AustrianOak82
New member
- Sep 26, 2014
- 324
- 0
Blackfire Crystal Seal
Description:
BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal is a paint sealant coating that offers incredible protection and longevity for all paint finishes, plastics, glass, and metals. Just drops of this clear liquid produces a tough barrier over auto surfaces that resists contamination, moisture, and UV rays. Hyper-concentrated BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal packs the power of cross-linking Wet Diamond polymers in every drop.
Directions:
1.Use very little BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal. Always use a clean, soft applicator to spread Crystal Seal over your vehicle.
2.Mist the applicator once to prime it. Then mist each panel once and spread Crystal Seal evenly in straight line motions.
3.Do not buff or wipe off Crystal Seal.
4.Use this same method to apply Crystal Seal to paint, glass, metals, and hard plastics.
Products Used:
1. Meguiar's Gold Class Soap
2. Ultima Waterless Wash
3. Nanoskin Clay Towel (Mild)
4. Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish 205
5. IPA
6. Lake Country Foam Applicator Pad
7. Chemical Guys MF Towel
Conditions:
I applied the coating indoors at 72 degrees. Once completed, I kept it indoors for a couple of days to cure. Prior to the coating being applied, there was a coat of Meguiar's M21 topped with Collinite 845 that needed to be removed. I tested this on my tuxedo black 2014 Focus ST. It was going to be entered in Focus Fest 2015 a few days after the application, so it sounded like a perfect time to test!
Preparation Steps:
1. I washed the car the old fashioned way with my MF wash mitt and shampoo.
2. Once it was all sudded up, I scrubbed it down with my mild clay towel and rinsed.
3. I used my swirl light and checked the paint all around. I had some very minor swirls that could be removed with the 205. I used a white LC paid and polished the paint. I used the WW to remove any stubborn polish.
4. I was going to use the Blackfire Paint Cleaner as recommended but I had some 70% IPA on hand, so I diluted it down and wiped all of the paint down.
Application:
I applied the sealant using the LC foam applicator pad. I know they really stressed using very little product, so I didn't use very much. Directions advised to spray directly on the paint and go from there. I started on the roof and did one spray directly into the middle. It spread very easily and I was able to tell when the pad got too dry when I heard the terrible squeaking sound the pad makes on dry paint. I went back and forth and then up and down. This got 90% of it rubbed in, so I went back and forth again to get the rest. I did feel like it needed another spray, but I went against what I wanted to do just based on the directions. I ended up doing 3 passes on every panel just to get all of it rubbed up (plus it satisfied my OCD). In the end, I only had two spots that I needed to quickly swipe with a MF.
Initial Review:
Overall, I really, really like this product. It went on very easily and was very user friendly. I initially sprayed on the paint like it said, but I found that by doing this later on, I was getting overspray on the previously coated panels. I started doing one spray into the middle of the foam pad. This worked just as well, so I finished the car this way. The application was very simple and any high spots (there were only a couple total) were taken care of by a simple swipe.
I let it cure for a couple of days when I continued to prep my car for the show. When it was said and done, I was left with very smooth paint that was slick to the touch. Not slick in a sense of a standard wax, but slick as in you could tell nothing would be able to adhere to it. My paint is metallic black, and usually I get really high gloss with paint sealants and not much depth or color but with this I got both. I got the best of both worlds with lots of gloss but the darkening of the paint effect that I get with carnauba. When I went to tape plastic drop cloths to my car to paint my brake calipers, the paint wouldn't stick to the paint. I also went to re-install a cornering lamp and when I was doing that, my grip slipped off and I fell against the car.
I ended up winning "Best of Show" at Focus Fest 2015 in Memphis. The judges commented that my car was "spotless" and "immaculate". There were 130 Focuses entered, so I took top prize. One of the photos I included was at the show (hood up shot).
Follow-up Review:
After the show and after I had been back for a couple of weeks, I noticed that the paint was losing the slickness that it had right after application. This was about 3 weeks after the application. I decided to go ahead and add another coat, I figured it couldn't hurt. I applied it a little differently this time. I did a close-up spray on the panel and one on the pad itself. It applied better for sure. I had more high spots that I swiped off, but I felt like I got a better coating. This 2nd coat really got the gloss and color depth off the charts. It has been about 2 months now since I did the 2nd coat, and the paint still feels as slick as it did. Two coats is the key. I do think that the MF pad they provide with the kit would have worked much better than the foam pad I used. Going forward, I would use the MF.
Final Thoughts:
Awesome product. Cost effective and provides just what I was looking for in my black car. Application was simple and easy. It's been two months now and it's still slick and beading water very well. Being a detailer, I only use touchless washes. I have not needed to hand-wash my car since the application. The touchless washes get everything off. The sealant doesn't seem to let anything stick/adhere to it. Bugs just wipe right off. I have tried to be slightly harsher on the paint on a couple of occasions when I dry it to see how durable the coating is. To date, I haven't seen any other scratches or swirl marks added. My favorite sealant so far. Fantastic product!
Follow-ups: I plan on checking back in at the 6 month mark with a quick follow-up on how it's doing. Stay tuned.
