Review & How-to: BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating by Mike Phillips

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

The real problem I’m having with coatings is keeping my hands off of the vehicle once the coating is applied. Love coating and want to them try them all.

Mike where do you think the future is headed with coating technology titanium or healing coating. To bad we could coat tires with something that was a year or years.

To be honest, I have know idea what's coming up next.

One thing I know for sure though and that is to ALWAYS be open to new technology. Me myself, I practice being a

Perpetual Student

That is always learning...

Mike what are u guys working on next?

That's more Bobby, Meghan and Andre's department. If and when I do have an idea for something new I pass it on.


Great questions...

 

[kmohsin]

Great write up Mike and amazing to see the time and effort spent. I am trying to understand a few things more about the coatings and when i see the product specs it says
"9H+ hardness that is graded to last up to 2 years. "
What does 9H+ mean- how hard is this ? What scale is this hardness on and any test results that we can view for the same?
Thanks in advance

 

[mdbenge]

Agreeing with others, this is a great write-up. I'll excuse you for missing the few items you mentioned yourself .

A question on the logistics side of things; how long in terms of hours did the entire process actually take?

Thanks for your time and efforts to keep us informed and up-to-date. BTW: I too, am a life-long learner!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Great write up Mike and amazing to see the time and effort spent.

[/quote


Thanks, I appreciate the compliment. It takes time to take the before shots in the sun, the before shots in the garage, then do the work and then get accurate "after" shots showing the results and then processing all the pictures, typing out the information to create real "write-up" for a forum.

So thank you, I appreciate the compliment and because this is your first post on our forum,

Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:

I am trying to understand a few things more about the coatings and when i see the product specs it says

"9H+ hardness that is graded to last up to 2 years. "

What does 9H+ mean- how hard is this ? What scale is this hardness on and any test results that we can view for the same?

Thanks in advance

Good question. I didn't know exactly what it meant myself so I used Skynet err... I mean Google to find out. Apparently the 9H rating refers to the Pencil Hardness Test and you can find more info yourself right here,

The Pencil Hardness Test


Mostly what I've see is short videos showing someone striking an uncoated and then a coated surface with what looks like a Bic Lighter. Because I don't strike my car with Bic Lighters AND after I've buffed out and then sealed the paint with ANYTHING (wax, sealant or coating), I'm not sure the Bic Lighter test will ever be used on a car I've detailed.

If you're new to car detailing and/or new to ceramic paint coatings, if you look at the first post in this thread, I actually share a TON of information - more than I think you'll find on any other forum or Facebook Group.

Click here to go to the first post on the first page of this thread


And from my own experience with multiple coatings here what I know, (not think), a quality coating will last a lot longer on the paint surface than either a car wax or a synthetic paint sealant but you must still wash and dry carefully so as not to scratch the coating or wear the coating off.

A coated car will stay clean longer.

A coated car will wash and dry longer.

A coated car will tend to have a self-cleaning effect - at least immediately after the coating is installed.

A quality coating gives car paint a glassy look, which in my opinion and experience is a tick higher than the glossy look you can achieve from a car wax or a synthetic paint sealant.

I also know and have written more than anyone else that I'm aware of that even with a ceramic paint coating, the exterior of your car will get a film build-up on it, all of it, paint, glass, rubber, etc. if the car is a daily driver and especially if the car is a daily driver in an area that gets rain. I can include the links to my articles that explain that if you have not already found them and read them.

For this reason I believe that if you want your car to look it's best then you should as one of my oldest articles reads,

"Find something you like and use it often"

And in the case of a ceramic paint coating, I think at least once a year is optimum for maximum visual appearance. If all you are concerned about is protection and visual appearance is not an important criteria to you, then "yes" you can go longer before doing any substantial maintenance to your car's pant finish.

It's kind of all up to you.


Hope that helps and looking forward to your future posts on this forum.


:dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Agreeing with others, this is a great write-up.

Thank you.

Sad to say, most people I either don't know how to make pictures magically show up on forums or don't have either TapaTalk on their phone or use a computer.

A picture tells a thousand words

I'll excuse you for missing the few items you mentioned yourself .

Yeah.... everyone is so busy around here with their own jobs it's hard to find someone to take a break from their desk and come out to the garage to take some pictures, so whatever I get is what I get.

A question on the logistics side of things; how long in terms of hours did the entire process actually take?

With Frank and I doing the work I'd say from start to finish under 5 hours. If I was by myself it would have been around 8-10 hours. Compared to a Honda Accord there's less actual real-estate to buff out but you also have to be careful when buffing out some other guy's streetrod not to make mistakes.

Thanks for your time and efforts to keep us informed and up-to-date.

BTW: I too, am a life-long learner!

Your very welcome, I love to help other's learn both the craft and the art of detailing.

Plus - without a great forum like this one, it's hard to stay caught up with all the NEW technology being introduced. Here's an example of what broke over the weekend...

Lake Country polishing machine?????


Here's another example - I wrote this review back in July of this year, about 2 months BEFORE it's being introduced.

Review: 3D ONE Hybrid Cutting Compound and Finishing Polish

It's being introduced this week, so stay tuned...

 

[The Guz]

Great write up Mike and amazing to see the time and effort spent. I am trying to understand a few things more about the coatings and when i see the product specs it says
"9H+ hardness that is graded to last up to 2 years. "
What does 9H+ mean- how hard is this ? What scale is this hardness on and any test results that we can view for the same?
Thanks in advance

Welcome to AGO.

Don't get to hung up on the hardness rating of a coating. They are not scratch proof. Without proper care they can marr, scratch and swirl up. They do well with wash induced marring with proper care.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Welcome to AGO.

Don't get to hung up on the hardness rating of a coating. They are not scratch proof. Without proper care they can marr, scratch and swirl up. They do well with wash induced marring with proper care.

What’s your definition of wash induced marring?

 

[CJDAVID]

So, I am a weekend warrior detailing my personal vehicles.

I have learned so much and am a customer of Autogeek. I have been sealing and waxing my stuff and it leaves everything “sexy” feeling.

I just coated my wife’s 2015 Taurus SHO using GYEON product. Was not impressed at all with the MF towels included in the kit, or the feel of the car until I put the cure coat on.

My questions are;

1. do I wash with the same product I have been using? (McQuires)
   
   
2. And, can I still use a show room shine spray on cleaner/wax?
   

Sorry if this has been addressed already. Just joined the forums and her car is dirty from a road trip.

Great tutorial Mike!

Getting ready to coat my Mustang next and will look at the paint more closely. I know I have some let’s say, sandy damage on my rockers.

Hoping clay, and polish will take the white “chips” in the clear coat out.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

So, I am a weekend warrior detailing my personal vehicles.

I have learned so much and am a customer of Autogeek. I have been sealing and waxing my stuff and it leaves everything “sexy” feeling.

Thanks for joining the forum David.

I just coated my wife’s 2015 Taurus SHO using GYEON product. Was not impressed at all with the MF towels included in the kit,

I'm not sure what towel would be in any particular kit without knowing the name but in most cases, any towels included in kits tend to be and entry level towel to make sure you have at least one clean towel in your arsenal.

When it comes to chemically stripping or doing the final buff of a coating here's what I like,

Microfiber
Flat weave - NOT fluffy weave
Stout - not soft

Here's my two favorite right now,


GYEON Bald Wipe Microfiber Towel 16x16

Meguiar's M9910 Professional Ultimate Wipe Detailing Cloth --> Out of stock


Check out my article here, lots of pictures

Microfiber towels for ceramic paint coatings - How to care for - by Mike Phillips

or the feel of the car until I put the cure coat on.

Coatings impart one of these two types of "feel" to our car's paint

Rubbery
Slippery

Me? I like slippery. I won't use a rubbery feeling coating.

My questions are;

1. do I wash with the same product I have been using? (McQuires)
   
2. And, can I still use a show room shine spray on cleaner/wax?
   

The answer to your first question is "yes" - although "purist" will say to only use a car wash that adds NOTHING as in no wash and wax etc. You just want pure "clean" not fluff.

The answer to the second question is "yes" - you can use a quick detailer on a cleaner/wax.

Sorry if this has been addressed already. Just joined the forums and her car is dirty from a road trip.

Great questions and welcome to AGO :welcome:

Great tutorial Mike!

Thank you. It takes a lot of time to do the work and at the same time get great pictures. It takes just about as long to create a write-up like you see here. There's simply not very many people left in the online detailing world that do these types of write-ups. And you can't do them on FB - the interface won't allow it.

Getting ready to coat my Mustang next and will look at the paint more closely. I know I have some let’s say, sandy damage on my rockers.

Hoping clay, and polish will take the white “chips” in the clear coat out.

Claying and polishing will help but probably won't fix 100% - something is better than nothing...

 

[CJDAVID]

My questions are;

1. do I wash with the same product I have been using? (McQuires)
   
2. And, can I still use a show room shine spray on cleaner/wax?
   

The answer to your first question is "yes" - although "purist" will say to only use a car wash that adds NOTHING as in no wash and wax etc. You just want pure "clean" not fluff.

The answer to the second question is "yes" - you can use a quick detailer on a cleaner/wax.

Just to clarify...I can use a detail spray over a ceramic coated vehicle?

thanks for the quick reply from the Nations leading Detailer.

 

[ScottH]

Mike...stellar article.

Does the BF Pro Ceramic Coating harden up in the bottle after initial use? I've run into this with other coatings, making them almost unusable after the first use. I find that if I don't use the remainder within a few weeks of initial use, it gels/hardens up. So I suspect what I am really asking, is this behavior typical of all/most coatings?

Thanks Mike,
ScottH

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Just to clarify...I can use a detail spray over a ceramic coated vehicle?

Yes. The big concern by the OCD in the world is to NOT use product, this would include car washes, waterless washes, rinseless washes and spray detailers, (the things you would use to maintain a coated car), that are designed to leave a substantial amount of "something" on the paint to either make it look pretty or protect it.

The BIG PICTURE is to keep the coating clean by gently washing and drying it so IT can provide the pretty and the protection.

Make sense?


The entire reason of use a coating I outline in this review,



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Review: GYEON Q2 ONE Enthusiast Ceramic Coating by Mike Phillips



What are the benefits of a ceramic paint coating?

Extreme gloss - So much gloss that the word I use to describe the appearance is glassy. Glassy is a tick higher than glossy.

Extreme durability - Correctly applied, coatings simply don't wear off like car waxes and synthetic paint sealants. Of course, it is important to still wash a coated care carefully and I have an article on that and will share it later in this thread.

Better protection - Hey if it's lasting longer on the car obviously it's protecting longer.

Faster washing - Ceramic coatings create a hydrophobic or water-fearing surface - water naturally wants to get away from a ceramic coated surface thus washing is faster as dirt is released easier and faster when washing.

Faster drying - Same reasons a ceramic coated car is faster to wash, water wants to get off the car so it will naturally blow off or wipe off.

Self-cleaning effect - Because of the hydrophobic surface, when it rains the water will run off faster and easier and take any accumulated dirt with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


When you put "something" on top of the coating you then get the benefits of the "something" and not the coating. At least until the "something" wears off. I never apply anything over my coated cars except for a coating detailer or a coating booster and I do use both.

thanks for the quick reply from the Nations leading Detailer.

Wow! That's quite the compliment but there are so many other talented and nice people in our industry that are always willing to help others to master this craft and art form.


:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike...stellar article.

Does the BF Pro Ceramic Coating harden up in the bottle after initial use? I've run into this with other coatings, making them almost unusable after the first use. I find that if I don't use the remainder within a few weeks of initial use, it gels/hardens up. So I suspect what I am really asking, is this behavior typical of all/most coatings?

Thanks Mike,
ScottH

Hi Scott,

My guess is "yes" if you don't tighten down the lid and/or store in a cool place.

I know the applicator pads turn hard like pumice stone and the suede patches turn hard like cardboard.

To be honest, with the amount of classes I teach, I go through a bottle of the BF Pro Ceramic Paint Coating as well as other coatings AG carries before they can get old in the bottle.

In fact, I'm typing up an order for this weekend's class that includes more coatings.

 

[Mgavin1985]

Does anyone find themselves with this issue that they can’t keep their hands off the ceramic coating

 

[CJDAVID]

I will be finding out this Friday as the rain has finally stopped here in Ohio. Cant wait to wash my wife's SHO after putting the coating on just to see it work. Seems like I should have put another coat on? I do know that I too like the "soft, slick, sexy" feel of a good sealer and wax over top. I will find out if it has that. All I can say is even dirty the car has a deep gloss sitting in the garage. Going to have to get some booster if it does not "feel" right to me though.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Going to have to get some booster if it does not "feel" right to me though.

Something I'd like to point out, hard to remember everything all of the time...


The BLACKFIRE Coating Booster is water based instead of solvent based. What this means to you is it will remove any residual water droplets left on the paint after washing and drying. By this I mean, after I wash and then dry my car, usually with a combination of a Master Blaster and Guzzler Waffle Weave drying towel, if I look closely at the paint surface, I can still see TINY little water droplets on the paint. A solvent based coating detailer or coating booster will not dissolve these and enable you to wipe them off. In fact, my experience with solvent based boosters is they will seal over them.

A water based booster will dissolve them and wipe them off while leaving the surface coated with the booster ingredients.


Just my observations. I use both style but for most people, a water based booster will be a better option. The BLACKFIRE Coating Booster is water-based. It also comes in a 32 ounce spray bottle which is the size you want for high-use products.


BLACKFRE Coating Booster



My neighbor just had his brand new Camaro coated with a ceramic paint coating. I bought him a quart of the above BF Coating Booster as he likes to hand wash his Camaro and dry it himself. With this product he can then give the car a final wipe QUICKLY like using a spray detailer and restore that "just coated look".

 

[CJDAVID]

Sorry for not searching for this question. Has anyone put a ceramic coating on a boat? Please include pros and cons.

 

[JB5674]

I coated my highly modified Lexus RCF. My quandary is do I use the BF coating booster or the SiO2 post wash as the BF coating kit only came with the SiO2. This is the first time I coated a car, and want to do right by it. I’ve already tested the coating when bird bombs killed my car a week after the coat. I just used a pressure washer and it all came off. Then used the Si02 to “ clean up “ anything I missed. Please help, as I don’t see anything that either says to use 1 then the other. 1 vs the other, etc. please and thanks


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

 

[clayshooter]

Purchased this for myself for Christmas. I bought the kit. It will be spring before I get to use it. Bought for a Quartz Red GMC 2500 HD Crew Cab with a cap. So that’s a big 3-4 day job for me and I can’t wait to do it.!!
Ed

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

I coated my highly modified Lexus RCF. My quandary is do I use the BF coating booster or the SiO2 post wash as the BF coating kit only came with the SiO2. This is the first time I coated a car, and want to do right by it. I’ve already tested the coating when bird bombs killed my car a week after the coat. I just used a pressure washer and it all came off. Then used the Si02 to “ clean up “ anything I missed. Please help, as I don’t see anything that either says to use 1 then the other. 1 vs the other, etc. please and thanks


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

The booster seems to be more of a quick detailer from what I’ve read use it for quick wipe downs. Remove bird bombs right away. The sio2 spray is a maintenance product with from reviews any where from 1-6 months durability. It suppose to protect your coating from water spots and act as a sacrificial layer. Some people use maintenance spray once a month some longer. It depends on the variables.


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