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  1. #16

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan View Post
    I`m sure there are some better tar cleaners but KAIO works almost as good as a real solvent. And it leaves behind a hint of protection.
    Yeah, not arguing that at all When a very gentle claying won`t do it and I know I`m reLSPing anyhow, the KAIO is a good first-try product. But I will say that my "real solvents" work a lot better...might just be my old pre-VOC stuff has spoiled me.

    I`ve never left it untopped since trying it once. Incredibly short-lived and IMO offered minimal protection. But you know how off-the-deep end I am about my expectations in those areas It`s sure enough to hold things over until the next wash if you want to delay LSPing until then, which is a lot better than leaving things stripped by a solvent.
    Thanks Dan thanked for this post

  2. #17
    Lotus Exige S Rob Tomlin's Avatar
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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    I loved Acrylic Jett Trigger on my silver Lotus.

    IMG_3220.jpeg
    Likes Old Pirate liked this post

  3. #18

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Sorry to the Original Poster for "morphing" (AKA, hijacking") this thread from Werkstats existence to uses for Klasse All-In-One (KAIO).
    I assume SOME of you still have Werkstat products somewhere on your back shelf of "don`t-use-that-any-more" car-care chemical collection/inventory/stash.

    Would you still buy these products IF they were available OR if a car-care chemical manufacturer bought the rights/patents to the formulations and re-introduced them again??
    With the plethora of so many car-care manufacturers out there since Werkstats demise (like Polish Angel, CarPro, McKee`s 37, CarBrite, Kenotek, Gyeon, Double Black-Renny Doyle, Dr. Beasly`s) and all the new products or variations of existing applications (like car soaps!!) that are available, for myself, I would say "No". Then again, sometimes you find that "niche product" like KAIO that works so well it becomes your "go-to" product for certain detailing applications or covers a wide variety of detailing applications (like Accumulator pointed out for exterior plastic and certain rubber trim or Troy Scherer`s use on interior windows).

    That said, it also sounds like SOME of you miss not having Werkstat`s around and their products were (past tense) one of your favorites to use.

    Maybe a better question for a new thread topic would be: "Car-care products that are no longer made you wish were still around and you would use"
    I know Accumulator would say anything outlawed by Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) regulations. Myself, PPG`s DX440 Wax and Grease Remover. That stuff is nasty, but SOOOO effective on grease and door hinge sealants/adhesives.
    GB detailer

  4. #19

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    Sorry to the Original Poster for "morphing" (AKA, hijacking") this thread from Werkstats existence to uses for Klasse All-In-One (KAIO).
    I assume SOME of you still have Werkstat products somewhere on your back shelf of "don`t-use-that-any-more" car-care chemical collection/inventory/stash.

    Would you still buy these products IF they were available OR if a car-care chemical manufacturer bought the rights/patents to the formulations and re-introduced them again??
    Don`t worry about the thread-jack. As far as being available, rights/patents, etc....I don`t think that`s really the right perspective. From my years of observing this (and other importer arrangements) it would seem that Carlack (who has been around a long time) had no interest in establishing a US presence. Somehow, back in the 70`s, someone wanted to import the products into the US, and either that importer wanted to brand the products differently, or Carlack didn`t want to jeopardize their brand when they didn`t have a US office to oversee it, or they didn`t trust the importer...whatever--Klasse was born. Of course the Klasse products were a subset of the Carlack line.

    Later, again, in a confusing way, a different importer gained rights to the newer, "nano" Carlack products, which ultimately became Werkstat (after a flirtation as Shokar with a former forum member, and current online store owner in Canada...who`s name I`m blanking on...the guy who was selling the Erazer clay until the patent ran out). Werkstat included more Carlack products, and even some custom blends.

    Unclear to me why Carlack wound up with two different US importers (Klasse & Werkstat), maybe this is one of those things when lawyers didn`t run everything in the 70`s they signed a perpetual agreement with Klasse that they couldn`t get out of...or whatever. As was discussed in this thread or a different one, Werkstat for a while at the end after they ended the Werkstat brand and were selling off remaining inventory, were selling the Carlack-branded products, and even had a separate Carlack US website, and I thought Jeff (Werkstat) had just given up on the Werkstat brand and decided to just sell the stuff as Carlack (or Carlack decided they liked him and allowed him to sell it as Carlack)...but that`s all gone now. Anyway, Carlack is still in business, and I guess still isn`t really too interested in the US market. Which maybe isn`t surprising...Sonax was the same way for a while until they developed their current importer arrangement (with the company that now owns PBMG).

    The Klasse guy and the Werkstat guy were both very low profile secretive operations (maybe because of agreement with Carlack), so this is all very mysterious for whatever reason. I don`t know if the Klasse guy is still alive, maybe Accumulator knows, I haven`t researched that for a long time, I think there is a very old thread here where we tracked the guy down to an apartment in San Francisco...kind of like Sal Zaino`s factory in the Mailboxes, Etc. on Rt. 9.

    Sorry if I`m rambling.
    Likes Lonnie liked this post

  5. #20
    Ummm.... Ya..... TroyScherer's Avatar
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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    Would you still buy these products IF they were available OR if a car-care chemical manufacturer bought the rights/patents to the formulations and re-introduced them again??
    With the plethora of so many car-care manufacturers out there since Werkstats demise (like Polish Angel, CarPro, McKee`s 37, CarBrite, Kenotek, Gyeon, Double Black-Renny Doyle, Dr. Beasly`s) and all the new products or variations of existing applications (like car soaps!!) that are available, for myself, I would say "No". Then again, sometimes you find that "niche product" like KAIO that works so well it becomes your "go-to" product for certain detailing applications or covers a wide variety of detailing applications (like Accumulator pointed out for exterior plastic and certain rubber trim or Troy Scherer`s use on interior windows).

    That said, it also sounds like SOME of you miss not having Werkstat`s around and their products were (past tense) one of your favorites to use.

    Maybe a better question for a new thread topic would be: "Car-care products that are no longer made you wish were still around and you would use"
    Until recently I was still using up my Werkstat products. Once I ran out of the spray sealant I still had the cleaner/base (Prime & Prime Strong) I paired them with Sonus Acrylic Glanz Spray Sealant since they were similar products. I had been and still do use Klasse AIO on door jambs, etc. But I have now started using Opti-Seal or Reload and my sealant of choice.

    Would I buy
    Werkstat products again if they were available. I would most likely pick up Prime & Prime Strong. They seemed to be unique and they worked well for my uses. And with multiple layers of the spray sealant I could get 1 year out of them.

    I think newer sealants and coatings have taken over and essentially pushed some of the good older brands out since they don`t have the R&D and product development any more.

  6. #21

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    Maybe a better question for a new thread topic would be: "Car-care products that are no longer made you wish were still around and you would use" I know Accumulator would say anything outlawed by Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) regulations..
    Yeah, my list would indeed probably start with a blanket-statement like that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy[COLOR=#333333
    I don`t know if the Klasse guy is still alive, maybe Accumulator knows..[/COLOR]
    No clue, I was never dialed-in with them, just got my Klasse stuff from Irene at TOL (shameless plug, she`s great). The now-MIA Scottwax was a big fan of the more abrasive Werkstat AIO, enough so that I did wonder about trying it..

  7. #22

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    No clue, I was never dialed-in with them, just got my Klasse stuff from Irene at TOL
    I think it was on CMA, they had an interview with the importer guy, gave his name, etc. And some searching came up with a street address in SF for Klasse, and when you crossed it with the guy`s name...it came up with an apartment. Or something like that. This was in the days when people (or maybe it was just me) wanted to know where Klasse and Zaino came from. Which is why we used to talk about driving past the Zaino factory, which from the address on the Zaino site wound up being a Mailboxes Etc./UPS Store. And the Klasse address wound up the same way.

    Well, as I was writing this I decided to pull out my KAIO bottle...it has an address in SF, in a building that seems to have a mix of offices and residences, but first I googled "Klasse USA" and to my surprise there is now a Klasse website, without a whole lot of info...and guess who the domain belongs to? Autogeek.
    Likes rlmccarty2000, Mike In Auburn liked this post
    Thanks Bill D thanked for this post

  8. #23

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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    Setec Astronomy- Heh heh, we could make a miniseries out of such stuff

  9. #24
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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    In 2012 Carlack became part of the Swiss Max Lehner group (Maxolen) so that may have changed things.

  10. #25
    AMG Classic Car Detailing Old Pirate's Avatar
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    Re: Werkstat Completely Gone?

    All my werkstat products are gone now and wish I had some of them still. BTW the Twins were made in the SF area by Klasse when I work at CMA. Great folks when I talk to them but now I don`t know who owns them now. Still alot of the older products that are still out I recommend some of the newer folks to try them out and maybe pickup a new favorite go to product.
    AutopiaForums is the place to be.
    Remember to Shop Autopia-CarCare.com for your Detailing Needs!

 

 
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