Applying Paste Wax

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detaildoc

New member
How do you guys apply your paste wax? By hand (which applicator do you use) or via a dual action machine? This will be my first time applying a paste wax - P21S 100%. Is the included anti-fatigue applicator from autogeek any good? That applicator feels kind of rough, so I am afraid it might cause swirl marks. Any instructions on how to apply it correctly would be greatly appreciated.
 
Although the last time I applied P21S (and Souveran too for that matter) I did it by hand, I probably apply paste waxes by machine 99.9% of the time.



I remove them by machine too (MF bonnets over foam, not wool, pads), but I always give it a going-over by hand to get the final ~5% of wax that the bonnets tend to leave behind.



If you're not sure about the applicator, CD-test it. Remember to test it the way you'll use it, with wax on it ;) When I do it by hand I usually use the round yellow foam applicators that everybody sells (IIRC I got my last huge batch of them from TOL).
 
I apply by hand, it's enjoyable. I use the Megs Gold Class foamies. Work great! Remove by hand as well.
 
Accumulator said:
Although the last time I applied P21S (and Souveran too for that matter) I did it by hand, I probably apply paste waxes by machine 99.9% of the time.



I remove them by machine too (MF bonnets over foam, not wool, pads), but I always give it a going-over by hand to get the final ~5% of wax that the bonnets tend to leave behind.



If you're not sure about the applicator, CD-test it. Remember to test it the way you'll use it, with wax on it ;) When I do it by hand I usually use the round yellow foam applicators that everybody sells (IIRC I got my last huge batch of them from TOL).
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When you apply your P21S by machine, do you spread some of the paste on the pad or do you put it directly on your car and then pass the machine through it? What are your steps exactly. I find the P21S 100% to be a little hard, though not sure how it would compare to other past waxes since I have never had one.
 
detaildoc said:
When you apply your P21S by machine, do you spread some of the paste on the pad or do you put it directly on your car and then pass the machine through it? What are your steps exactly. I find the P21S 100% to be a little hard, though not sure how it would compare to other past waxes since I have never had one.
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I've only played around with P21s as I didn't reall like it much, so I don't have all that much experience with it. But it's not *nearly* as hard as Collinite 476S, and I apply that by machine all the time.



With *any* paste wax, I apply it to the pad with a plastic razor blade/rubber spatuly or by scrunching up the pad and rubbing it against the wax (that'd be a pretty tall order with P21s). I then rub it into the pad to distribute it evenly. Then I scrape/squeeze/etc. as much wax back *out* of the pad as I can. Then I put the machine against the paint and turn it on. I work the wax out into as large an area as I can while still getting adequate coverage then I turn the machine off and reapply wax to the pad and do the next area.



With *all* waxes I use (yep, even Souveran and P21s) I do the whole vehicle before I buff it off. Works fine as long as I get a correctly thin application.
 
I do it by hand with a yellow foam applicator. I have a zillion of the Meguiar's Gold Class ones when Wal Mart had them on clearance. I also have the Turtle Wax ones made in the USA for .40 cents a piece from Big Lots. They are nice and soft with no marring issues.



I also spritz a QD on the applicator as well as the paint. This allows the wax to thin out and go along way. It also helps in the spit shine-like routine. Upon removal I spritz the waxed panel again with QD while I buff off by hand. I then do a final cleanup of the surface with DG AquaWax.
 
:2thumbs:
aboveclean said:
I find a PC7424 puts a nice even thin coat that is easy to get off by hand with MF.
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:2thumbs: With a 5.5" blue pad, much quicker and only need to swipe the pad 3 times for the entire car. Thin, thin, thin is in.
 
I apply waxes with a 4" Nikota cordless polisher & finishing pads (these pads fit right inside some paste wax containers).
 
I have yet to see that the p21s applicator marrs the finish if kept clean. If you push down hard it might on soft paints but so does some MF's.
 
I apply by hand and use Classic Car RED foam pad.The price is about $4.45 per pad. Buy one pad wehen you have a chance they are unbelieveable.
 
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