mjlinane
My name is Mike
Review: Blackfire Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo
Introduction:
The winnings from the "Big Kahuna" contest on AutopiaForums consisted on one each of the newly reformulated Blackfire line.(Woohoo!!) This is the next installment of the reviews I plan to write.
Got up this morning and looked at the forecast. It was cold (for here) at 46F 44% RH and didn't see any rain (couldn't possibly rain 3 consecutive days and 4 times in 6 in the middle of an extreme drought). I was pumped because, in addition to this, I had a 1969 Camaro scheduled to get the full Blackfire treatment. So I prepared everything, pulled the car out, rinsed it off, foamed it and guess what - rain! I decided to potentially sacrifice my health for the benefit of the forum ("Round Rock man dies of pneumonia contracted while washing car in winter rain") and forged ahead.
Thanks to Corey again for providing the format.
Product Claims:
From Autopia Car Care site -
Blackfire Gloss Shampoo.
"Create WHIPLASH with every wash!
Blackfire "Crystal" Polymers replenish and reinforce existing protection.
Tuff Suds II technology creates mountains of suds to help float away grime and dirt.
Drying agents help reduce water spotting and make drying easier.
BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo cleans your vehicle and renews the shine every time you wash your car. BLACKFIRE's Wet Diamond tri-polymers replenish and reinforce existing paint protection. Incredible Tuff Suds II technology creates mountains of suds to help float away grime and dirt, without scratching the finish. Drying agents help reduce water spotting and make drying easier. BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo helps your vehicle look just waxed after every wash!
Formulated with TUFF SUDS II foaming technology, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo creates mounds of rich suds, even in hard water. This foaming technology uses cleaners and lubricating Wet Diamond polymers suspended in the bubble's walls to scour away the toughest films and road grime without affecting the protective wax or sealant coating. You can feel the difference using a top quality shampoo. Your sponge or wash mitt just glides over the surface.
In addition, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo is fortified with the same Wet Diamond tri-polymers used in our Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. These polymers increase washing lubricity, encapsulating loosened grit to reduce washing swirls. They also improve water sheeting to prevent water spotting. This makes Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo an excellent choice for washing black, red and dark color vehicles.
Plus, a bonus! Some of the polymers remain on the surface after drying, increasing surface luster and water sheeting. In addition to complementing BLACKFIRE's shimmering gloss, the Wet Diamond polymers can also be used over carnauba waxes, making BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo a truly universal shampoo."
Product:
Details:
1.- Packaging: Plastic Bottle
2.- Directions: Clearly labeled
3.- Viscosity: Thick
4.- Color: Light translucent purple
5.- Scent: Fruity, thinking grape
6.- Price at time of review: 16oz = $ 17.99
7.- Manufacturer: Blackfire
9.- Made in: USA
Other Products Used:
Pressure washer with foam cannon
2 buckets with 2 Grit Guards
Bone
Water
Preparation:
Premix for the cannon at 16:1 (16oz water: 1oz BF WDCS). Fill one bucket with 3 gallons of (warm) water + 1oz of BF WDCS The other bucket gets ~3 gallons of plain (warm) water.
I then knock off the loose dirt/dust with a quick rinse from the pressure washer.
Application:
Attach foam cannon to the pressure washer and let loose. Start with the wheels and work your way to the top. Let dwell for a few minutes and then proceed with a 2-bucket wash with the Bone, from the top down.
Observations:
Very nice, light smell. Cleans extremely well and seems to leave the LSP unmolested. From foam cannon, BF WDCS seemed to need less than others. Normally I use 16oz of my pre-mix to do most cars. I really only needed ~8oz with BF WDCS. Excellent slipperiness (my camera slipped out of my hands - and that was with textured rubber gloves on!). Very thick, long lasting foam. Dried with MetroVac 8hp Master Blaster (in garage) and nothing - NOTHING - has ever dried easier. Water literally flew off of the surface like I hadn't seen before and noted little, if any, weeping when I was finished. I have never timed myself drying but definitely believe it took a goodly bit less time. Leaves truly great finish. No spotting at all. No follow-up with a QD necessary.
From foam cannon
In bucket
Bucket after wash - there is a Bone in there!
Rinse bucket after
After (no sun obviously)
Gratuitous product placement pic
Does it meet its claims? Yes.
Comparisons:
From my CG HoneyDew Snow Foam review -
"Of the gloss enhancing shampoos, Optimum Car Wash is my favorite. It leaves the most gloss and is a pleasure to work with. Is much more expensive.
Pinnacle XMT Gel Shampoo & Conditioner (old formula) is another very good shampoo. No complaints other than the price. Even more expensive.
Duragloss 901 is a forum favorite. I must admit, though, it didn't do anything for me. It is relatively inexpensive but I was spoiled with CG shampoos I'd been using that outperform it for less money (in gallons + the concentration difference). The cherry cough syrup smell is a bit stronger than I care for.
DP Xtreme Foam works well and has a nice mint smell. More expensive, though.
All of these needed 16:1 concentrations (or more) in my foam cannon to match the foam of CG HDSF. Obviously, CG HDSF is much more concentrated and cost effective. Tough call but I think CG HDSF is even slicker than any/all of the above.
Compared to the CG shampoos I've used (Glossworkz, CWG and CWC), all are super-concentrated. In terms of gloss enhancing, I think the order would be Glossworkz (most), CWG, HDSF and CWC (none). CWG & CWC can also be used for stripping wax off of paint - HDSF cannot (that I've heard)."
Like BF Wet Diamond Rinseless Wash, BF WDCS is the new King of the Mountain. It was an absolute joy to work with. It left the best finish of anything I've used. The finish is immediately noticeable on my dark blue paint. It required little product - probably less than I used - and saved time on drying. But....
There is no getting around it, this is expensive stuff, particularly in the smaller sizes. Even in the gallon size, it is pricey.
Pros:
1.- Cleans well
2.- Very, very slippery
3.- Leaves fantastic finish
4.- Pleasant smell
5.- Dries easily.
Cons:
1.- Price.
Final Observations and Summary:
Blackfire Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo is, hands down, the best wash I've ever used. I'm not one prone to raves - even though this is the second in a row - but the newly reformulated Blackfire products honestly deserve them.
Do I think BF WDCS is worth the very high cost? Depends. If all I was doing was my own cars (or added maintenance washing of exotics to my customer list), yes. Once I reduce my supply of shampoos, I will be buying it for my cars. However, as I barely make anything on my current customers details and get very few maintenance washes period, I cannot use it there unless I truly want to become a detailing charity.
Comments and questions are encouraged. Thanks for viewing!
Introduction:
The winnings from the "Big Kahuna" contest on AutopiaForums consisted on one each of the newly reformulated Blackfire line.(Woohoo!!) This is the next installment of the reviews I plan to write.
Got up this morning and looked at the forecast. It was cold (for here) at 46F 44% RH and didn't see any rain (couldn't possibly rain 3 consecutive days and 4 times in 6 in the middle of an extreme drought). I was pumped because, in addition to this, I had a 1969 Camaro scheduled to get the full Blackfire treatment. So I prepared everything, pulled the car out, rinsed it off, foamed it and guess what - rain! I decided to potentially sacrifice my health for the benefit of the forum ("Round Rock man dies of pneumonia contracted while washing car in winter rain") and forged ahead.
Thanks to Corey again for providing the format.
Product Claims:
From Autopia Car Care site -
Blackfire Gloss Shampoo.
"Create WHIPLASH with every wash!
Blackfire "Crystal" Polymers replenish and reinforce existing protection.
Tuff Suds II technology creates mountains of suds to help float away grime and dirt.
Drying agents help reduce water spotting and make drying easier.
BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo cleans your vehicle and renews the shine every time you wash your car. BLACKFIRE's Wet Diamond tri-polymers replenish and reinforce existing paint protection. Incredible Tuff Suds II technology creates mountains of suds to help float away grime and dirt, without scratching the finish. Drying agents help reduce water spotting and make drying easier. BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo helps your vehicle look just waxed after every wash!
Formulated with TUFF SUDS II foaming technology, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo creates mounds of rich suds, even in hard water. This foaming technology uses cleaners and lubricating Wet Diamond polymers suspended in the bubble's walls to scour away the toughest films and road grime without affecting the protective wax or sealant coating. You can feel the difference using a top quality shampoo. Your sponge or wash mitt just glides over the surface.
In addition, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo is fortified with the same Wet Diamond tri-polymers used in our Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. These polymers increase washing lubricity, encapsulating loosened grit to reduce washing swirls. They also improve water sheeting to prevent water spotting. This makes Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo an excellent choice for washing black, red and dark color vehicles.
Plus, a bonus! Some of the polymers remain on the surface after drying, increasing surface luster and water sheeting. In addition to complementing BLACKFIRE's shimmering gloss, the Wet Diamond polymers can also be used over carnauba waxes, making BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo a truly universal shampoo."
Product:
Details:
1.- Packaging: Plastic Bottle
2.- Directions: Clearly labeled
3.- Viscosity: Thick
4.- Color: Light translucent purple
5.- Scent: Fruity, thinking grape
6.- Price at time of review: 16oz = $ 17.99
7.- Manufacturer: Blackfire
9.- Made in: USA
Other Products Used:
Pressure washer with foam cannon
2 buckets with 2 Grit Guards
Bone
Water
Preparation:
Premix for the cannon at 16:1 (16oz water: 1oz BF WDCS). Fill one bucket with 3 gallons of (warm) water + 1oz of BF WDCS The other bucket gets ~3 gallons of plain (warm) water.
I then knock off the loose dirt/dust with a quick rinse from the pressure washer.
Application:
Attach foam cannon to the pressure washer and let loose. Start with the wheels and work your way to the top. Let dwell for a few minutes and then proceed with a 2-bucket wash with the Bone, from the top down.
Observations:
Very nice, light smell. Cleans extremely well and seems to leave the LSP unmolested. From foam cannon, BF WDCS seemed to need less than others. Normally I use 16oz of my pre-mix to do most cars. I really only needed ~8oz with BF WDCS. Excellent slipperiness (my camera slipped out of my hands - and that was with textured rubber gloves on!). Very thick, long lasting foam. Dried with MetroVac 8hp Master Blaster (in garage) and nothing - NOTHING - has ever dried easier. Water literally flew off of the surface like I hadn't seen before and noted little, if any, weeping when I was finished. I have never timed myself drying but definitely believe it took a goodly bit less time. Leaves truly great finish. No spotting at all. No follow-up with a QD necessary.
From foam cannon
In bucket
Bucket after wash - there is a Bone in there!
Rinse bucket after
After (no sun obviously)
Gratuitous product placement pic
Does it meet its claims? Yes.
Comparisons:
From my CG HoneyDew Snow Foam review -
"Of the gloss enhancing shampoos, Optimum Car Wash is my favorite. It leaves the most gloss and is a pleasure to work with. Is much more expensive.
Pinnacle XMT Gel Shampoo & Conditioner (old formula) is another very good shampoo. No complaints other than the price. Even more expensive.
Duragloss 901 is a forum favorite. I must admit, though, it didn't do anything for me. It is relatively inexpensive but I was spoiled with CG shampoos I'd been using that outperform it for less money (in gallons + the concentration difference). The cherry cough syrup smell is a bit stronger than I care for.
DP Xtreme Foam works well and has a nice mint smell. More expensive, though.
All of these needed 16:1 concentrations (or more) in my foam cannon to match the foam of CG HDSF. Obviously, CG HDSF is much more concentrated and cost effective. Tough call but I think CG HDSF is even slicker than any/all of the above.
Compared to the CG shampoos I've used (Glossworkz, CWG and CWC), all are super-concentrated. In terms of gloss enhancing, I think the order would be Glossworkz (most), CWG, HDSF and CWC (none). CWG & CWC can also be used for stripping wax off of paint - HDSF cannot (that I've heard)."
Like BF Wet Diamond Rinseless Wash, BF WDCS is the new King of the Mountain. It was an absolute joy to work with. It left the best finish of anything I've used. The finish is immediately noticeable on my dark blue paint. It required little product - probably less than I used - and saved time on drying. But....
There is no getting around it, this is expensive stuff, particularly in the smaller sizes. Even in the gallon size, it is pricey.
Pros:
1.- Cleans well
2.- Very, very slippery
3.- Leaves fantastic finish
4.- Pleasant smell
5.- Dries easily.
Cons:
1.- Price.
Final Observations and Summary:
Blackfire Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo is, hands down, the best wash I've ever used. I'm not one prone to raves - even though this is the second in a row - but the newly reformulated Blackfire products honestly deserve them.
Do I think BF WDCS is worth the very high cost? Depends. If all I was doing was my own cars (or added maintenance washing of exotics to my customer list), yes. Once I reduce my supply of shampoos, I will be buying it for my cars. However, as I barely make anything on my current customers details and get very few maintenance washes period, I cannot use it there unless I truly want to become a detailing charity.
Comments and questions are encouraged. Thanks for viewing!
