Don't know what grit/grade you were looking for, but often times the plumbing department carries strip emery in small rolls. Usually about 120 grit, I believe.  

Our family will all be here for Thanksgiving, which includesa two-year-old and three infants (all about 8 months old), so I’ve been busytrying to “baby-proof” the house and preparing for all of these houseguests at onetime. 

It’s been a very long time since I done any work, and eventhough I’ve got all tools required to do nearly anything, it’s been so longsince I’ve used them that I can’t find most of them.  (Which is probably just as well, since Iprobably won’t remember how to use them anyway.)  Some of the ones that I can find are rustyand “froze up” (just like me) and need some attention before they will work(also just like me).

I’m telling you all of that to tell you this:  I also could not find my big old roll ofemery cloth. (For those of you that may not be aware, “emery cloth” is asandpaper-like material used for removing rust from metal parts, “dressing”steel or machine components, and for a variety of other uses, and has been astaple in my tool box ever since my dad introduced me to it, way back when Iwas a lad.)  So I went over to the localhardware emporium last night to buy a new roll. I couldn’t find it, and the sad part is that the first four employeesthat I asked had no idea what I was talking about.  Granted, they were all younger than I (isn’teveryone?) and I must add that they seemed knowledgeable in the help that theywere providing other customers.  As I wason my way out, I saw an older employee (not as old as I, but who is?) in thetool department.  I asked him if he knewwhat “emery cloth” was, and he looked at me and replied “Of course!  I used to be a machinist!”  I asked if they carried it because the othersthat I asked had no idea what I was talking about, and he said that he’d neverseen it there.  We looked at each other,he shrugged, I shook my head, and we both began to chuckle.