Nick McKees37
McKee's 37 Product Support
- Jan 6, 2011
- 7,265
- 0
For whatever reason my friends, family, and co-workers are under the impression that I'm some avid automotive enthusiast who likes to test out new products and polish vehicles at every chance I get. Well, it's kind of true. Maybe it's because I'm always snagging the latest issue of Motortrend or Car And Driver from Max. It could also be that every time a new product comes out, I'm always the one grabbing for it first. Working at Autogeek gives me the opportunity to test new products AND write about them. When the Blackfire line was brought aboard, I didn't waste any time testing each and every product available.
Taking care of a black vehicle is not considered a hobby, it's considered a part time job. What's even better is buying a used black vehicle that hasn't been properly maintained in quite some time. Meghan just recently picked up a slightly used but swirled out black Ford Expedition. It has been my testing grounds for new products lately, and the other day was no different when I put the Flex XC3401 to work along with the Blackfire SRC Compound and SRC Finishing Polish.
I don't even think I have to elaborate on the condition of this vehicle. Take a peek below.
As much as I enjoy using my trusty Porter Cable 7424xp for its ease of use and dependability, I decided to grab the smooth-as-butter, tough as nails, lean mean paint correction machine known as the Flex XC3401. No exaggeration, it's that good. If you've ever plugged one in, let alone used one, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
I started off with the Blackfire SRC Compound. The pad of choice was a 6.5" Lake Country CCS Orange Light Cutting pad. Whenever I'm performing any type of correction work, I often grab this type of pad because of the CCS (closed cell structure) pockets found on the pads. These are pockets of closed foam, where products are less apt to soak into the foam. This reduces product waste and also allows the pad to run cooler.
I started off by priming the pad and then applying four dime sized drops of product.
The compound was spread out first at a lower speed and then I cranked up the Flex XC3401 to speed 6 and locked it in place with the trigger lock. It's similar to setting the cruise control on a Bentley Continental GT, meaning it's smooth sailing from here on out.
What really surprised me was how long of a working time Blackfire SRC Compound has. For a compound, there was virtually no dusting either.
To ensure desired results, meaning flawless butter smooth paint, it's critical to clean your pad often. I use the Foam Pad Conditioning Brush because it's easy to use, comfortable to hold, and with the stiff nylon bristles, will effectively break up caked on compound and polish residue.
Ready for round two!
Can you tell which side has been polished using Blackfire SRC Compound? If not, you need to adjust the settings on your computer monitor or get your eyes checked.
After wiping off the Blackfire SRC Compound and admiring my work (OK, credit goes to the Flex), I proceeded to step two with the Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish. Because the SRC Compound finished so nicely, I used a Lake Country 6.5" Gray Finishing pad with the SRC Finishing Polish just to amp up the gloss and further refine the surface. The Flex was set to speed 4 for this step.
After several section passes the polish starts to turn translucent as it breaks down.
Looks good to me!
Just a quick reminder of how bad the paint was when I started polishing. Left side hasn't been polished, right side has been polished.
Shortly after polishing the right side of the hood with the Blackfire SRC Compound and SRC Finishing Polish, it was time to apply the Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. I wasn't going to do all of the work myself, so I let Meghan apply the Wet Diamond sealant.
Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection goes on extremely thin and for best results, let it dry to a haze before removing it.
After the sealant dried to a haze, it was buffed off using a super soft microfiber towel. When applied correctly, Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection removes with just the weight of the towel. This isn't a sealant that fights you. It wants to be removed so it can reveal the shimmering wet shine that it's known for.
But I wasn't going to stop there. I had not experienced the Blackfire Wet-Ice Over Fire shine, so after the sealant cured for a couple hours a thin, even coat of the Blackfire Midnight Sun Carnauba Paste Wax was applied.
After removing the Blackfire Midnight Sun Carnauba Paste Wax, I was instantly greated with a deep, wet shine that is instantly recognized as being a Wet-Ice Over Fire shine.
I always enjoy testing out new products, especially polishes and compounds because you really see a drastic before and after difference once completed. The Blackfire SRC Compound and SRC Finishing Polish are very user friendly and when used in conjunction with the Flex XC3401, they have the power to cut through unsightly swirls and water spots leaving a flawless finish behind. Not only is the paint corrected on Meghan's Expedition, but it's also protected with help of the Wet Diamond sealant and Midnight Sun wax.
Don't just turn heads, create whiplash!
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