Clarification of Adjectives

pcw25

pcw25

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Hello everyone!

Not quite sure how to say this, so bear with me.

Something I have always wondered is the difference between certain finishes (i.e. "wet" or "sterile"). What I mean is what type of "finish" a certain LSP gives off, and the like. What makes each finish different from one another?

For example, what makes a car's paint have a "warm shine"? What does that mean?

Or what makes a car "glossy" or "glassy" or "sterile"?

Catch my drift?

Hopefully someone can answer this weird question as it has always boggled me! Thank you!

Feed back please
 
AHHHhhhh! One of those existential question.

Those adjective you refer to are unfortunately not standardized and only express the view and reportable impression of the person writing the comments.

In normal experienced detailer conversation (without the superlative fluff) it is normal to see detailers report that a natural wax (carnauba, bee's wax etc..) will give a warmer glow to the reflection, whereas a synthetic sealant will tend to give more of a flat appearance (which I believe you could describe as "one note" or "sterile"). The warmth of the glow reflecting off the paint (in my opinion) would describe a multi effect reflection/refraction process which brings more "colors" to your eye (similar to a rainbow).

Why does a carnauba product tend to give more of a warm, glossy, wet look to the paint over a sealant? I guess to answer that you would have to bring in a discussion of physics, and the reflection and/or refractory properties of the components left on the paint (natural oils) after the removal of the hazed product. Plural components may reflect/refract the light source in different wavelengths which may be perceived to your eye as a fuller light spectrum. Sealants on the other hand then you have little residual components which may only reflect/refract one or a very limited few wavelengths (in addition to the paint color and flakes)

Your question will be one that will be eternally hard to answer as each products tend to have a different visual appeal to different people, and different paint colors and paint condition will also affect the final outcome (because part of the reflection/refraction changes depending on the state of the clear coat). If comparing side by side, you may get a better "wet", "glass like reflection" off of a freshly compounded car with a sealant (as the LSP) over a scratched up paint with the highest quality carnauba wax on the market.

There are way too many variables to reflection and in the same you will have too many variables between the adjectives used by detailers. If you could standardize from mediocre to absolute a list of adjectives and educate all detailers and noobs out there I would be eternally grateful. It would definitely help when reading reviews and cross comparing products for future purchases.

Sorry Tommy.... that is not going to happen :-P
 
Dr_Pain said:
AHHHhhhh! One of those existential question.

Those adjective you refer to are unfortunately not standardized and only express the view and reportable impression of the person writing the comments.

In normal experienced detailer conversation (without the superlative fluff) it is normal to see detailers report that a natural wax (carnauba, bee's wax etc..) will give a warmer glow to the reflection, whereas a synthetic sealant will tend to give more of a flat appearance (which I believe you could describe as "one note" or "sterile"). The warmth of the glow reflecting off the paint (in my opinion) would describe a multi effect reflection/refraction process which brings more "colors" to your eye (similar to a rainbow).

Why does a carnauba product tend to give more of a warm, glossy, wet look to the paint over a sealant? I guess to answer that you would have to bring in a discussion of physics, and the reflection and/or refractory properties of the components left on the paint (natural oils) after the removal of the hazed product. Plural components may reflect/refract the light source in different wavelengths which may be perceived to your eye as a fuller light spectrum. Sealants on the other hand then you have little residual components which may only reflect/refract one or a very limited few wavelengths (in addition to the paint color and flakes)

Your question will be one that will be eternally hard to answer as each products tend to have a different visual appeal to different people, and different paint colors and paint condition will also affect the final outcome (because part of the reflection/refraction changes depending on the state of the clear coat). If comparing side by side, you may get a better "wet", "glass like reflection" off of a freshly compounded car with a sealant (as the LSP) over a scratched up paint with the highest quality carnauba wax on the market.

There are way too many variables to reflection and in the same you will have too many variables between the adjectives used by detailers. If you could standardize from mediocre to absolute a list of adjectives and educate all detailers and noobs out there I would be eternally grateful. It would definitely help when reading reviews and cross comparing products for future purchases.

Sorry Tommy.... that is not going to happen :-P
Click to expand...

Wow, a very informational answer! Thank you for clearing things up! :)

EDIT: The main reason for my question is that way we describe how a product looks on a car heavily factors into what we buy, for those who are wondering why I asked in the first place. :)
 
Can't answer your questions but IMO certain wowa sealants give my Lac a sterile finish, muting the flakes, while OCW lends a more wet look. OCW topping OOS gives leads to glassy, deep, and dripping.

Hope that helps.
 
:bump2:

:bump2:

:bump2:
 
It's completely subjective. There is no way to get everyone to agree on this topic.
 
pcw25 said:
Something I have always wondered is the difference between certain finishes (i.e. "wet" or "sterile").
What I mean is what type of "finish" a certain LSP gives off, and the like.
What makes each finish different from one another?

"warm shine"? What does that mean?

Or what makes a car "glossy" or "glassy" or "sterile"?


Feed back please
Click to expand...
^^^"Superlative" Questions!!^^^
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I used to find it hard to believe that vehicles' Clear-coat paints are actually, specifically, and specially formulated to be perfectly optically-clear...
This is so there will be no distortion (as much as possible) to the underlying color-coat (base-coat), in a BC/CC paint system. [Forgo the Orange Peel!!]

It's a given that it becomes the vehicles' owners responsibility to maintain that CC-paints' "clearness".
It should also be a given that some form of a 'sealer' should be applied to the: as clear as possible CC-paint. An LSP, in other words.
(That 'sealer' could be any sort of vehicle Waxes, Sealants, or 'Coatings'.)

To me:
-It doesn't matter what adjectives are used by anyone to describe a vehicle that has been 'sealed'...even the adjectives you've listed above.
-What matters, (again: to me), is that whatever LSP/'sealer' that has been applied to a CC, does not impart any distortion to the base-coat's color scheme.

Knowing that:
-Waxes historically begin, too soon, to: Wane &Fade...imparting a not so desirous gray-ish film layer atop the CC-paint...
Lends me to believe a certain amount of distortion was present at the moment that the Waxes were initially applied/buffed.

-Is it then proper to call, what I'll say is Muting/Mutation/Distortion of the "clear" CC-paint: Wet; Warm; Deep? (Sounds sexy, though!)

Knowing that:
-Sealants usually cure to be optically-clear, (as made possible by the Chemists/formulators)...
With no graying-out occurring during the Sealants' expected service-life...
-I thereby will conclude that by using Sealants:
The underlying base-coat's paint scheme is not muted, at least in such a manner as to not have
distortion being sensed (RE: Humans' optical-sensors).

-Is it then proper to call, what I'll say is a Not being distorted/Not being muted condition/finish of the CC-paint:
Glossy; Glassy; Sterile? (Doesn't sound so sexy, though.)


The choice of adjectives, that describes a LSP'ed CC-paint, then, IMHO...is the same as the choices between LSP's/'sealers':
Yours; or Mine; or Ours.
Or, rather, perhaps: The point is moot/mute?


:)

Bob
 
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