You know those fine scratches you get from waxing and detailing your car?How do you get rid of these to make a "like" glass finish? In the old days we use to use liquid ebony. Its been a long time since I did this. Is this stuff still available or is there something better?
Removing Fine Scratches
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A swirl is a very fine scratch cut into the surface of your clearcoat layer. The reason why you see swirls to begin with is because of light refraction, like through a prism. When you have something that breaks the continuity of a smooth surface, light refraction is altered and it's easier to see the defect. When you have a dark basecoat paint, such as (sigh) black, the contrast is greater and the swirls stand out more.
There are two ways to handle swirls.
Apply a glaze, such as Meguiars 07. A glaze will dry clear and fill in the swirls on the clearcoat, thus restoring the continuity of your smooth clearcoat layer and correcting light refraction. You are not actually removing the swirls, you're hiding them. This is what you typically pay for when you have your car detailed at the car wash and it costs about $60 and takes only takes about 2 hours. Glaze will wear off over a few washings and the swirls will re-appear.
Correct the paint. In this space, it would take too much time to explain how to properly correct the paint on your car, but this is the method that involves abrading the clearcoat paint layer to level the defects. Paint correction can be done by hand, but best results are achieved with a dual action machine polisher. While this is a permanent swirl removal process in that it removes the existing swirls, it won't prevent new swirls from forming unless you take precautions on how you wash your car, dry your car, and maintain the paint following a full paint correction.
If you are interested, PM me and I will send you links that will get you started
There are two ways to handle swirls.
Apply a glaze, such as Meguiars 07. A glaze will dry clear and fill in the swirls on the clearcoat, thus restoring the continuity of your smooth clearcoat layer and correcting light refraction. You are not actually removing the swirls, you're hiding them. This is what you typically pay for when you have your car detailed at the car wash and it costs about $60 and takes only takes about 2 hours. Glaze will wear off over a few washings and the swirls will re-appear.
Correct the paint. In this space, it would take too much time to explain how to properly correct the paint on your car, but this is the method that involves abrading the clearcoat paint layer to level the defects. Paint correction can be done by hand, but best results are achieved with a dual action machine polisher. While this is a permanent swirl removal process in that it removes the existing swirls, it won't prevent new swirls from forming unless you take precautions on how you wash your car, dry your car, and maintain the paint following a full paint correction.
If you are interested, PM me and I will send you links that will get you started
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John - Does the wax have to be removed before using the glaze and can you wax on top of it ?
I know you asked John, you will want to wax after glaze as most glazes do not have any or little carnuba in them. I would use glaze after the wax is worn off, either by time or with a clay bar or even dawn dish soap wash. For paint correction I use a swirl remover by machine, then a glaze by machine then a hand wax.
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Thanks Corbin. :smileup: I was thinking about doing the dawn wash, glaze and then top it off with a coat of wax.I need to learn how to use a machine. I can't help but think it will come out much better than by hand.
Yes that will work fine^^^^, just make sure you use good soft micro fiber towels for removal and different ones for the glaze and for the wax.When you are ready for a machine let us know there are great videos out there to show you how to do it.
Today I clay barred the car for the first time. I had a few scratches to get rid of. After the clay bar, I used the Meguiars Scratch X. It worked absolutely great!! I couldn't believe how those scratches disappeared. I then waxed the car. Now I am totally dead! Ha!
Yup, I am usually used up after a paint correction day.
Good advice and good method. I would only add that anyone applying a glaze should try to remove it before it dries because when it does, glaze is a mutha to buff off. Glaze a panel at a time, rather than doing the whole car at once. If the glaze does dry, coat it with more glaze to remove the dried stuff.
If you wash with Dawn or any dishwashing soap, I would recommend applying a mild car polish to replenish the oils in the paint before applying glaze and wax. Dishwashing soaps are formulated with citric astringents to extract oils and grease from your dinner plates, pots, and pans. While it's also very useful for stripping old wax off of your car's paint, it can also dry out oils in the paint. Over time this can contribute to, or hasten the onset of clear coat failure (where the car's paint looks like it has psoriasis).
Think about it. On most cars, clear coat failure almost always starts on the leading edge of the roof. The reason why is that's the surface of the car that's most exposed to sun and wind, where oils in the paint are most apt to dry out over a prolonged period of time. It's very important to keep your paint (for lack of a better word) "moisturized".
NanoSkin autoscrub sponge instead of clay, Then Chemical guys Pro Polish Nano 3n, Then Surf City Garage Barrier Reef wax, then Surf City Nano Glaze ,then detail with Race Glaze , to clean dust off use Surf City Hot Rod detail spray.
end result with total 3 hours invested.
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end result with total 3 hours invested.
Lannen, that is very beautiful! Love the photo!!
Wet paint alert! Nice glossy reflections. Looks like a black mirror :smileup:Paint correction day on the hood and front end topped with Wolfgangs Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. No swirls to be found :smileup:
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Lannen..my lawyers will soon be in touch...I believe the shine on that beautiful ride has burnt my eyes permanently!
reps for that man...looks awesome
reps for that man...looks awesome
This was my first time doing it, so I am not sure I would be the expert on clay barring.
I washed the car at 8:30 and was done with that at about 9:30. It seems to me that I finished with the clay bar at about 12:00 noon. I even took a short 15 minute break in the middle. I didn't think the clay bar was hard to do. Make sure you use enough detail spray and keep the clay wet. Work in small sections on your vehicle. Follow the instructions given. The clay sticks to your hand (which is good) so I didn't have problems with dropping it. If you drop it, you can't use it again! When you see all the brown stuff on the clay you won't believe it! I am still amazed at how much smoother and better my car looks. I always thought it looked good before, but not now. It is soooo shiny now, I love it!! The hardest part for me was the hand wax after the clay job. You should do that too. I now notice my car just stays cleaner too. Go for it, you won't be sorry!! Any more questions, don't be afraid to PM HemiMetal. He is a great guy and knows his stuff!!
I washed the car at 8:30 and was done with that at about 9:30. It seems to me that I finished with the clay bar at about 12:00 noon. I even took a short 15 minute break in the middle. I didn't think the clay bar was hard to do. Make sure you use enough detail spray and keep the clay wet. Work in small sections on your vehicle. Follow the instructions given. The clay sticks to your hand (which is good) so I didn't have problems with dropping it. If you drop it, you can't use it again! When you see all the brown stuff on the clay you won't believe it! I am still amazed at how much smoother and better my car looks. I always thought it looked good before, but not now. It is soooo shiny now, I love it!! The hardest part for me was the hand wax after the clay job. You should do that too. I now notice my car just stays cleaner too. Go for it, you won't be sorry!! Any more questions, don't be afraid to PM HemiMetal. He is a great guy and knows his stuff!!
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