Tropi-Care Boar's Hair Brush

[Accumulator]

JohnU- I only used it on black once, on the rent-a-Suburban I'd detailed for use while the minivan was in the shop. No problems (and clear is clear Black just shows stuff readily) but I'm *VERY* careful about this stuff. IMO it's more a matter of technique than a matter of mitt vs. brush. A soft brush, wet with wash solution, shouldn't scratch paint in and of itself, it's the dirt getting dragged around that usually causes the problems.



mrecktid- The way I use it the cleaning power isn't much different from a mitt. Note that I do it *awfully* gently. If something doesn't come clean with virtually no pressure, I stop washing and use Sonus Green Clay to get the [stuff] off. I'll make one gentle swipe with the clay, stop, inspect both the clay and the panel, knead the clay, make one more contact, etc. etc. It's a really long, drawn-out process that can be downright nerve-wracking, but it's what I have to do to avoid marring. Heh heh, "no scrubbing" is sorta a motto with me NO way would I ever press hard enough to remove tar, for instance. That's what I use clay for, or even a tar remover (but I hate using that stuff as it strips my LSP).



JohnZ3MC- Glad to hear my description was decipherable! One correction though, if I may: I'm not a pro, at least not in the sense of doing this stuff as a vocation. It's a picky little distinction, but I have the utmost respect for the professional detailers who frequent this site and I don't want anybody to think I'm putting myself on par with them.

 

[mgm2003]

Clarification follows to keep you out of trouble



I cut the bristles down on the BHB in question (one of the paintbrush-style ones) for a specific reason- to make it stiff. So stiff that it'd mar normal paint. You normally don't want to trim the bristles as it'd cut off the flagging at the tips which is very important to prevent marring.



In fact, it's the split/flagged tips that eventually wear down and prompt me to replace the brushes (gotta inspect them from time to time with magnification). Either that or the adhesive gives out and they shed bristles in clumps (more usual with the wheel ones).

Do you use a BHB on your paint? I'm sold on trying one out if you do.

 

[ZaneO]

Do you use a BHB on your paint? I'm sold on trying one out if you do.

Yes, he does.

 

[hjuan]

One bad thing though...it smells like wet dog!! :sadpace:

 

[SilverLexus]

$33 isn't too bad for boars hair. Those brushes are usually pricey if well made.

 

[Neo62381]

I think what everyone is dying to know, is: Would a good quality BHB be a good replacement for a sheepshin wash mitt. In some ways it would make more sense, as you have to apply more pressure with the mitt, and the dirt wouldnt get trapped in the BHB as easily. I'm all the time worried about dirt getting caught up in my mitt and scraping the my car's precious finish. By the tone this thread is going, it sounds as if the BHB doas a better job of not trapping dirt in, while still bieng extra soft. Do I assume wrong? :nixweiss If so, why?

 

[Accumulator]

Neo62381 & mgm121499- Both mitts and BHBs can trap dirt and thus cause marring. A non-Autopian I know uses BHBs and his vehicles have light wash-induced marring that's IMO no better/worse than he'd get with mitts. Well, it's probably a little better overall, most people just kill their paint with mitts.



The real ticket with BHBs is to shoot foam through them with a foamgun and to merely "jiggle" the BHB on the panels. Very different from the usual method where you dunk in wash solution, wipe BHB across panel. Doing this latter method will end up resulting in marring same as with a mitt.



But even if you don't do anything special (e.g., using the foamgun) the BHB will rinse clean better than a mitt.



The trouble is that people are tempted to wash quickly/easily with the BHB. They do facilitate that, but you'll get marring. It really does take a bit of self-discipline to never press hard enough to really bend the bristles and to rinse/reshampoo the BHB after only doing a small area (even though it's still saturated with wash solution)...it's just so tempting to wash an entire panel in just a few seconds with the BHB, but that's what'll get you in trouble. Dragging dirt across paint causes marring, no matter which tool is doing the dragging.



FWIW, after I use the foamgun/BHB/jiggle-method, I rewash with a mitt. I basically use the BHB to dislodge any significant contamination (including, presumably, the gritty abrasive stuff).