What's the best brand of sandpaper and/or sanding tool?

[Mardi Macfly]

I spend way too much time sanding.

[Korrigan]

LOL Pick!

[3 String Blues]

I use those too!...I love to use them for edges and cranks and whatnot...I discovered them late in my building career...I saw one in the bathroom my wife left behind and the light bulb went off!!!....now I love them.

[Korrigan]

Just noticed you also asked about tools also. I've got a cheap Wen 36" belt/disk combo sander, it works well for the price and I couldn't live without it.

[Uncle John]

I love my random orbital sander and mostly use 80 grit.  I am not much of an artist, but I am almost an artist with that sander.  It removes stock rapidly and shapes things nicely - but they can dig a hole where you don't want a hole. 

Gees, my mind wanders.  That made me think of my playing buddy doc's short dissertation on gender change surgeries.  "It's easier to make a hole than a pole."

[Jerry Jordan]

From experience.,.,.,don't buy sandpaper at the dollar store, or from Harbor freight.,.,.,the "sand" leaves the paper behind.,.,and it disintegrates if it gets wet.,., I like the idea of buying 3M products , but there are other reasonable products out there.,.,just not the dollar store or Harbor Freight.,.,oh and I got some terrible stuff from Big Lots as well.,.,,.

poor mans sandpaper = concrete side walk , unless you happen to have dried shark skin around .,.,

[Kirk]

One bit of great advice I got from a luthier: Use sand paper like someone else is paying for it.  

[Mardi Macfly]

Thanks for the replies. I found that the Gator paper they sell at walmart is horrible. The 3M flexible stuff is okay but I like to glue some to different shaped blocks and the backs on 3M flexible doesn't adhere to anything. Never tried Norton I'll have to give it a try.  Lately, I've been using Diablo and anything under 100 grit I generally just buy sanding belts because they last a really long time and they can be bent into smooth curves.

[Titch the Clown]

Substitute for sandpaper with Shinto brand Japanese saw rasp. 

For a home made version tape a few cheap hacksaw blades together https://www.instructables.com/id/Gang-Saw-Thin-Rasp/

[Mardi Macfly]

That's a great idea.