Three cloth rolls for cleaning copper pipe and metal, compared from 3M’s, Forney’s and Oatey’s own pages, with the copper prep rules that go with them.
By Isaac Daniels, journeyman plumber · Licensed in Georgia, #JP507711
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · New page
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Get the 3M 314D roll: 50 yards, sold in 13 grits, and 3M lists it for pipe fitting and plumbing. For a plumber’s 1-1/2 in. strip, get Oatey’s 31318 sandcloth. For a small roll in four grits, get the Forney 71804.
Top pick: 3M 314D$51.22 at AmazonPrice as of Oct 24, 2026, 5:30 AM EDT
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
How the three compare on our spec score
Five checks from each maker’s own page, equal weight. The rules and every input are in the method section near the end.
PlumbingPicks spec score out of 10, from 3M’s, Forney’s and Oatey’s product pages, read Oct 22, 2026. It is not a customer rating or a lab test of our own.
All three are cloth-backed aluminum oxide rolls you tear into strips by hand. They differ in roll length, strip width and how many grits the maker sells in the same roll.
The 3M roll is the longest and comes in the most grits. The Oatey is the only one sold in the 1-1/2 in. width plumbers use, but in one grit. The Forney is the short roll, in four grits.
Each pick, in detail
What each maker publishes, what it means when you’re cleaning pipe, and where each one lost points on our checks.
Bends and rolls without tearing or shelling, per 3M
Light J-weight cloth in most grades
Safety data sheet published
Cons
1 in. wide, not the 1-1/2 in. plumber’s width
3M labels it for industrial use
Grits use the P scale, unlike the others
No warranty stated on 3M’s page
P1201 in. x 50 yd45.72 mAluminum oxideJ-weight clothClosed coat
Buy it if
You go through a lot of cloth, or you want one roll line for copper, rust and paint prep in several grits.
Skip it if
You want a 1-1/2 in. strip for wrapping fittings. Get the Oatey.
The 3M Utility Cloth Roll 314D is the roll I’d keep in the shop, and I’ve used it. 3M lists its uses as metal working, pipe fitting, plumbing and machine shop work, which puts copper prep right on the maker’s page.
It’s aluminum oxide on a cloth backing, resin bonded, closed coat. 3M says aluminum oxide self-fractures to expose fresh cutting edges, where traditional natural abrasives dull more quickly. That’s the mineral on all three picks; 3M just says the most about it.
The grit range is the widest here. 3M sells the 314D from P40 to P400, 13 grits, so it scored a 10 on grit choices. Note the P in front of the number; Forney and Oatey print plain numbers.
Most grades use a light J-weight cloth; P50 and P60 use a stiffer X-weight backing. 3M says strips can be torn to size, wound around circular pieces, twisted to fit cylinders or folded into corners. Winding around is how you clean a pipe end.
The roll on our pick is 1 in. by 50 yd (3M gives 45.72 m), the longest of the three, a 10 on roll length. At 1 in. wide it scored an 8 on width. 3M also sells the 314D in 1-1/2 and 2 in. widths.
At about 6 in. a strip for 1/2 in. copper, from the strip guide below, 50 yd tears into roughly 300 strips, our math.
It took 10s on the last two checks: 3M names plumbing, and publishes the mineral, grit, backing and coat, plus safety data sheets.
One note: 3M marks it for industrial or occupational use only. It was sold by Amazon.com on Oct 22, 2026.
My call: buy the P120 for copper and general cleanup, and add a finer grit only if you do finish work.
Best for a small roll in four grits
Forney 71804
Emery Cloth Bench Roll, 120 grit, 1 in. x 10 yd
Product photo: Amazon. Forney’s listings share one photo of the 320 grit roll; this pick is the 120 grit.
120 grit1 in. x 10 ydAluminum oxideOpen grainItem 7180430 day warranty
Buy it if
You want a small roll for the tool bag, or a grit set from one brand for metal, wood and pipe ends.
Skip it if
You clean a lot of copper. A 25 or 50 yd roll lasts longer.
The Forney 71804 is the small roll for a tool bag, and I’ve used it. Forney calls it ideal for hand sanding, dry, and cleaning of metal, wood and pipe ends.
It’s aluminum oxide with an open grain, which Forney says prevents loading. Loading is when the grit clogs with what you’re removing and stops cutting.
The roll is 1 in. wide and 10 yd long, so it scored a 7 on roll length and an 8 on width. That’s the trade: it’s a fifth the length of the 3M roll, on a spool small enough to toss in a bag.
Forney sells the same bench roll in 80 (71803), 120 (71804), 180 (71805) and 320 grit (71806). Four grits from one line earned a 10 on grit choices.
Forney names pipe ends but not plumbing or copper by name, so built for pipe scored an 8. Its page gives the mineral, the grit and the open grain, which is the coat, and the product name says cloth. That’s a 10 on published specs.
Forney states a 30-day warranty against defects in material and workmanship. We don’t score warranty on this page, since only Forney states one.
A photo note. Amazon’s photos for every Forney grit show the 320 grit spool. The listing we link is model 71804, the 120 grit, sold by Amazon.com on Oct 22, 2026. Check the grit on the label when it arrives.
At about 6 in. a strip for 1/2 in. copper, 10 yd tears into roughly 60 strips, our math. That’s plenty for a tool bag, but a remodel will go through it.
y call: the 120 is the one for copper; keep the 320 for finish work on fittings you can see.
Best for 1-1/2 in. copper sweat prep
Oatey 31318 sandcloth
Oatey 31318 Plumber’s Abrasive Sandcloth, 120 grit, 1-1/2 in. x 25 yd
120 grit1-1/2 in. x 25 ydAluminum oxideCotton-based clothPart 31318UPC 038753313184
Buy it if
You sweat copper and want the wide strip plumbers use, in a roll that lasts.
Skip it if
You need finer or coarser grits too. Oatey sells this cloth in 120 only.
Oatey’s 31318 Plumber’s Abrasive Sandcloth is the one made for the job most plumbers buy emery cloth for, and I’ve used it. Oatey says it’s for cleaning copper pipe, fittings and other soft metals.
Oatey describes a lightweight but strong cotton-based fabric covered 100% with aluminum oxide abrasive. It also lists deburring and roughing copper tubing, as well as plastic pipe.
It’s the only pick sold 1-1/2 in. wide, which earned a 10 on width for pipe. A wider strip covers more of a fitting cup in one wrap.
The 31318 is 25 yd long, a 10 on roll length. Oatey sells the same 120 grit cloth in 2 yd (31315), 10 yd (31317) and another 2 yd pack (31411).
Its weak check is grit choices. Every Oatey size is 120 grit, one grit, so it scored a 2.5. For copper that’s rarely a problem; for rust or finish work, it is.
Oatey names copper pipe, a 10 on built for pipe. Its page gives the mineral, grit and backing but not the coat type, a 7.5 on published specs.
The listing was sold by a third-party plumbing supply store, in stock on Oct 22, 2026. The box in Amazon’s photo shows Oatey’s part number, 31318.
The listing says the roll comes in a dispenser box to keep the abrasive clean in storage. That matters on copper, since the handbook says skin oils, lubricating oils and grease impair soldering.
At about 6 in. a strip for 1/2 in. copper, 25 yd tears into roughly 150 strips, our math. Oatey also links a how-to video on sweating copper pipe from the product page.
My call: this is the roll I’d hand an apprentice for sweat joints.
The three side by side
Size, grit and backing from each maker’s own page.
From 3M’s Utility Cloth Roll 314D page, Forney’s 71804 page and Oatey’s Plumber’s Abrasive Sandcloth page, read Oct 22, 2026. All three use aluminum oxide.
How long a strip to tear for each copper size
A strip has to reach around the tube to clean it evenly. Here’s the distance around each Type L size and which roll width covers it.
Copper size
Outside diameter
Distance around (our math)
Wall, Type L
Strip to tear (my call)
1/2 in.
0.625 in.
2.0 in.
0.040 in.
About 6 in.
3/4 in.
0.875 in.
2.7 in.
0.045 in.
About 6 in.
1 in.
1.125 in.
3.5 in.
0.050 in.
About 8 in.
1-1/4 in.
1.375 in.
4.3 in.
0.055 in.
About 10 in.
1-1/2 in.
1.625 in.
5.1 in.
0.060 in.
About 10 in.
2 in.
2.125 in.
6.7 in.
0.070 in.
About 12 in.
Diameters and walls: Copper Development Association, Copper Tube Handbook, Table 14.2b (Type L). Distance around is pi times the outside diameter, our arithmetic. Strip lengths are my call: one wrap plus enough on each end to hold.
The handbook says to clean the tube end for a distance slightly more than the depth of the fitting cup. A 1-1/2 in. wide Oatey strip covers that on small sizes in one pass; a 1 in. strip may need a second pass, my call.
Copper doesn’t need much. The handbook puts the gap between tube and fitting at about 0.004 in. and warns that removing too much metal can leave a loose fit and a poor joint. Shine it; don’t grind it.
Which grit for which job
Each maker lists different jobs for its rolls. Here’s the grit I’d reach for, with the maker’s stated use beside it.
Job
Grit (my call)
Pick
What the maker says
Cleaning copper before soldering
120
Oatey 31318 or 3M P120
Oatey: cleaning copper pipe and fittings. 3M: plumbing, pipe fitting
Roughing plastic pipe
120
Oatey 31318
Oatey: plastic pipe as well as copper
Heavy rust on steel
80 or P80
Forney 71803 or 3M P80
3M: rust or other contaminant removal. Forney: cleaning metal
Scuffing paint before recoating
P180 to P220
3M 314D
3M: surface preparation for paints and coatings
Light deburring on fittings
180
Forney 71805 or 3M P180
3M and Oatey both list deburring
Finish work on visible brass or copper
320
Forney 71806 or 3M P320
3M: blending and repairing metal finishes
Lower numbers are coarser. If you only buy one roll for plumbing, my call is 120: it cleans oxide off copper without cutting deep scratches.
Forney’s and Oatey’s grit numbers and 3M’s P numbers aren’t printed on the same scale, so match like for like within one brand when you buy a second grit.
How to clean copper pipe with emery cloth
The steps for a sweat joint from the Copper Development Association’s Copper Tube Handbook, with my own calls marked.
Step
What to do
Source
1. Cut square
Cut the tube square so it seats fully in the fitting cup
CDA handbook
2. Ream
Ream the inside to the full diameter and remove outside burrs
CDA handbook
3. Clean the tube
Lightly abrade the tube end with sand cloth or a nylon abrasive pad, a bit past the cup depth
CDA handbook
4. Clean the cup
Use abrasive cloth, an abrasive pad or a properly sized fitting brush
CDA handbook
5. Hands off
Don’t touch the cleaned surface with bare hands or oily gloves
CDA handbook
6. Flux right away
Apply a thin, even coat of flux as soon as possible after cleaning
CDA handbook
7. Tear a fresh strip
When the cloth stops leaving a bright surface, tear a new piece
My call
The handbook says skin oils, lubricating oils and grease impair soldering, which is why step 5 matters. My call: wrap the strip around the tube and pull it back and forth like shining a shoe, turning the tube as you go.
“Emery cloth” is used loosely. Here’s what each maker actually puts on the cloth, and how it compares with paper-backed sandpaper.
Type
Abrasive
Backing
Example
Source
True emery cloth
Emery, a natural stone and oxide mineral
Cloth
3M Emery Cloth 03008 sheets
3M
Emery cloth as sold today
Aluminum oxide
Cloth
Forney 71804
Forney
Utility cloth
Aluminum oxide
J-weight or X-weight cloth
3M 314D
3M
Plumber’s sandcloth
Aluminum oxide
Cotton-based fabric
Oatey 31318
Oatey
Sandpaper
Varies
Paper
Any paper sheet
Common use of the term
3M describes its true emery cloth as a stone and oxide mineral abrasive that combines various mineral oxides, sold in fine, medium and coarse grades rather than grit numbers. Forney sells its “Emery Cloth” with an aluminum oxide coating. So does Oatey.
The cloth backing is what matters for pipe. 3M says its utility cloth stays durable when bent or rolled without tearing or shelling. My call: paper sandpaper tears when you wrap it around a 1/2 in. pipe and pull, which is why plumbers carry cloth.
Cloth, open mesh or abrasive pad for copper
The handbook names sand cloth and nylon abrasive pads for the tube, and adds a fitting brush for the cup. Open mesh cloth is a third option sold for plumbers.
Tool
Where it works
Notes
Sand or emery cloth roll
Tube ends and fitting cups
Named in the CDA handbook; tear to length
Nylon abrasive pad
Tube ends and fitting cups
Named in the CDA handbook
Fitting brush
Inside fitting cups
CDA: “properly sized” for the fitting
Open mesh cloth
Tube ends
Oatey and Jet Swet sell it in 180 grit; a different product, not scored here
My call: cloth for the tube, a fitting brush for the cups, and keep both in the bag. A cloth strip folded into a fitting cup works, but a brush sized to the fitting is faster on a long run of joints.
Do you need emery cloth for press fittings or PVC?
Different joints ask different things of the tube surface. Here’s what the sources say, with my calls marked.
Joint
What the source says about the tube
Source
Soldered copper
Lightly abrade the tube and clean the cup
CDA handbook, ch. 7
Press-connect copper
No dents, deep scratches, dirt, oils, grease or other imperfections; chamfer the end
CDA handbook, ch. 11
Push-connect copper
Same list plus paint; ream and chamfer
CDA handbook, ch. 12
Plastic pipe
Oatey lists its sandcloth for plastic pipe
Oatey
For press fittings, the handbook says to follow the fitting maker’s instructions. My call: a quick wipe with cloth to clear dirt is fine, but deep scratches across the seal area are on the handbook’s list of things to avoid. See our press fitting depth marks guide and ProPress vs soldering.
Safety with emery cloth
Abrasive cloth is a simple tool, but the dust and the clean surface both need some care.
Point
Detail
Source
Safety data sheets
3M publishes SDS 1993708 for 314D grades P80 to P400
3M
California Prop 65
Danco’s plumber’s cloth carries a crystalline silica warning
Danco
Keep it clean
No bare hands or oily gloves on the cleaned copper
CDA handbook
Eyes and lungs
Wear safety glasses and sand where dust can clear
My call
My call: read the safety data sheet for the roll you buy if you sand a lot overhead, and keep the cleaned end off the floor before it goes into the fitting.
Rolls we checked and left out
These came up in Amazon searches on Oct 22, 2026. Here’s what kept each off the list.
Roll
What we found
Why it’s out
Danco 86643 plumber’s abrasive cloth
1-1/2 in. x 2 yd, “medium grit,” sold by Amazon.com
Scored 5.8 on our checks: 2 yd, no grit number or mineral published
Norton Metalite cloth rolls
Aluminum oxide on cloth, 1 and 1-1/2 in.
7 to 12 day lead time on Amazon
Oatey 31321 and Jet Swet open mesh
180 grit open mesh, 1-1/2 in.
Open mesh, a different product
3M Emery Cloth 03008
True emery, 3-2/3 x 9 in. sheets
Sheets, not a roll
Benchmark, ChampNet, Shineboc, Bates, Scottchen
Small-brand rolls and grit assortments
Listing text only
Danco was the closest call. Its page says it cleans and deburrs copper before soldering, but it gives no grit number, no mineral and a 2 yd roll. Under our rules that’s a 5.8, so it isn’t a pick.
How to choose in four questions
Question
If yes
If no
Is it mostly for sweating copper?
Oatey 31318
Keep going
Do you need several grits from one line?
3M 314D or Forney
Oatey 31318
Do you go through a lot of cloth?
3M 314D (50 yd)
Forney 71804 (10 yd)
Does it live in a tool bag?
Forney 71804
3M 314D in its box
My call for most plumbers: an Oatey roll for copper, and a 3M or Forney roll in 80 grit for rust. Add a good tubing cutter so the end you’re cleaning is square to start with.
Questions people ask
What is the best emery cloth?
The 3M Utility Cloth Roll 314D, on our spec score of 9.6. It’s a 50 yd roll sold in 13 grits, and 3M lists it for pipe fitting and plumbing. For a 1-1/2 in. plumber’s strip, see Oatey’s 31318 sandcloth.
What is emery cloth?
A cloth-backed abrasive you tear into strips to clean or smooth metal. True emery is a natural mineral, as on 3M’s Emery Cloth sheets; most rolls sold as emery cloth today, like Forney’s, use aluminum oxide.
What’s the difference between sandpaper and emery cloth?
The backing. Emery cloth is on cloth, which bends around pipe and resists tearing; sandpaper is on paper. 3M says its utility cloth stays durable when bent or rolled without tearing or shelling.
Can I use sandpaper instead of emery cloth?
On a flat surface, often yes. On pipe, my call is no: paper tears when you wrap it and pull. The Copper Tube Handbook names sand cloth or nylon abrasive pads for cleaning copper tube.
What grit is emery cloth?
It varies by roll. 3M sells its 314D from P40 to P400, Forney sells 80, 120, 180 and 320, and Oatey’s plumber’s sandcloth is 120. 3M’s true emery sheets come in fine, medium and coarse.
What grit emery cloth for copper pipe?
My call is 120. It’s the grit of Oatey’s plumber’s sandcloth, which Oatey sells for cleaning copper pipe and fittings, and the handbook says to lightly abrade, not grind.
What are the benefits of using emery cloth?
It tears to any length, wraps around pipe, and the cloth holds up when bent. 3M also lists deburring, rust and contaminant removal, and surface prep for paints and coatings.
What are the safety precautions when using emery cloth?
Read the safety data sheet for your roll; 3M publishes one for the 314D. Danco’s cloth carries a California crystalline silica warning. My call: wear safety glasses and keep dust away from your face.
How do you clean copper pipe before soldering?
Ream the cut end, then lightly abrade the tube with sand cloth or a nylon pad a bit past the fitting cup depth, and clean the cup with cloth, a pad or a fitting brush, per the Copper Tube Handbook. Flux right away.
Is sand cloth the same as emery cloth?
Close. Plumbers say sand cloth for the same kind of cloth-backed roll. Oatey calls its roll abrasive sandcloth; Forney calls its roll emery cloth. Both use aluminum oxide.
Why is it called emory cloth?
“Emory” is a common misspelling of emery, the mineral. Rolls sold under either name are the same product.
Do you need emery cloth for ProPress?
The handbook asks for a press-connect tube end free of dents, deep scratches, dirt, oils and grease, and a chamfered end. My call: clean it if it’s dirty, but don’t scratch across the seal area, and follow the fitting maker’s instructions.
How we picked these
Why trust me
I’m Isaac Daniels, a licensed journeyman plumber in Georgia (license #JP507711), and I’ve used all three picks. Every spec here comes from 3M’s, Forney’s and Oatey’s own pages, read Oct 22, 2026, and the copper steps from the Copper Development Association’s handbook. Where I add advice of my own, it’s labeled as my call.
How I pick
Only cloth-backed abrasive rolls from well-documented brands, new and in stock on Amazon, checked through Amazon’s product data the same day.
Facts from each maker’s product page first. Where only the brand-written listing says something, the page says so.
Each card’s spec score comes from the five checks below. All three score 7.0 or higher.
CPSC recall search for 3M utility cloth, Forney emery cloth and Oatey sand cloth: no recalls found.
The spec score, check by check
Each check scores 0 to 10 and counts one fifth. It’s our score from maker pages, not a customer rating or a lab test of our own.
Check (weight)
How it’s scored
Roll length (⅕)
10 for 25 yd or more; 7 for 10 yd; 4 for 2 yd
Width for pipe (⅕)
10 for 1-1/2 in., the width Oatey and Danco sell as plumber’s cloth; 8 for 1 in.
Grit choices (⅕)
Grits the maker sells in the same roll line ÷ 4 × 10, up to 10
Built for pipe (⅕)
10 when the maker names plumbing or copper pipe; 8 when it names pipe in general; 5 when not named
Published specs (⅕)
Share of mineral, grit number, backing and coat the maker publishes, × 10
Total
Average of the checks, to one decimal
Pick
Roll length
Width
Grit choices
Built for pipe
Published specs
Score
3M 314D P120
10 (50 yd)
8 (1 in.)
10 (13 grits)
10 (plumbing)
10 (all four)
9.6
Forney 71804
7 (10 yd)
8 (1 in.)
10 (4 grits)
8 (pipe ends)
10 (all four)
8.6
Oatey 31318
10 (25 yd)
10 (1-1/2 in.)
2.5 (1 grit)
10 (copper pipe)
7.5 (no coat type)
8.0
Danco 86643 (left out)
4 (2 yd)
10 (1-1/2 in.)
2.5 (medium only)
10 (copper pipe)
2.5 (backing only)
5.8
Sources
3M, Utility Cloth Roll 314D product page, highlights and typical properties, and safety data sheets 1993708 and 2080240: read Oct 22, 2026.
