Sandblasting Made Simple:

Every year, Blue Dog Blasting teams up with industry experts to showcase the best of the best in sandblasting equipment and supplies that elevate the sandblasting game for professionals and DIYers alike. From stationary setups to mobile operations, we’ve got you covered.

In 2024, we focused on gear that prioritized operator safety and productivity, shining a light on the top 5 sandblaster products. So before diving into this year’s mobile blast abrasive lineup, let’s quickly revisit last year’s standout performers.

The NOVA 3 and C40 Dual Climate Control from GVS-RPB topped the charts for operator comfort and safety, leading to huge productivity gains. The XL Performance Nozzle was another crowd-pleaser, delivering impressive results every time. Then there’s the Whip Line; a gamer changer that transformed my blasting routine – turning tough jobs into manageable tasks.

But, if there was one product that truly stole the show, it was the Farrow Flow insert. This game-changing tool attaches to your airline, generating a powerful vortex that boosts blasting speed by at least 25%. Its incredible performance makes it a top contender for our 2025 Best Products list. But enough about the past – let’s look at what’s new in mobile blast abrasives for 2025.

Beyond One-and-Done: Top Mobile Blast Abrasives

This year, we’re spotlighting our top mobile blast abrasives in three key areas: cutting speed, finish quality, and product consistency. To qualify for inclusion, a product must fit one of the following criteria:

• Single-use: Created for a specific purpose with no possibility for recycling or reuse passes.
  Recyclable: Reusable but competitively priced for single-use scenarios. This option must offer clear advantages over single-use products to justify the higher cost.

With the qualifying criteria established, let’s introduce the abrasives competing for top honors. (For a quick overview of features and operations, check the summary at the end.)

We’ll start with the single-use abrasives. These convenient options are designed for one-time use and usually aren’t reused.

Next, we’ll explore the premium choices. While carrying a higher price tag, these abrasives offer distinct benefits. Whether these advantages outweigh the initial cost will depend on specific job requirements.

The Competitors List:

One & Done:

●  Coal Slag                                                    
●  Crushed Glass
●  Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

Reusable:

●  10X Engineered Materials
●  JetMag Abrasives (Olivine JetMag)
●  Garnet Abrasive 

Our 2025 Top Mobile Blasting Abrasives

Choosing the right abrasive for your mobile blasting project is crucial. The perfect abrasive depends on factors like the type of surface, desired finish, and your specific blasting process. While we’ll highlight our top three picks below, it’s essential to experiment and find what works best for you. Remember, what works wonders for one project might not be ideal for another.

Let’s dive into our top three abrasives, evaluated on cutting speed, finish appearance, and product consistency.

Top 3 Mobile Blasting Abrasives (in no particular order):

10X Engineered – Superoxalloy

If you’ve used 10X products before, you already know their reputation for excellence. This abrasive stands out as a top choice for mobile blasting due to its exceptional performance.
Key benefits of 10X Superoxalloy:

• Unmatched Cutting Speed: 10X is notably faster than most other mobile abrasives, including many recyclable options.
• Superior Finish: Beyond its speed, 10X delivers a pristine, white finish on parts.
• Reusability: While it’s a premium product, 10X can be reused in blast rooms or with mobile media recovery systems, making it a cost-effective option in the long run. Many powder coaters have switched from garnet to 10X due to its superior performance.

While 10X comes with a higher price tag compared to single-use abrasives, its efficiency and ability to be reused can offset this initial cost.

Coal Slag Abrasive

Coal slag is a budget-friendly abrasive renowned for its rapid cutting speed and low dust generation. It’s a popular choice in shipbuilding and government projects, outperforming crushed glass in terms of cutting efficiency. While it’s a single-use product, it excels in surface cleaning and preparation tasks.
A well-established industry material, coal slag is readily available. Though it offers potential environmental benefits over mined abrasives, it’s crucial to consider its entire lifecycle, from production to disposal. Proper management is key to maximizing its eco-friendliness.

JetMag Abrasive: A High-Performance Option

JetMag abrasive is a unique product that delivers exceptional results. Its distinct advantage lies in its higher particle count per pound compared to traditional abrasives like garnet or coal slag. This translates to:

●  Improved surface finish: A more consistent and even finish on blasted surfaces.
●  Increased coverage: More area can be covered with less abrasion.

Priced competitively with single-use abrasives but offering reusability benefits similar to premium options like garnet and 10X, JetMag provides a compelling value proposition. Its performance in powder coating applications, especially when combined with a media recovery system, has been particularly impressive.
If you haven’t tried JetMag yet, consider giving it a shot. It could be a game-changer for your blasting operations.

Category Awards

Cutting Speed

●  Winner: 10X Abrasive
●  Honorable Mention: Garnet

Finish Appearance

●  Winner: 10X Abrasive
●  Honorable Mention: Crushed Glass

Product Consistency

●  Winner: Armex Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
●  Honorable Mention: Coal Slag

Reviewing Each Mobile Blast Abrasive – Specs, Pros & Cons

One-and-Done Abrasives

Crushed Glass:

Crushed glass abrasive is a material derived from recycled glass. This involves crushing recycled glass into various sizes, resulting in the formation of sharp and angular granules.
●  85-90 pounds per cubic foot
●  Mohs scale hardness 6-7
●  Eco-friendly
PRO’s:
●  Low price/cost and easy to find – always available
●  Sustainable choice that contributes to a cleaner and greener environment
●  Very clean white finish
●  Can be used wet or dry and with many different applications
CON’s:
●  In wet blast systems, smaller particles of crushed glass may encounter difficulty in flowing smoothly
●  While some crushed glass may emit an unpleasant odor, there doesn’t seem to be a noticeable reduction in productivity associated with using it

Coal Slag:

Coal slag blast abrasive is a type of abrasive material derived from the by-products of coal combustion in power plants. It is quenched with water to quickly cool and harden it.  It is then crushed into various particle sizes suitable for abrasive blasting applications. 

Note: Coal Slag is intended for single-use and then disposal, but some blasters have successfully recycled it once for reuse (personally, I wouldn’t recommend recovering this abrasive).  

●  95-105 pounds per cubic foot
●  Mohs scale hardness 7
●  Fast cutting abrasive that leaves a nice white finish
PRO’s:
●  Low price and cost
●  Cuts a bit faster than Crushed Glass at about the same cost
●  Coal slag has been a best seller for decades due to its availability and effectiveness
CON’s:
●  This isn’t necessarily a drawback, but Coal Slag’s Fine, Medium, and Coarse blends are actually larger than those of other abrasives. Make sure to identify the correct mesh size for your application.
●  The dark black color of coal slag can create the illusion of more dust compared to lighter-colored abrasives. However, coal slag actually produces less dust than several other single-use products.

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) 

Soda blasting is a mild form of abrasive blasting that uses sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as the blasting medium. This method is gentle enough to clean delicate surfaces without causing damage, making it ideal for applications such as paint removal, graffiti removal, and cleaning sensitive equipment.
●  50-60 pound per cubic foot
●  Mohs scale hardness 2-3
●  Specialized for delicate surfaces where surface cannot be damaged
PRO’s
●  Use for light coating removal, remanufacturing, food processing equipment and restoration
●  Lightweight and environmentally friendly
●  Can clean oils and grease 
CON’s
●  Very dusty
●  Sodium bicarbonate used in the process can harm plants and vegetation
●  For efficient and sustainable long-term use of soda blasting, specialized equipment designed to handle the lightweight particles may be necessary.

Recyclable Abrasives

10X Engineered Abrasives

10X is an engineered abrasive material used in blasting processes. It is known for its exceptional performance and durability, making it a popular choice for surface preparation in various industries.+
●  90-100 pounds per cubic feet
●  Mohs scale hardness 6-7
●  Very Fast and offers a very white finished surface
PRO’s
●  Engineered Abrasive that is environmentally friendly
●  Very fast cutting speed
●  Clean and white surface finish
CON’s
●  Price is higher than one-and-done products (not cost)
●  Higher grit sizes come at a higher price

Garnet Abrasive:

Garnet Abrasive is a mined mineral media that is commonly used for cutting, blasting and waterjet cutting.  The mineral is mined all of the world for industrial applications.
●  130-135 pounds per cubic feet
●  Mohs scale hardness 7-7.5 
●  Fast cutting abrasive
PRO’s
●  Fast cutting
●  Available in many different mess sizes or blends 
●  Can be recycled and reused 1-2 times 
CON’s
●  Heavy product that requires more energy to get it moving
●  Leaves more of a light brown finish instead of white
●  Mining of this product has negative environmental impacts

Jet Mag Abrasive:

Jet Mag abrasive is produced from synthetic olivine, a mineral mainly composed of magnesium iron silicate. While olivine is naturally occurring, Jet Mag refers specifically to a processed or synthetic variant designed for abrasive applications.
●  75-80 pounds per cubic foot
●  Mohs scale hardness 6-7
●  Lightweight abrasive
PRO’s
●  Low weight equals more particles per pound
●  You can close up your abrasive metering valve
●  Low-cost abrasive
CON’s
●  Difficult to find a local source
●  Finish is a lighter brown or tan

Wrapping things up

We’ve wrapped up our exploration of the top mobile blasting abrasives for 2024. We hope this review has shed light on the unique advantages of each product, and we invite you to explore some of our other product review posts!
Your input matters! Share your favorite abrasive and why you prefer it in the comments below. Your experiences can help others make informed decisions and achieve better blasting results.
Ready to take on your next project? Get out there and blast!