Review: BLACKFIRE One-Step Cleaner/Wax by Mike Phillips
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Dr Oldz
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- Aug 31, 2010
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I wouldn’t bother by hand personally. Use the PC. PCs don’t get much love anymore but they are great machines.
IMO, the difference between the 7424xp and gg6 is minimal at best. An occasional hobbyist would do just fine with either for light polishing duties, and both make for fantastic LSP spreaders for nice thin, even coats.
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Mike Phillips
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I've been using both tools since they were introduced to the market. I know I have more articles and videos on how to use both than anyone else in the detailing world. Probably have taught more people how to detail with these two tools than anyone else in the world.
I'd have to respectfully disagree with you.
The Griot's 6" ROP has a TON more POWER than the Porter Cable.
In fact, I always take the Porter Cable to all my classes JUST TO SHOW OTHERS how much more power it has and after I put BOTH MACHINES into a person's hands and then after letting them use both tools let them make up their own mind, they ALWAYS agree
Griot's > PC
Been there, buffed that out....
WRAPT C5Z06
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Polishing in direct sunlight is never a good idea. Way too many factors that may give you results less than desirable.
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Mike Phillips
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I agree. However, if you're a mobile detailer sometimes you don't have any options. Working in the sun not only includes people that detail cars but also these huge monstrosities that often times are NOT under cover.
- Boats
- RVs
- Airplanes/Jets
For anyone that has to detail in full sun, been there, done that, here are two things I do that help me.
First - start as early as you can in the morning, even working before the sun comes up for things like washing a car.
Second - Anytime you're buffing on paint - SHRINK THE SIZE OF THE AREA YOU WORK DOWN TO SMALLER SIZE.
By shrinking your work size area down as you move the polisher over the surface you'll keep the product you're using more liquid since you'll be agitating it more. If you buff a large section, while you're on one side of the section buffing the product on the other side is drying up on you.
It can seem like you'll go slower by working smaller sections but it's seriously a case of going slower to go faster.
Plus you won't wear yourself out as much trying to wipe off dried product.
Here's an article I wrote 8 years ago on this topic, look at the time stamp...
Tips for working in warm/hot weather or direct sunlight
WRAPT C5Z06
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Great points, Mike.I agree. However, if you're a mobile detailer sometimes you don't have any options. Working in the sun not only includes people that detail cars but also these huge monstrosities that often times are NOT under cover.
- Boats
- RVs
- Airplanes/Jets
For anyone that has to detail in full sun, been there, done that, here are two things I do that help me.
First - start as early as you can in the morning, even working before the sun comes up for things like washing a car.
Second - Anytime you're buffing on paint - SHRINK THE SIZE OF THE AREA YOU WORK DOWN TO SMALLER SIZE.
By shrinking your work size area down as you move the polisher over the surface you'll keep the product you're using more liquid since you'll be agitating it more. If you buff a large section, while you're on one side of the section buffing the product on the other side is drying up on you.
It can seem like you'll go slower by working smaller sections but it's seriously a case of going slower to go faster.
Plus you won't wear yourself out as much trying to wipe off dried product.
Here's an article I wrote 8 years ago on this topic, look at the time stamp...
Tips for working in warm/hot weather or direct sunlight
I would apply any conventional wax or sealant over it.
I regularly use SONAX PNS over it.
So is it ok to use the Black Fire SI02 after using the One Step?
Mike Phillips
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I do. In fact I used the Blackfire SI02 over BLACKFIRE One Step on a Maserati this last Saturday. Results were stunning!
Next day I topped with Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating - took the results to and even darker, more clear results. Check it out...
JustJesus
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- Oct 10, 2014
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I do. In fact I used the Blackfire SI02 over BLACKFIRE One Step on a Maserati this last Saturday. Results were stunning!
Next day I topped with Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating - took the results to and even darker, more clear results. Check it out...
Stunning results Mike. I wouldn't have thought about a coating over something like SiO2. Interesting.
Would have been nice to see results like that on the Porsche I did couple weeks ago. But, not in the budget.
Mike Phillips
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Wait until you see my write-up. This Maserati was recently painted. When it arrived here it was filled with sanding marks and holograms. The paint was on the soft side. I removed the sanding marks using BLACKFIRE Compound and a white foam polishing pad --> with ease.
Sometimes I break the rules. I love Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating, it's very easy to use, creates that glassy look and leaves the paint slippery feeling, not rubbery feeling like a lot of coatings.
It really darkened the SI02 results which were perfect already.
Leaving for Colorado tomorrow for my Roadshow class at RUPES, so no time to process pictures before I leave for the day.
Trust me - I have the pictures to show how bad this Maserati was when it arrived. It looks like it was used as a Hockey Puck.
:dunno:
JustJesus
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I'll, of course, read it and add it to my notebook
There's a good chance I'll see that Porsche again. I'll start getting my coating practice.
Have a safe trip, Mike
Gav'sPurpleZ
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- Feb 27, 2012
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would it be possible to use this with a Rupes Medium Polishing wool pad ?
I have already used it with LC cutting and polishing foam pads and it works great.
I have already used it with LC cutting and polishing foam pads and it works great.
Apparently, I'm very good at resurrecting old threads. I'm sorry. Just wanted to obtain some clarification and I see this was brought up a few a pages ago.
I seem to recall in other places in the forum here that AIO's should be utilized solely with a polishing pad... yet, this particular review, it looks like an orange cutting pad was used. I was under the impression from previous reading that the use of a cutting pad with an AIO would / could result in micro-marring and/or haze. Is this not the case? Is it product specific?
I'm currently using a Griot's 6" DA and my go-to AIO has been McKee's 360 using LC thin pro white polishing pads. Could I safely utilize the orange cutting pad with McKee's 360? I thought that was a no-no. Could anyone lend any clarification?
I seem to recall in other places in the forum here that AIO's should be utilized solely with a polishing pad... yet, this particular review, it looks like an orange cutting pad was used. I was under the impression from previous reading that the use of a cutting pad with an AIO would / could result in micro-marring and/or haze. Is this not the case? Is it product specific?
I'm currently using a Griot's 6" DA and my go-to AIO has been McKee's 360 using LC thin pro white polishing pads. Could I safely utilize the orange cutting pad with McKee's 360? I thought that was a no-no. Could anyone lend any clarification?
Mike Phillips
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Never worry about bring an old thread back to life. Actually, in context this is NOT and old thread. It's all good.
I wrote that article and stand by what I wrote. Here's the link.
Good rule of thumb when using an AIO - stick with foam polishing pads by Mike Phillips
Here's the picture showing the Griot's orange pads from the first page of this thread.
And I think most people that have used the Griot's orange BOSS pads will agree, they are on the soft side of cutting pads, not the sharp side. Once any pad becomes wet with product this also softens up the pad. Also, If you've ever felt or used the Griot's yellow foam polishing pads, they are also very soft, not much cut so they would not have worked for the level of swirls and scratches in this Chevelle.
So... always do a test spot as there is a lot of variance in pads on the market. The BIG PICTURE is to avoid marring the paint when using a one-step product. And be careful on light colored cars. Pad marring (and also abrasive marring), shows up easy on black and dark colored paints but no so on white and light colored paints. So use good light to inspect the results from your Test Spot.
Good eye!
IF you were to FEEL a brand new clean Lake Country Orange ThinPro cutting pad and then FEEL a brand new Griot's orange foam cutting pad you would feel a HUGE difference.
The way you "feel" a pad is, first, it should be clean. Second - draw your clean palm and finger tips over the face of the pad.
Foam cutting pads should and will feel SHARP. That is there's a sharpness or coarseness to the feel of the pad. Just one of the hundreds of things I show in all my detailing classes.
That LC orange ThinPro pad is sharp - so be sure to test first before buffing out an entire car. Last thing you want to do is think you're done only to find out you need to re-buff the entire car (to remove pad haze).
Make sense?
Eldorado2k
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- Nov 9, 2015
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You’re so cool Mike. No really I mean it, you’re a real nice guy.. There’s people on other forums who act like they’re dictators over little stuff like this and it’s a major turnoff to people who are simply trying to join in the community on any given platform.
This forum is by far the best place for respectful communication between likeminded people. Thanks for reminding me of that.
