Spit shine with 425?
- Thread starter Toyman
- Start date
DrSauekraut
CIXELSYD
Ever spit shined a pair of shoes? It’s quite simple. Apply your favorite carnauba and spritz with a QD – buff immediately to a high gloss finish. Done.
imported_Bence
New member
Well, it is not that simple.
Correct methodology on spit shining:
Spit shining is for building heavy coats, deepening the look, by preventing the solvents to re-liquify and remove the previous wax layers.
If you remove a hazed wax with QD, nothing special happens. You’ll just see a shiny, waxed/QDd surface - but it's not spit shining.
Usually, a wax with higher solvent content can/will remove the previous layer. Heavy carnaubas don’t have high solvent contents, so they can build pretty thick layers with this method. You need distilled water (eventually QD; as it is up to 95% water - but preferably carnauba QD, without alcohol) to neutralize the solvents in the newly applied layer; and the spritz has to be cold, to let the new wax to almost freeze onto the finish. Then you working it until the water/QD/wax disappears. First, you have a prepped-waxed surface. When you want to put on the second/third/etc. layer, you spritz a fine, light mist on the panel. Begin to wipe the wax on. While waxing, mist water/QD a few times. Work until your wax is disappeared. Go over with an ultrafine MF. Wait a bit (half an hour or an hour) then you can apply the next layer.
It is wise to follow the 'divided panels' method. If dust appears, the application was too thick. You can always remove haze with QD; there is nothing unusual in it. But better to have no dust/haze.
Theoretically, each carnauba paste will work good, but it can depend on the solvents, oils, application method (chilled water or QD). Remember, just removing the haze of a wax with QD is NOT spit shining yet! Only a holistic approach makes it perfect. So, mist, wax, mist, continue waxing, mist, wax disappeared, buff lightly with MF. And again... and again...
The golden rule with heavy carnaubas is that you never allow them to dry fully. For example, the dried Victorias are horrendous to remove...
Some feel that a thick, heavy initial application of wax gives a softer, richer touch. It is a good base to start with. However, ALWAYS apply extremely thin layers when spit shining!
The reason to use a damp applicator/towel/cotton balls etc., is to neutralize the solvents as much as possible, and to stop the fine coats of wax sticking to the applicator, thereby encouraging the wax to build thin, fine layers.
Usually a spit shined surface is slicker, smoother, and it has different beading characteristics; with even smaller beads, which have far bigger contact angles. The durability is about the same (or slightly better), but the improved, beautiful, mile-deep appearance is worth it.
So, once again: When you spit shine, you spritz water onto the surface BEFORE waxing, and WHILE you wax. The coats must be so thin and the application must be so thorough that you shouldn’t have haze/residue. If haze appears, the application was either too thick or too short. With the water you switch the solvents off and this allows the wax to build very heavy layers. That's why you should avoid QDs with alcohol, because it compromises the wax buildup. Beading characteristics is different, jetting is better, and the beads have bigger contact angles. Just do 5 layers with 30 minute breaks, and you'll see what spit shining is about...
When you want to spit shine, I assume that your finish is in great condition - because this method is for reaching another dimension in depth. You can do it either way, but I used to start over a preexisting wax layer.
The goal of the liquid (aka water or QD) is to neutralize the paste's solvents. While a QD can glossify the surface even more, it contains its own solvents and sometimes alcohol. That's why the water is (theoretically) better. Most QDs are up to 95% water, so the difference is not that big.
Correct methodology on spit shining:
Spit shining is for building heavy coats, deepening the look, by preventing the solvents to re-liquify and remove the previous wax layers.
If you remove a hazed wax with QD, nothing special happens. You’ll just see a shiny, waxed/QDd surface - but it's not spit shining.
Usually, a wax with higher solvent content can/will remove the previous layer. Heavy carnaubas don’t have high solvent contents, so they can build pretty thick layers with this method. You need distilled water (eventually QD; as it is up to 95% water - but preferably carnauba QD, without alcohol) to neutralize the solvents in the newly applied layer; and the spritz has to be cold, to let the new wax to almost freeze onto the finish. Then you working it until the water/QD/wax disappears. First, you have a prepped-waxed surface. When you want to put on the second/third/etc. layer, you spritz a fine, light mist on the panel. Begin to wipe the wax on. While waxing, mist water/QD a few times. Work until your wax is disappeared. Go over with an ultrafine MF. Wait a bit (half an hour or an hour) then you can apply the next layer.
It is wise to follow the 'divided panels' method. If dust appears, the application was too thick. You can always remove haze with QD; there is nothing unusual in it. But better to have no dust/haze.
Theoretically, each carnauba paste will work good, but it can depend on the solvents, oils, application method (chilled water or QD). Remember, just removing the haze of a wax with QD is NOT spit shining yet! Only a holistic approach makes it perfect. So, mist, wax, mist, continue waxing, mist, wax disappeared, buff lightly with MF. And again... and again...
The golden rule with heavy carnaubas is that you never allow them to dry fully. For example, the dried Victorias are horrendous to remove...
Some feel that a thick, heavy initial application of wax gives a softer, richer touch. It is a good base to start with. However, ALWAYS apply extremely thin layers when spit shining!
The reason to use a damp applicator/towel/cotton balls etc., is to neutralize the solvents as much as possible, and to stop the fine coats of wax sticking to the applicator, thereby encouraging the wax to build thin, fine layers.
Usually a spit shined surface is slicker, smoother, and it has different beading characteristics; with even smaller beads, which have far bigger contact angles. The durability is about the same (or slightly better), but the improved, beautiful, mile-deep appearance is worth it.
So, once again: When you spit shine, you spritz water onto the surface BEFORE waxing, and WHILE you wax. The coats must be so thin and the application must be so thorough that you shouldn’t have haze/residue. If haze appears, the application was either too thick or too short. With the water you switch the solvents off and this allows the wax to build very heavy layers. That's why you should avoid QDs with alcohol, because it compromises the wax buildup. Beading characteristics is different, jetting is better, and the beads have bigger contact angles. Just do 5 layers with 30 minute breaks, and you'll see what spit shining is about...
When you want to spit shine, I assume that your finish is in great condition - because this method is for reaching another dimension in depth. You can do it either way, but I used to start over a preexisting wax layer.
The goal of the liquid (aka water or QD) is to neutralize the paste's solvents. While a QD can glossify the surface even more, it contains its own solvents and sometimes alcohol. That's why the water is (theoretically) better. Most QDs are up to 95% water, so the difference is not that big.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Very good write-up Bence :xyxthumbs
There are a number of ways that QDs can be incorporated into the waxing process and there are at least two versions of spit-shining with carnaubas that I'm aware of. The one Bence posted is the "classic" spit-shine technique.
I *will* say that I don't have a problem letting the heavy carnuabas I use dry completely, but I haven't tried the Victoria either. I'll often let the last pass with the wax dry completely before I buff it off (note that there's not much residue left on there anyhow after the spit-shine style application- it's that "disappeared" point in the process). People will quickly learn the advisability of letting their chosen wax dry all the way
Some carnuabas don't seem to need the 30-60 minute setup time. Nick T. basically added Souveran layers (IIRC) nonstop until the micromarring (the visibility of which he used to gauge his progress) wasn't visible.
Note that those are little YMMV-type nit-picks and should in no way be taken as a criticism of Bence's post.
Guess nobody gets their shoes spit-shined these days, huh? I learned how to do this stuff by watching the guy do my dress shoes. First applied it to doing the shoes myself and then the lightbulb went on and I tried it on the cars.
There are a number of ways that QDs can be incorporated into the waxing process and there are at least two versions of spit-shining with carnaubas that I'm aware of. The one Bence posted is the "classic" spit-shine technique.
I *will* say that I don't have a problem letting the heavy carnuabas I use dry completely, but I haven't tried the Victoria either. I'll often let the last pass with the wax dry completely before I buff it off (note that there's not much residue left on there anyhow after the spit-shine style application- it's that "disappeared" point in the process). People will quickly learn the advisability of letting their chosen wax dry all the way
Some carnuabas don't seem to need the 30-60 minute setup time. Nick T. basically added Souveran layers (IIRC) nonstop until the micromarring (the visibility of which he used to gauge his progress) wasn't visible.
Note that those are little YMMV-type nit-picks and should in no way be taken as a criticism of Bence's post.
Guess nobody gets their shoes spit-shined these days, huh? I learned how to do this stuff by watching the guy do my dress shoes. First applied it to doing the shoes myself and then the lightbulb went on and I tried it on the cars.