I thought this thread started out on an interesting note and I tried to keep my nose out of it to see where it led......well I come back 2 hours later to this?!?!?
First of all, lets stick to the original thread at hand. Stick to the facts, stick to what we know and don't know, (no guessing games here!), and respect others opinions. Everyone doesn't HAVE to agree.....that is what this forum thrives on...
More on oils......
We all know (generally) that polymer systems that contain oils are not durable. They just don't work with each other. Since zaino's durability speaks for itself one would think that it didnt contain any oils. Now maybe we have to go back to the definition of what an oil in the first place. What is an oil?
There are many different types of oils. I think the ones we are referring to in particular here are the ones that we see all the time in carnuba based products to obtain a high shine (silicone, mineral,etc).
Also, don't forget to think about the ingredients that consitute a polish system. Sometimes there are inert, non function ingredients added like fragrances and dyes. Any chemist will tell you that it's usually these additives that create the most problems because of non desirable interactions.
What causes the separation in the first place? Well the bottle acts like a decanter and in time you will see one or more liquid phases as settling time increases. It is due to a difference in specific gravity (density) of various ingredients (hydrocarbons, water, polymers,etc), and is the exact reason that oil and vinegar separate in your salad dressing container. Typically an emulsifier is used to aid in mixing. Morpholene is a popular one that comes to mind. Unfortunately, one can not change chemistry and the laws of mixing. Some ingredients are just not soluble in others for the long term. That's why you see SHAKE WELL on ingredients frequently. The difference is, in my opinion, that in a quality product, whatever is in there is there for a reason. In an average or poor product, whatever is in there could possibly be used for cost savings or ease of manufacturing, and most likely isn't a functional product of any use in the system.
Sal answered the question in my opinion to the maximum extent he could. After all, he doesnt want people copying his formula. You can't blame him for being terse, but perhaps in a one on one conversation one would learn more. The fact is that no one knows for sure. I myself bring any concerns with the zaino system right to sal, and bypass message boards where on a topic like this.....replys could tend to be non factual.
Hope this helps bring the topic back on track!
