California Car Duster

K

KITT

New member
I know it says it doesnt scratch the car. But how is that possible? When you run anything across a car, it scratches it even if its microscopic right???
 
Yeah, I agree. Moving abrasive dirt across paint (with no lubrication/etc.) can cause marring. Will the dirt somehow migrate up the duster's strands away from the paint? Will it somehow get encapsulated in the duster's "wax"? Do you want to find out on *your* paint? OK, if the dirt isn't functionally abrasive there won't be any problems...feel lucky?



I've tried the CCD, and I was a careful/gentle as I can imagine anybody being (I put a lot of serious thought and effort into doing it). It left light marring from the movement of abrasive dust over the paint. Light enough that many people wouldn't notice/care, but I was still ticked off at myself for trying something that I knew was potentially risky.



Others have tested them (including a guy who tried it on a black Porsche) and they reported *no* marring :nixweiss That was them, didn't work that way for me.



Unless you feel especially lucky, I'd pass if you're concerned about marring.



Heh heh, you've considered the whole thing and your consideration lead you to the conclusion that it'd cause marring, right? In cases like this, I'd sure trust my own (carefully considered) reasoning and not put much weight on the opinions, or even the experiences, of others ;)
 
I use one, but my car is also silver and has a hard coat of collinite on it. I don't have a garage and we have terrible pollen, if i didn't have the car duster my car would never look good. I just don't have the time to QD the car every morning.
 
I use one occasionally, but mine is still fresh and has a tendency to leave streaks of paraffin wax. It sure is a quick way to clean up the surface though, followed by a go over with an MF and some QD.
 
Accumulator said:
Yeah, I agree. Moving abrasive dirt across paint (with no lubrication/etc.) can cause marring. Will the dirt somehow migrate up the duster's strands away from the paint? Will it somehow get encapsulated in the duster's "wax"? Do you want to find out on *your* paint? OK, if the dirt isn't functionally abrasive there won't be any problems...feel lucky?



I've tried the CCD, and I was a careful/gentle as I can imagine anybody being (I put a lot of serious thought and effort into doing it). It left light marring from the movement of abrasive dust over the paint. Light enough that many people wouldn't notice/care, but I was still ticked off at myself for trying something that I knew was potentially risky.



Others have tested them (including a guy who tried it on a black Porsche) and they reported *no* marring :nixweiss That was them, didn't work that way for me.



Unless you feel especially lucky, I'd pass if you're concerned about marring.



Heh heh, you've considered the whole thing and your consideration lead you to the conclusion that it'd cause marring, right? In cases like this, I'd sure trust my own (carefully considered) reasoning and not put much weight on the opinions, or even the experiences, of others ;)
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But then again, washing or QD'ing can also cause marring. :think:
 
I use mine everyday unless there has been rain or i've had to drive through dirty conditions (like a dust cloud from a field plow or up a gravel driveway sort of thing). I do have a technique though. My theory is that if done out of direct sunlight, with a light hand on the CCD handle, going front to back on the horizontal surfaces and up to down onthe vertical ones, and QD'ing with Z6 or FK425 or Crystal Mist afterwards, I've gotten no marring. I have Windsor '99 Blue Passat, '03 Ink Blue (or indigo) A4 and a '05 Red S4. No marring. I also allow the cars to sit in the garage to "cool the paint" and allow any "open pores" to seal back up. I've practiced this way since the beginning of pollen season in March and loved it. It's now a daily ritual at 7pm. Before this I had not used my CCD for three years, swearing that it was the cause of my marring, but now I am beginning to think it may have been the process.

Yet, I agree with Accumulator, here, if you have doubt or think it is the cause of your marring...stop/ don't use it. Even if I didn't have proof, but I merely believed 93 octane to be a wiser choice in the long-run for my engine life, I would buy it (and I do).
 
Accumulator said:
Washing won't cause marring if you do it right, and I never QD except right after a regular wash ;)
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Washing right? You put soap in a bucket spray the car down, use the mitt on it, spray it down again. Is there a more correct way to wash it? lol
 
KITT said:
Washing right? You put soap in a bucket spray the car down, use the mitt on it, spray it down again. Is there a more correct way to wash it? lol
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Heh heh, oh yeah...look for the thread about using Z7 with a foamgun for an explantion ;) It's been forever since I've had to remove any wash-induced marring.
 
I think those things are a bad idea.

A good idea if you are meticulous in keeping the duster clean after each use. But most people I imagine just give it a shake.



We have high pollen right now and to remove dust I sparay each panel with FK 146 and wipe off the pollen in the direciton of the wind. I give it a quick once over with my buffing cloth. Takes five minutes. FK 146 claims to reduce the number of cleanings. Since my last application on Sunday I did notice very little Pollen and the car was stationary for a few days.
 
I use my CCD on my daily driver.

My garage queen does not get touched by it even though ive never seen marring on my daily driver after using it or at least not had more marring than before i used CCD.
 
I think the method it's used is the single biggest thing to success or cursing it out before you burn it on a funeral pyre. I've used them for years and have yet to notice any negative effects. I'm actually sort of thinking that I would chance getting more marring if I were to use a QD or spray wash and MF to remove light pollen/dust daily.



Don't ever set the CCD down on the car and then drag it across the paint. The yarns should be hanging free and just lightly touch the car, almost like you're tickling it with a feather. I just can't see how with light dust or pollen that amount of pressure would mar paint.



Even with lubrication of a qd and the use of a MF, just the sheer increase in pressure used (from almost no pressure of the CCD yarns lightly drifting across to the pressure of at least a hand behind the mf) seems like it would stand more chance of marring to me, which it obviously doesn't do from the number of people here who do it with good results.



I'm trying to get the courage to use my PB S&W for the first time.....but I just can't. I'm too afraid I'll get scratching/marring. So I stick with the CCD during pollen time, or just wash the car. Maybe I need a therapist to get myself ready....... :scared:



I swear.....if people knew we discussed all this, we'd all be branded as crazy. It makes me laugh to think about the extremes we go to to not have "marring" that 99% of the population would never even notice. I guess that's what's so addictive about it though.
 
Super_Herb said:
Maybe I need a therapist to get myself ready....... :scared:



I swear.....if people knew we discussed all this, we'd all be branded as crazy. It makes me laugh to think about the extremes we go to to not have "marring" that 99% of the population would never even notice. I guess that's what's so addictive about it though.
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I tell my wife that they're the crazy ones. :cooleek: At least that's what the voice in my head keep telling me while I perform my evening rituals. :secret
 
Super_Herb said:
Don't ever set the CCD down on the car and then drag it across the paint. The yarns should be hanging free and just lightly touch the car, almost like you're tickling it with a feather. I just can't see how with light dust or pollen that amount of pressure would mar paint.



Even with lubrication of a qd and the use of a MF, just the sheer increase in pressure used (from almost no pressure of the CCD yarns lightly drifting across to the pressure of at least a hand behind the mf) seems like it would stand more chance of marring to me, which it obviously doesn't do from the number of people here who do it with good results.
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I agree the CCD in theory works well because ther is never any real pressure against the paint, but this is not the area where its faulty. Its the fact that you are

1-reusing a tool across paint that is almost always not clean (Unlike a freshly washed towel)

2-not using lubrication



"dry"dusting, that's just not a good idea no matter how careful you are.

There are sediments, silicas, etc on your paint mixed in with that "light dust" and pollen from the road that are not clearly visible. But its the same thing you'll find in sand paper, literraly.

YOU NEED LUBRICATION to reduce marring (but it won't eliminate it completely) and lubrication is simply not part of the California Car Duster method. Uless someone comes up with a swiffer type car duster but you still have to lubricate the surface itself as well to eliminate friction. And that will require following up with a towel to even out any streaking.

On European softer paints (not legal for body shops to use in America) the CCD is not a good idea. Those Audi clear coats are also not a good partner for CCD.
 
I've used the CCD quite a bit on my black civic with very soft clear, and don't notice any marring. If you use it right, you use almost no pressure, and the strands just pick up the dirt. We have a lot of dust/pollen that settles on my car, and if I don't do something fairly often, it looks terrible. It seems people's experiences are mixed, but there's my two cents.
 
Sorry Racingbeat...I disagree, and that's ok. I have three vehicles with Audi clears and I am meticulous beyond my own comprehension. I have not introduced new marring since March. All carsare protected with either Zaino or Menzerna, QD'd daily, Washed weekly/biweekly, and sealant spritzed with either HGAS or Z8 after every wash. Every time I run my "CCD Wash" as described above, I get the same finish I had produced in March. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe its technique, but whatever it is...I'm one of the lucky ones I guess.
 
I use the CCD routinely during a detail to remove dust from polishing. I use the mini one for removing dust from most of the doorjambs (after they've been cleaned).



I used it last Saturday on a brand new black X3 after using 3M PIII MG 05937 which dusted a bit for me.



When finished, I used it one last time for pollen removal which stuck to the car like white on rice.



I barely touch the car, go lightly and shake off after each swipe. Works fine for me.
 
I use it on my show truck from time to time but only before I put my car cover on. My truck is usually clean 99.9% of the time. Just don't want to cover it with the dust on there.
 
I used to have a California Car Duster for a long time until I switched to Zwipes Microfiber Duster a few months ago. Unlike the CCD, Zwipes doesn't contain any nasty paraffin wax. It's also easy to clean - just remove the brush from the handle and toss it in the washer.



And it costs under $7 at Wal-Mart (compared to $10-20 for the CCD).
 
areaseven said:
I used to have a California Car Duster for a long time until I switched to Zwipes Microfiber Duster a few months ago. Unlike the CCD, Zwipes doesn't contain any nasty paraffin wax. It's also easy to clean - just remove the brush from the handle and toss it in the washer.



And it costs under $7 at Wal-Mart (compared to $10-20 for the CCD).
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I could be wrong on this but it seems to me that unless the duster has some dust "magnet" or attractant, you are simply moving the dust, pollen, whatever around. It would be just like wiping down the car with a dry mf towel.



The CCD on the other has the paraffin to bring the dust into the fibers and away from the car surface. By shakeing it out, excess dirt is suppose to be dislodged. I'm not sure if this really happens as intended but I think that is the idea behind the product. In any event, I use it on my silver truck a lot and have experienced no problems.
 
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