Heavily Oxidized Single Stage Paint

[Bert]

I received an email about polishing a single stage paint heavily oxidized. Any difference polishing that versus clear coat paint which I have done several of? My assumption is I will need wool to cut through the oxidation and will need to clean the pad, pretty much every section.

[Accumulator]

Bert- What *KIND* of singlestage? New, old...lacquer, urethane? The ss on a modern SUV is very different from the ss on my Jag, which is very different from the ss on an old MOPAR (in othe words, I`m not just splitting hairs to be all Autopian about this ).

You`re on the right track IME, wool for the pad or maybe MF.

I`d see what products have chemical cleaners that will do some of the job chemically rather than mechanically. Meguiar`s old M02 used to be great in this regard but I have no idea how it is these days.

I assume it`s already been decontaminated. The alkaline step of a decon has sometimes helped me out by getting some of it off before I start using the polisher.

[Bert]

Hmmm, it is not my car so not sure I want to buy single stage specific products. Never thought about step one decon, unfortunately, I used mine all up, hahaha.

[rlmccarty2000]

Where is Dan? He is our single stage expert (one of them).

[The Guz]

This comes to mind

The #7 Rub Down Technique by Mike Phillips

[Accumulator]

The Guz- Yeah, I thought of that too (Mike and I have been on the same page Re single stage since the stuff was common). It works even better on lacquer (I`m assuming the Ford in that link is enamel, could be wrong..).

Some single stage paints *DO NOT* respond well to aggressive correction, the shine just doesn`t "come back" right once you haze it...usually enamels, drove me nuts a few times back in the `70s.

This thread got me thinking how, like Mike, I often advocate the M07 approach...but I don`t do it myself on the Jag, even though it`s ss lacquer is the *exact* type of paint for which this is the obvious solution! It`s just not what I like on *that particular car* even though it could very well be the best functional approach (in the sense of preserving the paint) since it`s one of the increasingly rare cases where "feed the paint" is *NOT* BS. It`s kinda like "old lacquer paint is always dying, all you can do is try to slow down that process".

[Old Pirate]

Old or newer vehicle SS is the question I would like to know?

Yes I`m with " The GUZ and Accumulator " with the #7 approach. You never know what`s waiting for you.

[XxBoostinxX]

I received an email about polishing a single stage paint heavily oxidized. Any difference polishing that versus clear coat paint which I have done several of? My assumption is I will need wool to cut through the oxidation and will need to clean the pad, pretty much every section.

No difference really. I have used wool, microfiber, and foam. I like microfiber the most out of the three on SS. I have done numerous SS paints, both lacquer and urethane. Make sure you have plenty of pads, clean them after every section of passes, and possibly change out the pad after every other panel. If you don`t not only will the pad lose its ability to cut, but it will also be out of balance. I have had one get so oversaturated with polish/paint that it vibrated right off the backing plate. Also be for warned that the pad might not ever look the same. Which doesn`t bother me really (why else did you buy the pads?) but some people it does.

[nothingface5384]

I typically used adapt or reflect on yellow or orange boss pads

The #7 bath is good if you have a garage and don`t have time limitations with a clients car..
I may try it again but machine apply

[Accumulator]

Yeah, MF cleans out so easily that I can see it being the best choice unless you need the added oomph of the wool.

And yeah#2, this is another good example of the "you can`t overclean your pads but you sure can UNDERclean `em".

[danlc95]

Consider either a wet polish, like M100, or a creamy one like FG400, with a coarse, open cell pad. The purple Kompressor, blue B&S eurotech, and even pink LC, or green B&S pads work great for picking up oxidized paint.

The typical hard, smooth pads don`t assist as much in the actual cut, nor is there anywhere for the residue to retreat to once you start cutting.

This is where I really like Menzerna, because the emollient matrix seems to suspend the used polish, and dead paint, without transferring the powder into the paint, like I`ve had M105 do on occasion.

[imported_Cardaddy]

This comes to mind

The #7 Rub Down Technique by Mike Phillips

That is EXACTLY what I was going to say brutha!

SS isn`t super scary, it`s just different. Us old guys... well... that`s all we use to have!!! LOL

As for the technique, I`d go mf or foam. The key is to make it better, and work smart.

Any-who.... great catch there brutha.

[Accumulator]

I *still* prefer the look of high-quality ss on some cars, wouldn`t *want* my Jag if it`s Rhodium Silver Metallic were reshot in b/c...even though that car is just dying for a 5-figure repaint (and has been since it was showroom-new ). I`ll let the next owner do that after I`m dead and buried.

[Bert]

I forgot to report back. The ss car went great. It was a red, early 80`s Dodge Rampage, like an smaller version of an El Camino.

I used Megs 101 on a Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool pad on my Flex 3401 and the swirls cleared up and finish was great. The owner probably would have been happy with just that but continued with Megs Reconditioning Cream on a Lake Country Black pad as a final finish which helped the gloss a little and added protection.

[Accumulator]

Bert- Glad it turned out well, and oxidized red ss is one *satisfying* paint to work on, huh?!?

Even though ss doesn`t hologram/etc. quite like b/c, I`m glad you did the follow-up passes anyway. The micromarring from the M101/PFW would`ve still shown up (to a really discerning eye) under come lighting conditions, even if the owner never noticed `em.