Thoughts on paint squeegees

Thejoyofdriving

Thejoyofdriving

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I have been using the Cal blade on every single car i have washed, i love it, i find it almost impossible to dry a car with out water spots with 1 towel. The blade is nice and soft, and i dont think i have to worry about a dirt partical landing on my car and the blade grinding it in, because the blade pushes the water in front of it so that would push a side most particals. Do you guys use one? share your thoughts. oh, and i already used the beloved search button:rolleyes: and "done my homework" :rolleyes:I found a thread that is back from 2006,alot of people have joined AG since than and peoples experiences have changed, so im looking for up to date thoughts.
 
I'll use one on windows but not on paint anymore... I got my share of straight line scratches from a Cali blade. Your thought process of the dirt particals is way off btw. If there is any dirt or grit left on the surface after a wash, it will scratch. Trust me from experience...

My new drying technique includes 2 WW towels. One will absorb (I use a guzzler) most of the water leaving small water droplets and the second dry towel will absorb the rest. Being effiecient and careful results in no waterspots.
 
budman3 said:
I'll use one on windows but not on paint anymore... I got my share of straight line scratches from a Cali blade. Your thought process of the dirt particals is way off btw. If there is any dirt or grit left on the surface after a wash, it will scratch. Trust me from experience...
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noted. Ive watched how the blade creates a wave of water in front of it which i would think pushes aside most debris, perhapse if the partical has enough mass it would not be affected by the wave of water and cause a big problem. Or maybe if there is not enough water on the paint to create a wave in front of the blade that could also result in a scratch.
 
much to dangerous and unforgiving, I use mine in the shower on tile. No wind to blow sand or contaminent on paint that could get ground into paint.
 
Thejoyofdriving said:
Or maybe if there is not enough water on the paint to create a wave in front of the blade that could also result in a scratch.
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Which is why I can't understand your logic... The only cars that I have seen that kept a lot of water on the surface are very poorly maintained vehicles. All others, even if they don't have wax on them shed water very well. I've used the water blade a lot a few years ago but it just isn't worth the risk to me anymore. Even though using the waterblade is quick, its no good if it scratches. Flooding the car and then following up with 2 WWs (blot drying = dafest) is hard to beat, safety wise. But of course this id just my opinion.
 
budman3 said:
Which is why I can't understand your logic... The only cars that I have seen that kept a lot of water on the surface are very poorly maintained vehicles. All others, even if they don't have wax on them shed water very well. I've used the water blade a lot a few years ago but it just isn't worth the risk to me anymore. Even though using the waterblade is quick, its no good if it scratches. Flooding the car and then following up with 2 WWs (blot drying = dafest) is hard to beat, safety wise. But of course this id just my opinion.
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I use the flooding techniuqe but i still have a good deal of beads of water, even if the finish is waxed with pin liquid souveran. i agree that drying with the blot dring techniuqe is the safest though, but for me it leaves water spots, i will further experiment. but i really love my blade
 
I'll only use it on windows when I'm racing evaporation on a hot day.
 
yah, sorry. i wouldn't touch it either. looks like scratches waiting to happen. i figure if it looks that way, and others like budman have experienced it, no way I am going there. we paid too much for our two new cars, never mind the rest of the fleet....
 
Nope no blade on my paint please..

I take too many precautions against scratching to take any chances.

I'll be using my shop vac that converts into a leaf blower this weekend (holy crap that's tomorrow) to get water off my paint and out of thye crevices
 
MotorCity Honda said:
Nope no blade on my paint please..

I take too many precautions against scratching to take any chances.

I'll be using my shop vac that converts into a leaf blower this weekend (holy crap that's tomorrow) to get water off my paint and out of thye crevices
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Acctually you reminded me, i am going to get me vacnblo soon, i think i could use that as a replacement for the blade.
 
I agree with everyone here, we are OCD about our washing process to not create wash induced swirls. To then take a tool that is going to drag anything against the surface is a huge risk. While the way it pushes water in front of it might be ok for any dust that might land during drying, anything that the soap didn't pick up could get grabed by the blade.

I tried the water blasting method once and wasn't impressed, so I just rinse normally and dry with a large ww mf and a large plush mf drying towel. I use either a quick detailer or a aqua wax which helps to absorb the water and to clean off what the soap might not have grabbed unless I plan to clay and polish.

I also will not use the california duster since if you are not lubing the surface you risk swirling as well. I see california products in the same light as turtle wax and armor all.
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
much to dangerous and unforgiving, I use mine in the shower on tile. No wind to blow sand or contaminent on paint that could get ground into paint.
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:iagree: :iagree: Shower only, not on paint.
 
Flooding method, air blow with wet/ dry vac, then Guzzler with QD. NO NO NO NO NO water blade!
 
there is always the danger of hitting the paint with the hose of the vacnblo. or the vacnblo its self.
 
lgtspecb said:
I tried the water blasting method once and wasn't impressed, so I just rinse normally and dry with a large ww mf and a large plush mf drying towel. I use either a quick detailer or a aqua wax which helps to absorb the water and to clean off what the soap might not have grabbed unless I plan to clay and polish.
Click to expand...

These are my exact thoughts as well. I've tried a leaf blower and compressed air but a WW is what I prefer. If I'm going all out on a detail I'll dry normally and then come back around with the air compressor to blow out any cracks or crevices to prevent any water drips while driving or polishing.

As for the cali duster... thats a whole new thread that has been posted before ... it's safe if you know how to use it... but the chances of damage are still present.
 
Thejoyofdriving said:
there is always the danger of hitting the paint with the hose of the vacnblo. or the vacnblo its self.
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I would coat the end of the hose for the vac n blow with the liquid rubber goop that is used to dip tool handles in.. no worries if it hits your paint then
 
budman3 said:
I'll use one on windows but not on paint anymore... I got my share of straight line scratches from a Cali blade. Your thought process of the dirt particals is way off btw. If there is any dirt or grit left on the surface after a wash, it will scratch. Trust me from experience...

My new drying technique includes 2 WW towels. One will absorb (I use a guzzler) most of the water leaving small water droplets and the second dry towel will absorb the rest. Being effiecient and careful results in no waterspots.
Click to expand...

I have gotten scratches on my car this way too, and I dry the EXACT same way...
 
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