So, this is just a mini comparison between the two products.
My disclosures: I am not a big QD kind of guy. If anything, I reach for a waterless wash rarely. More often, if the car is dirty, I do a rinseless wash and try to do foam or 2BW when possible. With my job, it`s basically once per week in the summer and once per month in the winter. (There are only 2 seasons in Chicago.) So, I use the QD on rare occasions and more frequently use them as drying aids or as a final buff after a wash if the metro doesn`t get everything.
I took the car out today and it got a mild dusting. The kind of dusting you would find appropriate for a QD.
I went with my Everest 1100 GSM towels. I chose these because they are white and very thick, so there is a lot of resistance when wiping. On the flip side, they buff very nicely.
As usual for my testing, I used the hood of my car. You may be able to see that there are some hand prints and some light dusting.
I divided the car hood right down the middle. FK425 on the passenger`s side of the hood... Kenotek on the driver`s side of the hood.
First up: FK #425
I had to replace the sprayer on this because I dropped the bottle some time ago, so I`m using a chemical resistant sprayer from another retailer. I like them because they can produce a fine mist. So, that`s what I did: a coat of FK #425 on the hood.
I performed a single pass from the windshield down to the edge with light pressure. As you can see, there is some streaking with a single pass, and I don`t find that to be unusual. It took all 8 sides, however, buff away all the streaks. But the finish was very nice and very slick.
Next up, Kenotek.
I love the sprayers on these bottles. I really do. They are solid and have a nice directed spray pattern. The little locking mechanism I can do without, but otherwise the sprayers are excellent.
I applied Kenotek to the hood.
Then I performed a single pass using light pressure from the windshield down to the edge. As expected there was some streaking, but not much as with FK425.
I cleared all the streaking with a single buffing pass of the 1100 GSM Everest towels.
So, some thoughts.
Both produced clean sections. Both produced (or revealed) the underlying gloss again. I could sense a bit of static around the hair on my arm as I was buffing. That could be towel-related.
The FK was a bit more grabby compared to the Kenotek. Honestly, it was.
The passenger side with FK425 :
The driver side with Kenotek :
In the end, I think both products did an excellent job cleaning the dust off a car and restoring the underlying glossy shine. I`m glad to have both in my armamentarium of quick detailers.
However, I am compelled to admit that the Kenotek Showroom Shine was easier to buff, owing to its slick nature, and it took fewer passes to buff away the streaking.
I plan to give this another test in the near future when the car is a bit dusty again. However, as you know, there is a fine balance between what can be cleaned with a quick detailer and what should be cleaned with a waterless wash.
As Snoke says: "We shall see..."
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