Replenishing Supplies: Polish

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Desertnate

Active member
In preparation for the next round of Spring sales, I`m looking at replenishing my polish supply. Everyone was very helpful in answering my questions about pads.

I recently used up my supply of Blackfire SRC Polish and Meguiars Ultimate Polish. The UP was my first polish and I continually used it on vehicles with a softer paint like Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda, while the Blackfire was used on my Black VW with very hard paint. I still have the "matching" compounds for difficult places, but try to use them only on an as-needed basis. I could continue on with the UP, but I was surprised to find the Blackfire SRC polish left a much better finish than UP when working on my daughter`s Honda. That lead me to realize I should try something better. As I moved into coatings, I also became more aware of the oils both polishes left behind and it was significant. Neither was easy to clean off with a coating prep. All these factors and a desire to try new products now have me on the hunt.

All of my vehicles are in good shape, so I`m only using the polish to refresh the surface every 12~18 on my daily drivers, not heavy work on heavily abused vehicles.

Here are my requirements:

  • A finishing polish that works well on VERY soft paints like Honda, Toyota and a medium polish/swirl remover for the hard/medium paint. I`m open to a single product that would work well on both...if it exists.
  • Work well as a 1-step to finish LSP ready for a coating
  • Not oily/hard to remove.
  • Available in an 8oz bottle. I go through product far to slowly to need large quantities. I don`t want it going bad in my garage.
  • Reasonable price

So far my I`ve thought of the following possible options.
  1. Sonax 04/06 and Jescar Finishing Polish
  2. Sonax 04/06 and HD Polish+

I`m not hooked on the Sonax, but all the good reviews make me interested in giving it a try. The Polish+ and Jescar were simply based on positive reviews working on soft paint. I`m open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks!
 
Desertnate- This is probably irrelevant at this point, but the BF (relabeled Menzerna, from their "106" family, unless they`ve changed it) and the UP (similar to M205 unless they`ve changed it) are two *VERY* different polishes in virtually all respects.

More on-topic, FWIW, I`m still using HD Polish with complete, and I do mean 100%, satisfaction. Love the stuff, especially after struggling with the oils in M205.

Another just FWIW, I can`t recall a polish or compound *ever* going bad for me. Other than my M101, I don`t even have any such products that aren`t at least, gee I dunno...at least 5-6YO and most of mine are a LOT older than that. Not saying that`s normal, but it`s how it goes for me.
 
Accumulator said:
Desertnate- This is probably irrelevant at this point, but the BF (relabeled Menzerna, from their "106" family, unless they`ve changed it) and the UP (similar to M205 unless they`ve changed it) are two *VERY* different polishes in virtually all respects.
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The BF SRC polishes are no longer sold. I`m not sure what the new reformulated ones are like, but the 8oz bottles are pretty expensive compared to other brands. I realize they were very different and probably should have used them more interchangeably, but I found a process that seemed to work well and simply kept going. Only recently did I realize how much better the BF performed over the UP.

More on-topic, FWIW, I`m still using HD Polish with complete, and I do mean 100%, satisfaction. Love the stuff, especially after struggling with the oils in M205.
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How has it worked for you on hard German paint. I`d consider it as a single option if it works well. I have no issued changing up pads to adjust cut, but I still want something that will finish down nicely.

Another just FWIW, I can`t recall a polish or compound *ever* going bad for me. Other than my M101, I don`t even have any such products that aren`t at least, gee I dunno...at least 5-6YO and most of mine are a LOT older than that. Not saying that`s normal, but it`s how it goes for me.
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I noticed the UP hadn`t changed much over the 5-ish years I`d owned it, but I noticed my slightly younger BF SRC Polish started to change. It seemed thicker, and while it polished as nicely as ever, it was was harder to remove, and it seemed to gum up my pads a bit more. Nothing major, just a little more gooey than previously if that makes sense. If it hadn`t been so easy to use for the years before, I wouldn`t have thought twice. Also, the industry changes and improved products come out all the time. I`d just like to cycle through and upgrade a little more frequently. 16oz bottles lasted me five years doing three vehicles twice a year. Now that I`m using coating and only polishing every 12 to 18 months a single bottle would last a decade! I`ll commit to a car for that long, but not sure about my detailing products!
 
I was not fond of HD Polish and did not care to pick up HD Polish+. I actually gave my bottle away.

Sonax EX 04-06 is actually quite nice to work with. Nicer than HD Polish from my experience. I can not comment on how it works on soft paint but it works well on medium paint as a one step.

Have not used Jescar either. But it seems like a nice polish.

I did get a sample of McKee`s Fast Polish and it is a nice polish.

Send me a PM and I will send you over a sample of the new Blackfire Compound and Polish to mess around with. Meghan sent me the 32 oz bottles for review and that is more than I need.
 
In my arsenal I have:

Megs:
UP
UC
#3
#7
M80
M101
M105
M205

Whenever I run out of M101 or M205, I really want to replace with Griot`s BOSS products, they have gotten really stellar reviews.
 
I would add Griot`s Garage Boss Fast Correcting Cream and Perfecting Cream to you list of polishes to consider. Very easy to work with, and great results!
 
Absolutely recommend Griot’s perfecting cream. I’ve been thru the Sonax and meguiars and Griot’s out performs them both. Have not found a paint they won’t work great on. Any pad for any product they have gives you many combinations to get the results you need.
 
I guess by your post you are only interested in purchasing the products from PBMG, as I do most of the time. If you are willing to look "outside the box"
The last cut polish seems to be all the rage / hot ticket right now. I have had a few people tell me thats all they intend to use for the forceable future.
 
Sonax Perfect Finish, Jescar Polish, M205. Scholl S20 Black is very nice, especially wirh the spider pads and for me S40 trounced Menz 3800 (Crimson hydrotech)

Scholl really nice on sift, sticky paint, very, very little product usage and faster working cycle than something Menz. I think they call it Rapid Diminishing Abrasives or some such marketing speak.

Too bad idiots designed some of their bottles but think they are/Have worked a bit on rhat.

Oh, and I have had an infatuation with HD Polish+ the past few months, especially for light polishing with 3401 but I tend to prefer SMAT stuff with Flex.
 
re-tired said:
I guess by your post you are only interested in purchasing the products from PBMG, as I do most of the time. If you are willing to look "outside the box"
The last cut polish seems to be all the rage / hot ticket right now. I have had a few people tell me thats all they intend to use for the forceable future.
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i have just started to play around with last cut and I like it so far. It’s a compound, but others say it’s versatile and can finish out well with finishing pads. Griots fast correct and regular correcting creams are excellent. Shine supply is another non PBMG brand that I have experimented with lately as well, with good results. There are a lot of good choices out there.
 
I haven’t tried them all but recently I tried the Gyeon polish and it worked well on our soft paint Honda with a green pad

It’s a 120 ml bottle for like 12 bucks. Not the cheapest but not stuck with 32 oz for home use lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Desertnate- Ah, thanks for explaining! Gee, wonder how my BF SRC Polish is doing if yours started to thicken up! Might oughta check that, not that I plan on using it...

Yeah, the HD Polish works fine for me on hard clear (which most of my vehicles have) and finishes out fine on clear that isn`t all that hard (haven`t tried it on the Jag`s ss lacquer though). BUT...I don`t expect it to do any correction; I always correct with more aggressive stuff and merely finish out with Finishing Polishes like HD Polish.

The Guz- I`d love to hear why you didn`t like the HD Polish! Maybe there`s something I oughta consider that slipped under my radar. I`ve never tried Polish +, just the v1.0, and if I might like something else (e.g., Griot`s Perfecting Cream) better I`d give it some consideration.
 
SGM2008 said:
I would add Griot`s Garage Boss Fast Correcting Cream and Perfecting Cream to you list of polishes to consider. Very easy to work with, and great results!
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Mike lambert said:
Absolutely recommend Griot’s perfecting cream. I’ve been thru the Sonax and meguiars and Griot’s out performs them both. Have not found a paint they won’t work great on. Any pad for any product they have gives you many combinations to get the results you need.
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Two votes for the Griots. Interesting. I completely forgot the BOSS line when I wrote the original post. I like hearing they work well on a large variety of paints. I`m guessing Perfecting Cream and Correcting Cream would cover most bases that don`t require an aggressive compound? I love their One Step Sealant. Great correction on soft paint, it just doesn`t last very long.

re-tired said:
I guess by your post you are only interested in purchasing the products from PBMG, as I do most of the time. If you are willing to look "outside the box"
The last cut polish seems to be all the rage / hot ticket right now. I have had a few people tell me thats all they intend to use for the forceable future.
Click to expand...

I am not stuck on PBMG brands/store products. They are simply what I know and have seen reviewed. I`m always open to others. One of the big reasons I created an account here was to learn more and discuss options outside the PBMG umbrella. Who makes Last Cut Polish? I`ve never heard of it before.

BudgetPlan1 said:
Sonax Perfect Finish, Jescar Polish, M205. Scholl S20 Black is very nice, especially wirh the spider pads and for me S40 trounced Menz 3800 (Crimson hydrotech)

Scholl really nice on sift, sticky paint, very, very little product usage and faster working cycle than something Menz. I think they call it Rapid Diminishing Abrasives or some such marketing speak.

Too bad idiots designed some of their bottles but think they are/Have worked a bit on rhat.

Oh, and I have had an infatuation with HD Polish+ the past few months, especially for light polishing with 3401 but I tend to prefer SMAT stuff with Flex.
Click to expand...

The Scholls S40 or S30+ has been on my scope, but I didn`t know much about them other than they seem to be a good choice for really soft Japanese paint. They are a little pricey, which is one drawback for me.

The Guz said:
I was not fond of HD Polish and did not care to pick up HD Polish+. I actually gave my bottle away.

Sonax EX 04-06 is actually quite nice to work with. Nicer than HD Polish from my experience. I can not comment on how it works on soft paint but it works well on medium paint as a one step.

Have not used Jescar either. But it seems like a nice polish.

I did get a sample of McKee`s Fast Polish and it is a nice polish.

Send me a PM and I will send you over a sample of the new Blackfire Compound and Polish to mess around with. Meghan sent me the 32 oz bottles for review and that is more than I need.
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Thank you! That is very generous.


Well...now I have all sorts of options to think about. I really appreciate all of the suggestions. Maybe I`ll take the easy way and get a few to try out. I hear there is a member where who does the same thing with coatings....:D
 
Desert Nate
The last cut compounding glaze is put out by a fella Named Jace Price out of Nevada, and calls his company the last detail. I have read many reviews by professional and critical hobbyists alike and 100% of the reviews were super good. Finishes down like a finishing polish- uses D.A.T and has ZERO fillers which most folks associate with a glaze.
 
DesertNate --

Have found Sonax Perfect Finish with the Lake Country Hydro-Tech Cyan color pad on my Makita work really great at correcting German Paint and then finishing down really well..

There was a lot of talk about this product having fillers in it years ago, so that needs to be a consideration if you are doing coating afterwards..

As an experiment for the boss of the German Car Repair Shop I worked out of, I corrected his severely scratched, never Detailed, Jet Black 5-series for him with Sonax Perfect Finish, then applied Sonax Net Shield over it, then the car sat outside in the rain, snow, and some sun for over a year and it rejected dirt, etc., and always looked fabulous..

Another easy to use Polish especially on Honda/Acura, softer paints has been Optimum Hyper Polish... Adjusting pads always helps it do more or less and it is of the non-diminishing abrasives variety.. Always clean, easy to remove, not finicky, etc..
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
DesertNate --

Have found Sonax Perfect Finish with the Lake Country Hydro-Tech Cyan color pad on my Makita work really great at correcting German Paint and then finishing down really well..

There was a lot of talk about this product having fillers in it years ago, so that needs to be a consideration if you are doing coating afterwards..

As an experiment for the boss of the German Car Repair Shop I worked out of, I corrected his severely scratched, never Detailed, Jet Black 5-series for him with Sonax Perfect Finish, then applied Sonax Net Shield over it, then the car sat outside in the rain, snow, and some sun for over a year and it rejected dirt, etc., and always looked fabulous..

Another easy to use Polish especially on Honda/Acura, softer paints has been Optimum Hyper Polish... Adjusting pads always helps it do more or less and it is of the non-diminishing abrasives variety.. Always clean, easy to remove, not finicky, etc..
Dan F
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I had read Perfect Finish had fillers, but it was my understanding the EX O4-06 does not. Am I correct? I probably wasn`t very clear, but EX 04-06 was the one I was considering due to the lack of fillers and the lower cost.

I hadn`t even thought about Hyper Polish. Spraying is intriguing way to go with a polish. Is it very aggressive, or is the cut pad dependant? Also, how oily is Hyper Polish. Since I am applying coatings I really don`t want to deal with cleaning up lots of polishing oils.
 
DesertNate --

In all the times I used Perfect Finish, wiped down several times with Car Pro Eraser or Menzerna Top Inspection, and coated with Optimum products, I never had a problem with it..
Not sure about their newer product you mention, sorry..

Regarding Optimum Hyper Polish, love the product, hate the sprayer; just shook it up really well and put it in a plastic bottle and it was fine..
I get what Optimum was doing when they introduced it with the sprayer, I just probably did not do a good enough job of cleaning the sprayer out after I used it and that is what caused it to clog, spit, etc...

This product is a polish, but cuts, corrects, really fast on a Rotary of course, and will work as long as you keep spinning it.
The good part is that especially on less whacked paint, you can probably do a 1 step and it will look fabulous..

And for sure, on all Acura / Honda paint I ever used it on, the finish was beautifully clear and glossy..
DanF
 
Desertnate said:
I had read Perfect Finish had fillers, but it was my understanding the EX O4-06 does not. Am I correct? I probably wasn`t very clear, but EX 04-06 was the one I was considering due to the lack of fillers and the lower cost.

I hadn`t even thought about Hyper Polish. Spraying is intriguing way to go with a polish. Is it very aggressive, or is the cut pad dependant? Also, how oily is Hyper Polish. Since I am applying coatings I really don`t want to deal with cleaning up lots of polishing oils.
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Perfect Finish is nice but I am basing that on one panel that I used it on. I have read the same thing about fillers but I am not sure if it does. I will have to test that out again with the small bottle I have. Perfect Finish tended to dust more for me and thus put it away for the time being as I did not want to deal with that at the time. EX 04-06 did not dust and does not have fillers as I used it on my personal car. EX 04-06 is water based. I did get some weird behavior from EX 04-06 on my mom`s car which has sticky paint. EX 04-06 would turn into little balls of polish during the working cycle. Griot`s Perfecting Cream did the same thing.

I ended up using Hyper Polish on my mom`s car and that worked great. It`s a real nice polish that is not oily and is nice for a polish being used prior to a coating. Pretty versatile like M205. It will stain pads blue. The spray makes it easy to use as one spray is enough to get product onto the pad. I can`t recall if it is water based.

You can get a 4 oz sample size from the rag company. So the next time you need towels you can add one to your order.

Polishes that I would not hesitate to use prior to any coating from my personal experience are Sonax EX 04-06, Opt Hyper Polish, Gyeon Polish, Griot`s Perfecting Cream.

I would toss in Gyeon Primer if you are going to use a Gyeon coating and Essence if you use Cquartz. I prefer to stay within the product family for these two.
 
Have heard the `fillers` discussions with PF but have heard from Sonax not the case. Was originally designed for rotaries I guess, but migrated to be a nice product on all machines. Reccomendation was to insure working completely thru cycle, panel wipe...good to go.

I`ve used it under many coatings, no issues I`ve seen. Bit pricey but doesn`t take much product on pad to work. Still, I didn`t need a 32oz bottle...that was dumb (again).
 
I couldn`t get the Optimum Spray Polish/Compound products to spray properly. Never. No matter what I tried. Simply not Accumulator-proof and they didn`t wow me when I did get the stuff on the pad. YMMV...
 
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