When safety, precision, and productivity are critical in construction and manufacturing, choosing the right abrasive tool becomes essential. That’s where PFERD, a global leader in surface finishing and material cutting, truly stands out.

As the official PFERD supplier in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Kiloton is here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re grinding, cutting, or polishing, we’ll help you select the ideal tool for the job.

How to Choose the Right Grinding Discs and Accessories for Bench and Pencil Grinders

Bench Grinder Solutions

PFERD’s bench grinding wheels are engineered for heavy-duty applications such as sharpening tools, surface conditioning, and material removal in industrial workshops, maintenance departments, and fabrication environments.

Top Picks:

  • Vitrified grinding wheels are ideal for use with steel and stainless steel. They provide consistent grinding performance with reduced loading and glazing.
  • Aluminium Oxide Wheels are designed for general-purpose grinding and sharpening of carbon steels and other metals.
  • Deburring Wheels are ideal for removing burrs and cleaning up edges on machined parts without affecting surface integrity.

Tips for Better Results:

  • Wheel selection: Choose the correct grit size. Use coarse grits (24–46) for fast material removal and finer grits (60–100) for precision work.
  • Dress the wheel regularly: Use a wheel dresser to clean and true the grinding surface for optimal performance and safety.
  • Adjust tool rests properly: Maintain a distance of no more than 1/8 inch (3 mm) between the tool rest and the grinding wheel to avoid workpiece slippage.
  • Prevent overheating: Dip tools in water frequently to maintain temper and reduce burn marks.

Pencil Grinder Accessories

For high-precision, small-diameter grinding and finishing, PFERD offers a wide range of mounted points and tungsten carbide burrs. These are ideal for confined spaces, intricate parts, and precision surface work.

Why They Stand Out:

  • Durability: Engineered for long service life with minimal wear, which reduces downtime and overall costs.
  • Precision-balanced: Suitable for high-speed pneumatic and electric pencil grinders (up to 50,000 RPM). Balanced tools reduce operator fatigue and vibration.
  • Optimised cutting speeds: Perform best at 30 to 50 m/s cutting speeds, delivering a superior finish and increased productivity.

Application Tips:

  • Match the shape to the job: Use cylindrical or conical mounted points for internal grinding or tight-area access.
  • Use the correct burr cut style:

    • Double cut: Ideal for general metal applications. Offers smooth control and low chip size.

    • Aluminum cut: Prevents clogging when working with non-ferrous metals like aluminium, copper, and brass.

  • Avoid excessive pressure: Let the tool do the work. Using too much force generates heat and shortens the life of the accessory.

What to Look for in Cutting Discs for Heavy-Duty Cutting

Choosing the right cutting disc is essential when tackling tough materials like steel, masonry, or concrete. Whether you’re working on-site or in a fabrication workshop, PFERD offers premium solutions engineered for durability, speed, and precision.

Steel Cutting Discs

For fast, clean cuts in steel with minimal burr formation, the PFERD EHT 115-1.0 PSF STEEL disc is a reliable choice. Designed for high-performance cutting in demanding environments, this thin cut-off wheel reduces rework and increases productivity.

Ideal for:

  • Cutting pipes in industrial applications
  • On-site cutting of steel plates and rebar
  • Routine workshop and maintenance tasks

Diamond Cutting Discs

When you need to cut concrete, bricks, or tiles, our range of PFERD’s diamond cutting blades delivers fast, precise cuts with minimal chipping, even on South Africa’s toughest job sites. Built for longevity and consistent performance across varying materials.

Ideal for:

  • Heavy-duty construction and civil engineering projects
  • Soft clinker and sand-lime brick
  • General masonry work, including tile cutting

Tips for Choosing the Right Cutting Discs

Selecting the correct cutting disc is essential for safety, performance, and compatibility with your equipment. Consider the following factors when making your choice:

Choose the Right Disc Diameter
Match the disc size to your machine, for example, 115 mm for angle grinders or 230 mm for larger cutting tasks. Larger diameters allow deeper cuts but generally require slower rotation speeds.

Know Your RPM Limits
Always verify the maximum RPM rating on the disc and ensure it matches or exceeds your grinder’s operating speed. Using a disc at a higher speed than it is rated for can cause dangerous failures and may void warranty claims.

Match the Disc to the Material
Steel cutting discs, such as PFERD’s PSF range, are thin and designed to deliver minimal burrs with fast cutting performance. Diamond blades are ideal for cutting concrete, tiles, and bricks. The segment type, such as turbo, segmented, or continuous, affects cutting speed and chip quality.

Consider Bond Type and Grain
Resin-bonded wheels generally cut faster but wear more quickly, making them suitable for applications where speed is a priority. Diamond-segmented blades offer extended tool life and improved cost efficiency over long production runs.

Prioritise Safety
Always use appropriate personal protective equipment, including eye protection, gloves, and face shields. Do not force the disc; allow it to cut at its own pace. Store discs in a dry environment and protect them from damage.

Surface Preparation and Polishing Tools from PFERD

Proper surface finishing often requires a combination of cleaning, preparation, and polishing. Kiloton offers a comprehensive range of tools designed to support each stage of this process.

Surface Preparation with Wire Brushes

Wire brushes are essential for initial surface cleaning tasks such as removing rust, scale, paint, and other contaminants. Selecting the right wire brush ensures effective and efficient cleaning without damaging the base material.

How to select the correct wire brush for your application:

PFERD Knotted Wire Wheel

Knot-Twisted Brushes

Designed for aggressive material removal and heavy-duty cleaning.

PFERD Crimped Wire Cup Brush

Crimped Brushes

Suitable for delicate cleaning and light deburring.

PFERD Crimped Wire Cup Brush

Cup and Wheel Brushes

Available in various configurations to suit drills, bench grinders, and angle grinders.

Wire brushes are effective on steel, aluminium, plastics, and other materials, making them versatile tools for surface preparation before polishing or coating.

Polishing and Finishing Tools

After surface preparation, polishing tools refine and enhance the surface finish. PFERD’s range includes:

Mounted Points

Precision abrasive tools available in various shapes and materials, ideal for detailed polishing, finishing, and blending in tight or complex areas. Mounted points are especially effective for smoothing weld seams and removing burrs. Compatible with pneumatic and electric pencil grinders, they offer long tool life and accurate results.

Tungsten Carbide Burrs

Designed for fine finishing and shaping, carbide burrs come in multiple cut types to optimize chip removal and surface quality. They are suitable for use on steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals.

Non-Woven Abrasive Wheels

Flexible tools used for surface conditioning, blending, and finishing without altering the shape of the workpiece. They excel at achieving satin finishes and light rust removal.

Flap Wheels

Composed of overlapping abrasive flaps, these wheels provide uniform finishing on flat and contoured surfaces, ideal for deburring and polishing.

Polishing Compounds

Used in combination with polishing tools, these compounds enhance surface finish and shine.

Kiloton’s Pro Tips for Choosing the Right PFERD Abrasive Tool

  • Always match grinding discs and wire brushes to the base material (steel, aluminium, etc.)
  • Never exceed the recommended RPM rating for your bench grinder, pencil grinder, or angle grinder
  • Select your tool based on the application: rough grinding, precision cutting, or polishing
  • Prioritise ergonomic tools to reduce vibration exposure and increase operator comfort

Why Choose PFERD Abrasives from Kiloton?

At Kiloton, we support your entire operation, from product supply and expert technical advice to training and maintenance. As a trusted PFERD distributor in South Africa, we provide high-performance tools backed by reliable service that helps minimise downtime.

To make your selection process easier, we’ve made the full range of PFERD abrasives catalogues easily accessible to you. Browse any of the catalogues below to explore the tools that keep your operation running smoothly:

Need help choosing the right tool?
Contact us for a competitive quote or visit any branch today. We are located in Vereeniging, Bloemfontein, Springs and KwaZulu Natal.

Frequently Asked Questions on Abrasives

Vitrified grinding wheels and aluminium oxide discs from PFERD provide excellent durability and performance for bench grinders.

Yes. PFERD’s mounted points are precision-made for pencil grinders and perfect for detailed grinding and deburring.

PFERD steel cutting discs are designed for cutting steel pipes, plates, rebar, and similar ferrous metals.

Yes. Use crimped wire brushes to clean aluminium without damaging the surface.