Can someone educate me on Iron-X?

2old2change said:
Try claying your car and then hit it with Iron-X and see all that you are not getting with the clay.

I will not install a coating without a complete decontamination with both.
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I'm with Paul on this one...

If you're going to take a car with an unknown past for the paint condition and apply a coating, then you might as well sell the customer on a full paint decontamination, that is chemically and mechanically as this will create the best chance for a "Fresh Base" for to apply the coating. This also hold true for a car wax or synthetic paint sealant.

The big idea is you want any and all contaminants of and out of the paint before you seal it.

I have an MB detail this Saturday and I'm going to coat it with Black Label but the first step will be to wash the car and then chemically decontaminate both the paint and the wheels. This is for a brand new car, fresh off the dealerships car lot.


:)
 
nissenc1337 said:
Then applied a healthy amount of Iron X and let it dwell for 5minutes (bottle says 5-7min).

I did notice SOME reaction but not on the areas I expected. It didn't attack my yellow/orange spots (which are littered all over my car).
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That's interesting as my experience has been if you see orange spots on the paint that's a sign of rust staining caused by iron particles embedded in the paint.

Perhaps try decontaminating with the Iron X even if you're not seeing a lot of iron bleeding.

Then mechanically decontaminate using a Nanoskin Autoscrub pad on a PC.

Then... try a test section of Iron X again just to make sure and see what happens?

If after all of the above you don't see anything I'd say you're good to go.


When I chemically decontaminated Stacy's MB there wasn't a lot of bleeding and this makes it hard to capture the bleeding with a camera but here's what I was able to get.

I used the Auto Finesse Iron Out but it works on the same chemical principals as Iron X.



Removing Iron Particles out of Mercedes-Benz Ceramiclear Paints
Following the steps outlined in my how-to book, the next thing to do is decontaminate the paint. For this I'm using Auto Finesse Iron Out Iron Remover.

2006_SLK_350_017.jpg


2006_SLK_350_018.jpg




Bleeding-Effect in Mercedes-Benz Ceramiclear Paint

2006_SLK_350_019.jpg




Light Iron Contamination
These pictures show the paint was in fact lightly contaminated with some type of iron particles...

2006_SLK_350_020.jpg


2006_SLK_350_020c.jpg


2006_SLK_350_021.jpg


2006_SLK_350_022.jpg


2006_SLK_350_023.jpg


2006_SLK_350_024.jpg



And for everyone reading this into the future....

The BIG PICTURE

Yeah yeah yeah... I know, everyone loves seeing the bleeding-effect when using an Iron Remover because it looks cool. Kind of like how everyone loves seeing water bead-up after it rains on a freshly waxed car.

But here's the deal... while you do want to remove iron particles out of your car's clear coat finish for a number of reasons, in the big picture, this is a process you want to do, (to make sure any iron particles are removed), but in reality... you really don't want to see the bleeding-effect as this means your car's paint was in fact contaminated.

Iron contaminated paint indicates corrosion and deterioration of the clear coat has been taking place and because clear coat paints are THIN this is a bad thing. This is especially true for Ceramiclear paints because the very top layer or shell of a Ceramiclear paint is only around .2 mils for the nano particles of Fumed Silica which provide the scratch resistant characteristics that everyone loves about this type of paint.



:dblthumb2:
 
for me in sw fl the orange is polin from the trees pine trees are the worst.After you get them off and get a good sealer on they will just wash off after the sealer is on the car.
 
lawrenceSA said:
...and where would these iron particles then be during the polishing process.... surely they would be caught up in the spent polish and abraded paint that you have just removed from the paint?

I worry about doing something like this because the risk of trapping one of those hard particles between your pad and paint whilst polishing increases, along with the risk of inflicting a deep scratch, or pigtails etc....

I personally try to completely remove all of the bonded and embedded contaminants from the paint before starting polishing, in order for the surface to be as clean as possible.
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+1..... some steps have risk mitigation built into it by default.... they are just hidden
 
drvnbysound said:
I believe I read that another consideration of leaving the surface wet, was that the product would technically then be diluted once sprayed on and effectively mixed with the water....
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In practice that equates to my comment with regards to it running off and onto the ground. In practice, the concentration is totally irrelevant, it is the number of active molecules present. Diluting by surface water doesn't change that number, what it does is make the product less viscous and increases the amount of it that ends up on the ground (and thus increases the number of molecules lost).
 
lawrenceSA said:
...and where would these iron particles then be during the polishing process.... surely they would be caught up in the spent polish and abraded paint that you have just removed from the paint?

I worry about doing something like this because the risk of trapping one of those hard particles between your pad and paint whilst polishing increases, along with the risk of inflicting a deep scratch, or pigtails etc....

I personally try to completely remove all of the bonded and embedded contaminants from the paint before starting polishing, in order for the surface to be as clean as possible.
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I think you are overanalyzing it. I wonder how many cars have been polished to perfection prior to products like iron x were released? I'm just saying you don't NEED it. Is it a good product? Yes. Do I own iron x and use it? Yes.
 
So after Iron-X has shown "bleeding" of particles, washing off afterwards gives a decom'ed surface? Has anyone tested a second round of Iron-X to see if ALL the bleeding is gone after the first application?

Wondering since if clay doesn't remove embedded particle stuck within clear coat, I'm wondering how a chemical reaction with a wash would remove them 100%?

Also does anyone know if using the Iron-X paste by rubbing it into a wet surface(paint) via a gloved hand or wet microfiber would also accomplish same task? I have left over paste, and would like to use up before buying anymore product (i.e. spray version).
 
RMM said:
Hi Mike!
You guys should rewrite the AF Iron Out page: AF is in fact acidic (pH ≈ 6). :xyxthumbs:
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Just to note, I also received a PM about this and part of my reply in the PM was after washing the Mercedes and then drying it and then moving the car into the garage their was no visible damage or even dulling down of the paint.

Don't know if that's because it's a Ceramiclear or ???


This was taken this last weekend... paint looks from this shot and close-up.


Stacys_SLK350.jpg




:xyxthumbs:
 
RMM said:
Hi Mike!
You guys should rewrite the AF Iron Out page: AF is in fact acidic (pH ≈ 6). :xyxthumbs:
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I would like to understand this.

1. The AF website claims "Auto-Finesse Iron Out is an advanced, pH neutral, reactive gel formula that specifically targets only iron-based contamination. Unlike the harsh acids often used by body shops to remove imbedded ferrous particles, the only thing that has to be afraid of Iron Out is iron! It is suitable to use on all exterior surfaces, including paintwork, aluminium, magnesium, stainless steel, anodized finishes, chrome, glass, plastic, and even rubber. Iron Out also contains strong degreasing agents to help loosen road films, making it a powerful force in the decontamination process"

2, You are claiming it is acidic...

And my personal experience leans toward 2.

My reasons are not very scientific though -a) I often see the same sort of white buildup around the lid of my gallon bottle that you often see around a car's battery and b) I have had this product 'stain' OEM VW Brake Calipers 'white'.


If indeed this product is acidic, what precautions should we be taking in terms of 'neutralizing' the acid on the paint/glass/wheels, post use?
 
Of course the whole motivation behind IX is that it is neutral and negates the need for neutralising, which is necessary with acidic systems (like ABC/Finishkare). The actual pH of the discussed product remains to be seen - I have a data sheet which covered the original product but I understand that it is now manufactured by someone else so my info may well be redundant. If it is only about 6, it is nothing to worry about as this is so close to neutral as not to matter. Lower pHs, you probably want to make sure you do a thorough clean after use, preferably with an alkaline cleaner (many foam cannon liquids would do the job).
 
I can only imagine what how much it would remove on my 96' GMC being I never removed iron deposits

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using AG Online
 
HateSwirls said:
I can only imagine what how much it would remove on my 96' GMC being I never removed iron deposits

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using AG Online
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You'll no doubt be shocked. I was, even though my '97 Tahoe had been carefully clayed in the past a number of times.

There was iron bleed on every panel.
Mark
 
PiPUK said:
Of course the whole motivation behind IX is that it is neutral and negates the need for neutralising, which is necessary with acidic systems (like ABC/Finishkare). The actual pH of the discussed product remains to be seen - I have a data sheet which covered the original product but I understand that it is now manufactured by someone else so my info may well be redundant. If it is only about 6, it is nothing to worry about as this is so close to neutral as not to matter. Lower pHs, you probably want to make sure you do a thorough clean after use, preferably with an alkaline cleaner (many foam cannon liquids would do the job).
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Agreed, treated city tap water is usually around a PH of 8.2. Total alkalinity at my house is 130, and calcium hardness is about 350 from the tap.


Yes, I own a pool and a high end test kit.
 
A can of coke has a Ph or around 3 to 3.5 and I don't wear googles when cleaning up a spill. Six is close enough to neutral for me.
 
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