An experimental characterization of the abrasive wear behavior of clay and clay plus short carbon fiber filled polyamide66/polypropylene (PA66/PP) nanocomposites has been investigated. Two-body abrasive wear studies were carried out using pin-on-disc wear tester under multi-pass condition against the water proof silicon carbide abrasive paper. It was observed that the clay reinforcement is detrimental to the abrasive wear resistance of PA66/PP blend. A combination of clay and short carbon fiber in PA66/PP blend improved the abrasive wear performance than those of clay filled PA66/PP nanocomposites. Further, on the basis of microscopic observation of the worn surfaces, dominant wear mechanisms were discussed. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119:2292-2301, 2011