Swirls in paint or ????

Ron Ketcham

Active member
Tip- see swirls a short time after applying your LSP?
Don`t assume a cutting/compounding is necessary.
Many times the issue is not the paint surface, but, light surface marring in the LSP.
A quick, mild polishing, is often all that is required, which does not remove a portion of the important clear film build.
So don`t be overly agressive.
 
Good advice Ron. When someone brings me a car that`s been swirled out by a body shop this is all that I typically do. They`ve already done enough compounding for the both of us
 
Micromarring can occur by removing the wax film with a MF. Of all the towels I`ve used, the suede style and terry style work best for me. I like woven for the interior and glass.
 
Thanks for the very valuable observation, I have wondered about that a number of times. Car looks fine after polishing, then I saw very light swirls after applying and removing the sealant.
 
I always get a laugh when those who see some swirls grab their compound and go at it, many not following up with a polish, then wonder why in a few days they have even more swirls and hazing.
When in many cases just a polishing will resolve the concern and not damage/remove their clear coat.
 
Ketch and I have gone over this one before :D

While I don`t for a second discount what he`s saying, that has *NEVER* been my experience *except* for once with heavily layered KSG. Other than that one time, I`ve always had to do some degree of abrasion to correct the issue.

But I still strip the marred area first just to make sure ;)

And, But#2, reaching for a compound instead of a milder product isn`t that smart if the damage appears minor anyhow, so he and I are definitely of one mind there.
 
Accumulator, I think it`s less of an issue for you because you use old school waxes like FK that probably result in a thicker layer than the newer spray sealants.
 
Accumulator, I think it`s less of an issue for you because you use old school waxes like FK that probably result in a thicker layer than the newer spray sealants.
The FK does not, in any way, make for a sufficiently thick/tough build-film to prevent marring :( Sure wish it did! And anyhow, the FK`ed ones aren`t any better/worse in this regard than my wife`s A8 with it`s OCW.

Good thinking, but, sigh....nah. Only reason my stuff stays OK is the [nutty] way I wash `em. ALTHOUGH, with regard to etchin you may well have a point! Back when I used other LSPs I did get etching that hasn`t been a problem with the FK (the A8, well...I try to keep nasty stuff off of it as best I can). It was weird how some LSPs, like UPP, were of *zero* protection against etching, man...it happened almost instantly with that one!

So for a barrier against marring, NOTHING except a thick gazillion layers of the KSG does it for me, well...except for maybe the Coatings I`ve used on wheels, but those were all [messed] up anyhow so I can`t tell about any (new) marring.
 
I had my TA painted last year. While waiting the 30 days before waxing, it was sitting in the driveway and got bird bombed. I found it later that afternoon when I got home. Used some rinseless wash and wadya know, the clearcoat was etched.
 
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