Which Cutting/polish?

[Dizz]

@Dizz

The first rule of machine polishing - You can't put back what you have taken off! Up until recently Mercedes finished their cars with PPG's Ceramiclear which is some of the hardest clearcoat on the planet. However, applications are less than generous, being as thin as 50 microns. To put it into perspective, a Post-It Note is 75 microns thick. Professional detailers will always check the situation with an instrument called a Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG). The trick is to always leave sufficient meat on the bone as insurance against future disasters. If you can feel a scratch with your fingernail you will have to live with it as it is through to the basecoat and will not polish out.



The rule when polishing is to start with the least aggressive pad and polish combination first and only if that is not yielding satisfactory results should you step up to a coarser combination. And only then in areas that actually need that level of refining. Remember there is only a loose association between the polish and the pad and to get the optimum degree of cut you require may mean pairing a particular polish with a finer or coarser pad to achieve your desired finish and leave the maximum thickness of clearcoat behind. With pad design you also need to separate the marketing spin from the actual science and decide whether a pad allegedly faced with fabric from the Turin Shroud will genuinely improve the finished result for its exorbitant asking price.



If you do want to try some S20 Black it is in stock at Polished Bliss. Whilst their prices may not be quite as competitive as others, the free P+P on everything is psychologically inviting. They also stock the 135mm Scholl Spider Pads which will offer combinations of variable aggression. Also have a look at their Car Care Advice section, it is one of the most informative detailing resources for n00bs on the internet.



Scholl Concepts S20 Black at Polished Bliss £21 delivered

Thanks I will look at that, so the Scholl S20 won't be too aggressive then?


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[whitenemesis]

Where did you buy your black/green Hexlogic pads?


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These guys, great service

Machine Polishing Pads | Buffing Pads - Clean Your Car

 

[Dizz]

These guys, great service



Machine Polishing Pads | Buffing Pads - Clean Your Car

Thanks.


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[Toobad]

So the Scholl S20 won't be too aggressive then

If you had a car from one of the Asian manufacturers who all use a notoriously soft clearcoat then I would err on the side of caution and start with a finer grade of polish like S30+. Given that you have German ceramic paint which has never been refined before I think you will achieve superb results with the S20 Black. The initial coarseness very quickly reduces down to finer particles to promote extreme glossing. As you intend applying your Black Hole glaze topped with a wax anyway, there is no need to pursue a perfectly corrected paint finish. You can always consider a further polish once the fillers in the Black Hole have weathered off in 3-4 months time. Pair the S20 Black with the purple Spider Pad or a green Quantum Hex-logic pad and I think the result will be sufficiently impressive without gilding the lily.

 

[BIRMA]

Thanks I will look at that, so the Scholl S20 won't be too aggressive then?


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I've just used this with a Megs DA polisher on my Phaeton which is the equivalent of Obsidion Black in the Merc world.
The bonnet was a sea of swirls and looked horrible in direct sunlight.
Spent an hour or two applying it all over the car and the results are absolutely superb. I've been a big fan of Ulimate Compound but I have to say this was a breeze to use and I'll always have some around although I've not even used a third of the bottle.
I would recommend wiping it off straight away though as it's real hard work to remove dry.