Metal polishes and "cut"

[Lowejackson]

As it has rained every day for the last 8 days, so its time for me to face cleaning the interior of my Alfa 164. The vinyl looks quite poor. There is no visible damage - just neglect. I have no idea what has been used before. The surface is dull, sticky and cloudy. Would soapy water be a good start or should I begin with a vinyl cleaner.



The carpets and (cloth) seats are clean but the roof lining I think is covered in tobacco stains, what is the best way to clean this stuff.



Steven

[polevltr]

Water mixed with a bit of Dawn (the blue color) on a towel works great. Let it clean off the dirt and dry. Then apply 303 Aerospace Protectant or Lexol Vinylex with a foam applicator to restore luster and protect the vinyl. Wipe off using a cheapo Microfiber towel.

[Don2000g]

Agreed! Make sure to use a bit of water afterwards to make sure you clean and remove all dirt and Dawn. Laters.

[imported_Bunky]

Why don`t metal polishes have a "cut" grade or other means to compare aggressiveness? For example, I have some Mothers Chrome Polish. It is supposedly mostly a chemical polish as opposed to something with abrasives but then there is Optimum Metal Polish. What class is that in?

Net, can someone give an overview of the types of metal polishes?

[Tuck91]

Certainly would be nice to see PAC come out with a little chart in which the order of aggression of metal polishes they sell would be displayed. ;)

[imported_Bunky]

I guess no one else seems to know.

[Todd@RUPES]

Why don`t metal polishes have a "cut" grade or other means to compare aggressiveness? For example, I have some Mothers Chrome Polish. It is supposedly mostly a chemical polish as opposed to something with abrasives but then there is Optimum Metal Polish. What class is that in?

Net, can someone give an overview of the types of metal polishes?

Hey Bunky, I don`t know how much help I can be to this question, but I will do my absolute best.

If you think paint correction has conflicting terms and misuse of names, then you know what to expect when it comes to the word `polish` as it applies to metals.

Some metal polishes are very similar to waxes and sealants in that they leave behind a protective coating. Some metal polishes use abrasives and are designed to remove small amounts of material (like a paint polish) in order to create a deeper shine. Most commercial metal polishes are a combination of both a protective wax and an abrasive liquid as well as chemical cleaners and solvents.

I like to think of most popular commercial metal polishes (Meguiar`s, Mother`s, Optimum) like good cleaner waxes. They mostly feature mechanical abrasives, chemical cleaners, and some type of protective coating. I am not familiar with any cutting scale that would accurately describe them as most are not very abrasive. However I have heard of people getting great cut out of Optimum when used aggressively.

These types of polishes are not dedicated refinishing polishes but rather LSP/last step type of products. Most metal refinishing is done with compound bars, but we do offer the Blackfire Metal Polish line which is designed for metal refinishing.

When you look at our Blackfire Metal Polish line, which was the first boutique metal polish introduced to the market, to my knowledge, you will see that it is more in line with detailing.

Blackfire Heavy Cut Aluminum Compound- This is very much a compound which is used for removing heavy material (scratch repair) quickly. If you are polishing a hard metal like stainless steel you will likely need to use this compound just to remove swirl markets and staining.

Blackfire Fine Cut Aluminum Polish- This is very much a moderate polish, used to remove compounding marks, swirls, and oxidation from most metals. On harder metals such as stainless steel you can get a very nice finish. On aluminum you will need a finer polish for even a higher gloss.

Blackfire Wet Diamond Aluminum Show Polish- This is a SUPER high quality metal polish, similar to those found in stores. It is a `cleaner/wax` of sorts that features EXTREMELY micro fine abrasives and chemical polishing agents. Think of it like a jeweling polish for paint. This will remove extremely faint marks and ensure a smooth, super gloss finish on all but the softest metals.

If I had to rate them in cut from 10 (most to 1) I would assign rating such as the following.

BF Heavy Cut Compound- 10
BF Fine Cut Polish- 6
BF WD Show Polish-3

We also offer Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant which feature the same polymers and protective ingredients as the Wet Diamond Sealant, but formulated to work better of metal. It will bond on top of the WD Show Polish as well.

[Old Pirate]

Great write up Todd, this should help out AL.

[imported_Bunky]

Thanks. It helps. I had also picked up some Mother Mag and Alum polish to do some headlights. It has a gritty texture but it did not seem to have much cut.

[Todd@RUPES]

Thanks. It helps. I had also picked up some Mother Mag and Alum polish to do some headlights. It has a gritty texture but it did not seem to have much cut.

No commercially available metal polish is going to have much cutting power, but Mother`s Mag and Alum is still one of the best high gloss metal polishes out there. I can remember polishing the Cragar SS wheels on my dad`s 442 when I was but a pup.