Optimum Polish is Optimum...

MorBid,

Normally it takes me several usages of a product, especially polishes, to make any conclusions about its worth. Not so with Optimum. Zero learning curve. Place a small amount on PC pad and just polish. :woot:



Let us know how the Compound works out. There were, of course, some deeper marring that Optimum will not touch with a reasonable effort (time) that a heavier polish can knock out more efficiently.



One aspect I am interesting in is the rejuveniation of the finish after using the Compound. Will Optimum alone accomplish this task?



Have fun!! :wavey
 
Hey blk,



Great write up and its great to see that you enjoyed the experience.



To answer your question about the compound, yes the Optimum Polish will take care of anything left over from the Compound. I detailed a black car the other day and it was pretty jacked up. He didn't want to pay for me to chase all the scratches so I placed some orange pads on my Cyclo and went to work with the compound. This handled all the minor things, obviously didn't touch the major stuff, but it left a nice even finish BUT it also left behind some marring.



I then went over it with the Polish with orange pads and again my Cyclo. This step removed all the marring and left me a very nice ready-to-ocw finish.



Many feel that the Compound is actually not abrasive enough but this will have to be addressed as it gets some use from more detailers/body shops.



Anthony
 
blkZ28Conv:



I with you on the evaluation period, rare is it that something lives up to at least 90% of it's claims.



I came to the same conclusion when I did my first test using OCP regarding heavier marring. My current go to for that is Hi-Temp's HCL.



I'm testing the Compond out now w/a LC Foamed Wool pad I just got. But I would defer to what Anthony posted as he's used the product more than me (I think he was in on the testing prior to full production).



I will post my observations later on when I close the garage for the day.
 
Thanks for the responses MorBid and Anthony. :bow



Right now after initial testing of the Optimum I will insert it between Menzerna PO85RD and Zaino PC Fusion using just the PC with polishing pads (Meg, LC and ExcelDetail) @ 6 opms. So far this seems like a wonderful and easy to apply combo on black.



Wool pad? I have a couple of new LC's also. Maybe I will find enough courage and try one with PO85RD or Optimum on some stubborn blemishes? I hate wool dust. :(



I'll wait to see how wool and compound works for you MorBid.
 
I do not believe so. No facts but Optimum seems to have some buffing lubes that would inhibit or limit bonding of Z polishes (protectants). These buffing lubes is what makes this product sooo user friendly and expanded paint correction able.



I did an IPA wipe to check for filling (oil) and the test was negative. Blemishes did not re-appear but surface did change in "feel". Appearance stayed excellent (gloss).



I believe a Z7 wash would eliminate any bonding issues with Optimum and Z because the buffering lubes seem to be very light weight. Surface does not have an obvious greasy feel at all but from experience one can tell something was left behind.



This would not be an additional step because I would recommend a wash after using Optimum to remove the very minor dusting that occurs from nocks-and-crannies.



I followed the Optimum with Z-PC and this eliminated that residual coating and I would not hesistate applying Z polishes immediately after if I was not so anal about any dust residual. I will pressure rinse, dry and Z6 prior to applying Z5 andZ2-PRO.
 
I just tested this stuff today very briefly by hand after wetsanding a small scuff with 4000 grit sandpaper. Wow, even by hand in a tight space, it worked fabulously! :bow



You guys know me, :o I certainly followed with the IPA:water mix before reapplying the LSP. Yep, I'll second that the gloss remained. :up
 
Optimum has some Lambs Wool pads that don't shed like the traditional ones (I know, I felt the same about wool pads but Tony reccommended them and he was right. I was very surprised)



The ones I trying now are from LC and are called Foamed Wool. AS the name suggests they are a combination of Wool and Foam. After spending the afternoon with one, it did shed some, but not like my Meg's or other wool pads I have used in the past.



The key to working with Wool Pads is you need to "spur" them to keep the wool from getting too matted.



I'm trying these pads cause I'm thinking of going "old School" and using Wool as my first pad and followed by foam on panels that would normally require several passes with just foam.



Well on to the Optimum Compound.



I'm not too sure we're to fit this in my arsenal yet. I used it with a wool pad on my Dewalt Rotary on two spots (one at 1400 and another at 1000 rpms) where I had some scratches that I knew OCP couldn't take out and it didn't level them all the way either. I ended up going to HCL



It has the same characteristics as the polish (long working time. low/no dusting, etc however the color is brown not white) but I don't think it's "that" much more aggressive than OCP.



Well someone fired up a grill and the smell of Bar-B-Que started to waft into my garage so I called it a day for detailing. My experimentation with the OCC will continue though.
 
Hey people.....OCP will not cause any issues to Zaino or any other sealant as it is 100% paintable!



You can apply it to a panel, remove it then paint right over it with no worry about fisheyes.



OCW can be applied to fresh repaints and I also believe that the Tire Gel is also body shop safe.



Just so ya know :)



Anthony
 
OK, you folks have my attention...so many people whose opinions I respect are raving about this stuff that I gotta give it some consideration.



My current regimen is usually PI-III RC, then PI-III MG, then 1Z Pro MP. This gives me what I want (even when inspected with magnification). Being both happy and familiar with the PI-III products, I'm about to buy up quantities of them before they go away but, well, I'm intrigued by what I read about Optimum. Hmmmm....I don't mind changing if I have a reason to do so.



MorBid said:
I used 3M products when I was finishing the car I had restored then jumped to Hi-Temp when I got my Audi last fall as I thought the 3M stuff wasn't making it on the German paint and was too abrasive (really dulling the paint)...
Click to expand...



As I have two Audis, this really caught my eye. I'm very curious about what 3M stuff you were using as I've never had any problems with it dulling the paint. Don't mean to put you on the spot but I'd like to hear more about your negative experiences with 3M stuff since it seems to factor into your use of Optimum.
 
Anthony Orosco said:
Hey people.....OCP will not cause any issues to Zaino or any other sealant as it is 100% paintable!



You can apply it to a panel, remove it then paint right over it with no worry about fisheyes.



OCW can be applied to fresh repaints and I also believe that the Tire Gel is also body shop safe.



Just so ya know :)



Anthony
Click to expand...



Glad to hear Anthony.

When reading TOL's description of Optimum I also noted the "paint shop" safe statement. On my daily driver that is Zaino protected I will do a Optimum -Z6 wipedown - Z5 - Z2-PRO test for compatibility/durability.

On white it will be difficult to discern the small enhancement produced by Z-PC after polishing with Optimum. I will do one cargo door using Optimum and Z-PC Fusion and Z6 wipedown and one cargo door with just Optimum and Z6 wipe down.
 
Accumulator:



Imperial Microfinishing Compound Liquid (051131-06011) - Made for 1200 girt or finer scratches - very abrasive, very dusty, hazes the paint (but it's supposed to)



Rubbing Compund (03900) - made for 1500 grit and finer scratches/water spots - very dusty, doesn't haze the paint but doesn't remove much either



Swirl Mark Remover (39109) - Dusty and found to be a complete waste of my time as far as defect removal as it removes nothing.



Maybe "Haze" instead of "dull" would've been better. I know 3M has refreshed their product line and every time I go the the Auto Body Supply store I check them out. But between Hi-Temp and now OCP I'm pretty much set.



Which is a good thing cause between Auto Body/Paint supplies and Detailing supplies I'm spending a car payment plus a month :)
 
I also was a big 3M user and did not like the dusting or the fact that the products stick to the finish like Glue.

When I polish a darker finish with the Optimum polish it will almost put me in a trance watching the finish come back with each slow pass of the high speed.



Nice to see people starting to come around on this Product. The line as a whole is Excellent. Never in my over 10 years as a Professional Detailer have I ever used a company’s entire line of products. Now things have changed. Optimum is all I use. I can honestley say that I never fear that I won't achieve Optimum results.
 
I agree and am sure after some more testing I'll find a place for OCC. While initial tests both here and on the other forum suggest that the OCC isn't abrasive enough.



After going out to the store this morning and looking at the work I did with OCP/OCC yesterday I started thinking that if I had to chose between more abrasive and losing some of the unique qualities this line has, I'd rather have things the way they are now.



To be fair Hi-Temps line does leave a pretty good gloss and has a resonable work time it's not as clean to use and may require a few passes.



Another thing I noticed was when I went into the garage this morning it looked as if I hadn't been polishing yesterday at all. No dust all over my rolling toolboxes and other equipment.



I really have to thank Anthony for turning me on to this stuff, I might not have gotten around to trying it till my current stuff ran out.
 
MorBid- Thanks for clarifying that. You and I were using completely different 3M products and that probably explains our differing experiences. With all the stuff 3M makes I sorta figured that might've been the case. Using whatever works for *you* is, IMO, the way to go, so I'm glad you've found something you like. Heh heh, sounds like a *lot* of people have found what they like in Optimum!
 
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