. . . without loading the soft metal on the wheel surface, which makes the grinding wheel ineffective.
No. A coarse rasp is better . You can wire brush it clean.
yes a fiber wheel, or an open sand wheel a belt sander is the best
Talk to your local welding supply store, they can help you pick out the correct wheel for the metal being ground. There are also wheels called flap disks that are made of same material as a sanding belt only layered. They work extremely well on all surfaces soft or hard. One thing to be aware of, if a standard grinding wheel for carbon steel is loaded there is a very high probability that the loading will cause the wheel to become unstable and explode. I have had it happen before (does not feel good). I would suggest talking to someone at a local welding supply store so they may advise you. Remember it is always better to work safe and live another day with eyes, fingers, and other body parts. Don't skimp on safety when working with a piece of equipment that spins at 10,000 RPM. In my shop we only use wheels specified for the type of material that we are removing.
