Mouse pad securely; I didn’t have any premature peel-off, even when side-loading the tip along inside corners.

Alignment is straightforward: line up the nose, check the holes, press flat. The replaceable nose tip is a nice touch—once that high-wear point dulls, you can swap just the tip rather than tossing the entire sheet. It’s not a gimmick; it actually extends usable life when you’re doing a lot of edge work or cleaning out mortises.

The contour sheets in the pack are more flexible than the standard pads and will bend around soft curves—think cove moldings, chair spindles, or the inside radius of cabinet doors—without creasing immediately. They’re not a substitute for a sanding sponge on very tight radii, but they cover the middle ground well.

Abrasive performance on wood

The aluminum oxide grain cuts predictably. On clean pine and poplar, the 80-grit takes down mill marks and light cupping quickly without loading excessively. I followed with 120 and finished at 220 for paint-grade faces. The scratch pattern is even; stepping through the grits removes previous scratches efficiently so long as you don’t skip directly from 80 to 220.

Pressure matters. If you bear down, you’ll shorten pad life and risk creating shallow divots at the tip. Let the sander’s weight work. With light pressure and dust extraction engaged, I averaged one 80-grit sheet for two large drawer fronts (about 8 square feet) before the cut noticeably slowed. The 120 and 220 grits lasted longer per piece because there’s less stock removal.

On hardwood (I tried maple and red oak), the 80 grit remained aggressive enough, though you’ll go through sheets faster on end grain. The 220 left surfaces ready for a waterborne finish with minimal raised grain after the first coat.

How they handle paint and varnish

These sheets are billed as resistant to premature wear and clogging, and on bare wood that holds true. On painted or varnished surfaces, they can gum up quickly—particularly with older alkyd paint or thick oil-based poly. Heat is the enemy here; a small detail pad concentrates friction, and once the finish warms, it smears into the abrasive. I had the best results with a simple approach:

• Use a carbide scraper or a chemical stripper to break the finish first.
• Start at 80 grit to get past any residual film; keep the pad moving.
• Vacuum frequently and “deglaze” the sheet on a rubber abrasive cleaning block when loading appears.

Even with those tactics, expect shorter life on gummy finishes. The replaceable tip helps, since the nose is the first area to clog.

If your main task is bulk paint removal, a stearate-coated paper or a coarser, open-coat pad will last longer. For cleanup and leveling after you’ve removed the bulk, these sheets are fine.

Dust collection and cleanliness

With the holes aligned, dust capture is solid. Connected to a shop vac through the Mouse’s adapter, I saw minimal fine dust on the bench and far less clogging than with holes misaligned or with the sander’s onboard bag. The perforations cover most of the pad, so dust isn’t just being pulled from the center; that helps keep the edges cutting longer.

A tip: periodically lift the sander and tap the sheet against your palm while the vac is running. It clears fines and keeps the abrasive working without overheating.

Durability and the replaceable tip

A detail sander is hard on the nose of any pad. On face frames and inside corners, the Mouse sheets held up well, and the tip swap meaningfully extended life. When the point dulled or rounded over, I replaced it and continued with the same sheet for another cabinet door or two. Hook-and-loop adhesion stayed strong across multiple on/off cycles.

The body of the sheet resists tearing unless it catches a hardware screw or a sharp edge. I managed to nick a sheet on a stray brad; that’s on me. For normal work, the paper backing is appropriately stout without feeling stiff.

Control on profiles and tight spots

This is where the Mouse sheets earn their keep. The flexible contour variants and the sharp nose let me sand inside a shaker door profile and along cove molding without switching to a hand block. You can feather the pressure on the tip to avoid digging in. For extremely tight coves or ornate profiles, I still prefer a foam sanding sponge or detail sticks, but these sheets cover 85% of the “awkward” tasks on cabinetry and trim.

Value and pack composition

Five sheets per pack get you through a small project, but I burned through a pack quickly on a dresser refinish and window stool touch-up. If you’re tackling a whole kitchen, budget for multiple packs or look for larger multi-packs. Price per sheet is higher than generic triangles, but you’re getting proper hole alignment, strong backing, and the replaceable tip. For me, the time saved and the cleaner workspace offset the premium—up to a point.

One note on the assortment: the 80/120/220 progression is sensible for most wood projects. If you do a lot of paint work or heavy stripping, you may wish for more 80s in the mix. For finish sanding of raw stock, you’ll likely consume 120s and 220s at a similar rate.

Compatibility and limitations

• Designed for Black & Decker Mouse sanders, they fit perfectly. They’ll also stick to other triangular detail sanders with hook-and-loop pads, but the dust holes may not align.
• These are dry-use sheets. Don’t wet sand; the paper backing and the hook-and-loop will suffer.
• The listed 2-year limited warranty applies to defects, not wear. Sandpaper is a consumable; expect normal wear to be on you.

Practical tips from use

• Start the sander on the workpiece and keep it moving to avoid heat buildup that leads to clogging.
• Use dust extraction; a shop vac dramatically improves performance and pad life.
• Swap the nose tip as soon as it dulls—it keeps you from over-pressing and burning the sheet.
• Don’t skip grits. 80 → 120 → 220 keeps scratch depth under control and reduces rework.
• Keep an abrasive cleaning stick nearby for quick de-gumming on resinous woods.

The bottom line

The Mouse sheets do what they promise: they fit the tool, cut cleanly on wood, capture dust effectively, and reach places broader pads can’t. The aluminum oxide abrasive is consistent, the hook-and-loop hold is strong, and the replaceable tip is more than a marketing line—it genuinely extends useful life at the point, which is where detail sanding destroys pads first.

They’re not the cheapest way to sand, and they’re not magic on gummy paint or varnish. If your workload is dominated by heavy finish removal, you’ll chew through these faster than you’d like and might prefer an open-coat, anti-clog paper for that phase. But for cabinetry, trim, furniture prep, and post-strip cleanup, they’re a reliable, tidy, and efficient choice.

Recommendation: I recommend the Black & Decker Mouse sheets to anyone using a Mouse detail sander for wood prep, finish sanding, and profile work. They earn their keep with accurate fit, solid dust collection, and a smart replaceable tip. If you’re tackling lots of old paint or thick varnish, plan on more frequent sheet changes or pair them with a scraper/stripper to get the most value.