I need some pro tips on removal

M

MiamiS430

New member
OK guys, I wanted to have my car professionally "corrected" but the economy and my job at a bank made me decide to do the best I can until the recession reverses.



I have a PC and went to work on my black 2006 MB trying to do the Kevin Brown method. I used Menz's strongest stuff and it did a fair job of removing most of the swirls and the RIDS. It was followed by SIP, final polish and then final glaze.



I intended to then add the LSP but my back said NO WAY!!



Polishing was easy with the machine but removing the damn polish and especially the glaze was extremely difficult! The car grabbed on to that glaze and wouldn't let it go! I literally spent 1.5 hours trying to remove it by hand with MF.



Pros, how do you remove these darn polishes without killing yourself???



Thanks!
 
For the polish, usually using too much is what leads to making removal difficult. That combined with not working the polish till it's "broken down" all the way.



Glazes can be difficult to remove depending on the brand. Again try not to use too much.



Sometimes a really soft MF will also cause the issue as it doesn't "grab" on to the surface but slides across it. Meguiars has some nice "terry" towels I like. You can get them at any local Auto Parts store. Turtle Wax has some MF's that work good on difficult to remove products (again sold at the local Auto Parts store). They are green.



In both cases try using a spriz of water or QD on the panel when wiping it down. I find that helps.
 
Hey thanks. Will look into that.



I was trying to find the fine line between getting enough product on/coverage versus adding too much.
 
The removal process actually sounds kind of weird. But take some of the exact same product and put a small blob of it on a MF towel and wipe the gunked up area. Sounds to me like it got goobered up in the pad and made a mess. The same product wet almost always (unless it just really burnt in) takes out the product that has dried out on the paint.
 
You really don't need a lot of product when polishing. I use an amount about the size of a quarter. Also as the pad loads up you don't need to use as much as you did to start with.



So if you started out with the amount I said earlier, by the third attempt you should be able to use less than that.



Remember that product will build up in the pad.
 
MiamiS430 said:
trying to do the Kevin Brown method. I used Menz's strongest stuff
Click to expand...



The KB method should be used with M105, or a product with non-diminishing abrasives. The Menz polishes don't contain non-diminishing abrasives.
 
blk45 said:
The KB method should be used with M105, or a product with non-diminishing abrasives. The Menz polishes don't contain non-diminishing abrasives.
Click to expand...



That's what I was going to say. :nervous2:



Try doing it again with the products intended to be matched with that method (new M105 and then M205) and I bet you will have a flawless finish on your hands... :hifive:
 
I still have the bad habit of using too much product when polishing. One of the pitfalls when starting out solo and learning from tutorials.
 
blk45 said:
The KB method should be used with M105, or a product with non-diminishing abrasives. The Menz polishes don't contain non-diminishing abrasives.
Click to expand...



I'm not sure, but I think the Menzerna abrasives are non-diminishing.

Edit: I just read that Menzerna Power Gloss has diminishing abrasives, so I guess I have no idea.
 
blk45 said:
The KB method should be used with M105, or a product with non-diminishing abrasives. The Menz polishes don't contain non-diminishing abrasives.
Click to expand...



Ah, [slaps head] gees you're right! I spent so much time trying to learn the physical method I missed one of the obvious points! Thanks. I'll try that again when my back recovers. Can't bear to do it again now...



Also, thanks to all others who replied. I'm sure I used too much product. However, do any of you use the machine to remove? If so, how? I tried with the MF bonnets and they gunked up almost immediately.
 
Don't use a dry pad by itself. I tried that once with a well used 5.5" white pad that was pretty soft and wound up with micromarring all over my freshly polished paint.
 
MiamiS430 - depending on what Menzerna polish you have, I might be interested in taking it off your hands if you're planning on trying the Meg's approach. I'm kinda low right now. Let me know.....
 
Next time, try 3-4 pea-sized little blobs per 2x2 section. It doesn't seem like much at all, but Menzerna polishes don't need much. I used way too much product when I was starting out, but quickly found that all it does is clump up and make a mess. Some people will draw out lines on a pad, but I think that really is for other polishes that aren't as concentrated. Menzerna polishes have waxy lubricants and when you're finished, you should have a very thin waxy coat on the panel that isn't very hard to buff off.
 
Menz Power Gloss tends to gum up real badly, and it sounds like you might have used too much.



Personally, I like to wipe the majority of the polish off right after polishing, then go back and wash the car to get any stubborn remnants/dust in cracks/etc. This prevents the wipedown from marring and makes it go far faster and easier.
 
As Timmah stated, if you aren't going to do an IPA wipedown after the polish, it's best to wash the car. I know for a fact that when I wipe of the IP residue, there is always a little bit left that is best removed one way or the other.



It may take some extra time, but in the end, it's worth it to have that wonderful finish.
 
Aside from possibly using too much polish, did you by any chance clay your vehicle? This will make application and remove quite a bit easier, also.
 
Thanks all.



Yes, car was clayed previously. Do any of you use a machine to remove the polish or is it done by hand?



David, the products belong to my father in law so can't help you out this time. Sorry.



Best,



Art
 
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