Getting that final pop

[AceBates]

So thanks to all who`ve posted on this forum I`ve been able to take my wife`s black tC from:



to this scratch free (where reasonable) level:


To which my wife is ecstatic because I just did the tC`s headlights today and her car went from looking old and worn to looking much closer to new. My issue is that 3` away sits a black Edge, that`s just about to turn 3, and I see this (pardon the bit of dirt, it`s been raining):



The Edge looks great when it`s clean, the black`s deep, pops, it`s what black should look like (aside from the factory induced orange peel). In the sun, the tC looks good by itself, but next to the edge it lacks that pop. I could use your guys help in getting the tC to hold a better light next to the Edge.

I have noticed that the tC hood has some very small pitting, probably from years of use and things bouncing along the road. At first I thought it was orange peel, until I stuck my nose right up to it. Now I`m not sure if it`s hampering the end effect or not.

My process (Meguiars DA), effectively the Kevin Brown method:

• Ultimate Compound and Meguiars Red pad speed 5, followed by speed 3, equal pressure (weight of machine plus enough to stabilize ~15lbs)
• Ultimate Compound and Meguiars Black pad, speed 3
• M205 and Meguiars Yellow pad speed 3(this helped bring some of the pop out)
• M205 and Meguiars Black pad speed 2-3
• Topped with Megs Gold Class wax (until I decide on a synthetic)

I used a similar method on the Edge and it cleaned everything up and made it pop, but I`m struggling to get the tC up to the same level of glory. I`ve attempted to slow the speeds down and haven`t seen much of a difference. Am I just being too anal because it`s black and have to succumb to the fact that my expectations are too high for a 9 year old car? Or is there something I could do better to get that final bit of shine short of wet sanding?

Thanks in advance!

[radarryan]

I think that there are probably a few things that you can do to eek out all the gloss possible. That being said, I think that it is probably better for your mind, heart, well, just health in general if we all realize that soft black paint is a cruel mistress. I know I have made myself crazy trying to get my black paint perfect. I did, however, find a combo that worked flawlessly and has been cited by many as being the go-to combination for jeweling/burnishing paint.

I use Menzerna SF4500 and a Lake Country Crimson HydroTech pad. The results were fantastic and I have read that many others have only trusted these products to give them the perfect shine. I think that Menzerna SF4500 is the most trusted ultra-fine polish for jeweling paint to a high gloss finish, and because it is water based, the hydrotech pads always have worked well with it. That being said, I think that any finishing pad would work, including your Meguiar`s black pad.

Another option would be to add a glaze after the polishing step, before the wax, but that would be a short term fix. Sometimes though, the glaze is the best answer for the job. Other than that, I think that maybe a different wax may help bend the light in a way that produces more gloss. I`m sure there are a million waxes that claim this, but maybe another member can give you a recommendation.

Hope this helps. Happy detailing!

[Todd@RUPES]

On some softer paints, I have been able to get a better gloss out of Menzerna SF4000, SF4500 or BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish compared to M205.

This thread my help:
How to Finish with M205 Flawlessly

[Ronkh]

Welcome to the addiction

[AceBates]

...soft black paint is a cruel mistress.

Yes, yes she is. Being new, I probably would have given up by now if I didn`t have a glaring example to compare to

This thread my help:
How to Finish with M205 Flawlessly

Thanks Todd, I`ve read that and many others of yours multiple times, they`ve been very helpful.

It looks like two votes for Menz SF4500, so I`ll look that way. I`ve seen other reviews that lend towards that, but given I`m still new I just wanted to make sure it didn`t appear my technique was way off first. I`m liking what i see with the Powerlock Sealant so the two will probably go well together.

Thanks!

[Todd@RUPES]

Yes, yes she is. Being new, I probably would have given up by now if I didn`t have a glaring example to compare to



Thanks Todd, I`ve read that and many others of yours multiple times, they`ve been very helpful.

It looks like two votes for Menz SF4500, so I`ll look that way. I`ve seen other reviews that lend towards that, but given I`m still new I just wanted to make sure it didn`t appear my technique was way off first. I`m liking what i see with the Powerlock Sealant so the two will probably go well together.

Thanks!

My pleasure, let us know how it turns out!

[Meticulous]

Look into a nice glaze like Chemical Guys EX Creme or Obsessive Detail`s Wet Glaze also.

[The Guz]

I`m liking what i see with the Powerlock Sealant so the two will probably go well together.
Thanks!

I have read many good thigs about powerlock as well as a combo of powerlock + colorlock.

[spiralout462]

Wolfgang Finishing Glaze on a black LC Flat pad does it for me on very soft black paint.

[AceBates]

The SF4500 didn`t arrive until Monday and finally got to play a little today. The sun decided to come out just long enough to take some pictures and from what I could see, I`m happy. It appears I got more depth to the black, but the metallic flake now pops out too (unexpected). I`ll see if I can get some better pictures when the light`s better.

I tried to recreate the light bulb image I produced earlier...


The clarity and smoothness came back in a subtle manner as it took some careful comparison when I was working the paint, the real effect was once I got some sun. I only got the hood done (it`s the only spot that really needed refining) and finished the whole car off with the Menzerna powerlock (awesome stuff).



I actually had issues getting the camera to focus on the next one because the metallic flake was so visible.



This time around:
1) Quick wash,
2) A pass with M205 and a yellow Megs pad to make sure the wax remnants were gone
3) A pass with yellow Megs pad and SF4500 (not sure I needed this step, but I felt it didn`t hurt to try to hide some of the pitting)
4) A pass with black Megs pad and SF4500
5) Topped with Menz power-lock using a black Megs Pad.

Still being fairly new I felt the Menz had a smoother and longer working time and because it`s such a fine polish, it feels like you get a large amount of leniency on screwing up technique. It was interesting working with it after learning the Megs line of diminished abrasives. I found it worked best if I spread it and worked a couple passes at speed 5, and then idled it to speed 3-3.5, where it seemed like I could work it until i got bored using a slower arm speed and a very light, but controlled touch. It comes off a little easier than the M205 as well.

I know there`s lots of reviews on the Menz Powerlock sealant, but I`ve never worked with such an easy top coat. Goes on smooth and comes off almost like you`re dusting.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum as I don`t think I`d be anywhere near this quality without the great info and examples.