BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate review by Mike Phillips

[Mike Phillips]

BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate review by Mike Phillips


BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate




Review
When I was handed a bottle of this to review, it technically wasn't a "bottle" of the product to review. It was a beta version already diluted 1:1 with water for a high gloss shine.

Hmm.... what do I have around here that needs a high gloss shine?

Well, I had a 1972 Oldsmobile 442 with the original factory single stage metallic paint coming in for a warm-over with the new Pinnacle Jewelling Wax. I wonder what the tires look like?


Here's the car as it arrived on a trailer, (it runs but the owner was transporting it from a mechanics shop back home).





After getting her unloaded, the tires looked new, just dirty and with trace residues of the blue protective film applied to the lettering from the BF Goodrich factory. So YES! These would be a great test of the new BLACKIFRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate diluted at 1:1 with water. But first I would have to get them clean... not wash clean but mechanically scrubbed clean, my preference for cleaning tires for show cars.









How to machine scrub tires

First - there is no such thing as a safe electric tool to use around water. To help you stay safe I have a couple of tips...

Tip #1
My first tip is, if working on a slanted driveway or in my case, a slanted parking lot, start at the low end of the grade. This way, after cleaning the tires at the low end of the grade the concrete at the high end of the grade will still be dry - thus you won't be standing in or sitting on wet concrete. (You really have to use common sense folks, I can only do so much to help you avoid getting a Darwin Award).

Tip #2
Don't turn the water on at all until AFTER you have done all the machine scrubbing and have removed both the tool and the electric extension cord back, away from where you're going to rinse.


Safety first
In this picture, you can see I've placed my Griot's 6" Random Orbital Polisher and my cleaning supplies and brushes on the low side of the slanted grade and not only is the water hose pulled away from the front of the car, the water is not turned on yet.






For machine scrubbing, I like to use either the Aqua Cyclo brush or the Grey flagged









Sorry no pictures of the tires being scrubbed but here's a video I made - did this by myself, so one hand is holding my phone and my other hand is running the tool.

Video --> Mike Phillips - Machine scrubbing tires on a 1970 Olds 442




Machine Drying

By the word machine, I mean the Metro-Vac Master Blaster!

This not only blows out all the water around the lettering, around the edge of the rim and the tread on the edge of the sidewall but it also blows all the water off the wheel and out of the lug nut area.

[Mike Phillips]

Continued.....



First - look at how clean the tire is? All the crud that was on the sidewall and the blue film that protects the white letters has been removed via machine scrubbing.






BEFORE




AFTER






As you can see, the tire sidewall on these tires are now spotlessly clean and perfectly prepped for application of a dressing.






Testing time...

To apply the BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate I chose a simple, microfiber applicator pad.





Here I've applied a wet coat to about 3/4 of the tire.









I didn't have the directions for application and removal so my normal instinct would be to wipe the excess off, which I did using a universal microfiber towel.





After one application and wiping the tire down there is now a low sheen, matte finish. The treated rubber is darker and uniform in appearance, but not shiny like I expected.













Second application

Next I applied a second application, again I applied this wet and was careful to apply a smooth even coating and I left it to penetrate while I treated the other 3 tires.




Here's a second wet application to the rear driver's side tire...




Then after treating all 4 tires I gave each tire a very soft buff...











Here's the final results...

(I'm using Yancy's set lights for video work to light up the car and the wheels and tires)












Ah yes.... that looks nice. Nothing like a set of properly cleaned and dressed BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires to set off an iconic muscle car like this 1972 Oldsmobile 442


I like the results from this first use of this new dressing concentrate diluted at 1:1 - Two applications created a deep, dark sheen on these smooth sidewall tires and that's my personal preference. I have yet to use this product on other surfaces but stay tuned, I have cars lined up to do some further testing and reviews.

If you like the idea of having a single product that you control the dilution for the sheen or shine you prefer, pick up a bottle of BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate and a few 36 Ounce Detail Bottles to mix up various dilutions.




On Autogeek.com

BLACKFIRE Multi-Surface Dressing Concentrate

3 Detail Spray Bottles - 36 ounces

[Mike Phillips]

***Bump***

Now live on the AG store.

[Eldorado2k]

The finished results on those tires came out perfect.
I’m really big on wheels & tires and it doesn’t get any better than that. Really makes that car look the way it should.

P.s. You didn’t apply any inside the wheel wells? If you choose to, what would be your preferred method of application?

[Mike Phillips]

The finished results on those tires came out perfect.

I’m really big on wheels & tires and it doesn’t get any better than that. Really makes that car look the way it should.

Thanks and I agree. The white lettered BF Goodrich Radial T/As are iconic tires from our "car history" and the smooth sidewall gives you the opportunity to either be the hero or the zero by your choice of how you dress them after cleaning.

P.s. You didn’t apply any inside the wheel wells?

If you choose to, what would be your preferred method of application?

Yeah.... I'm the last detailer on earth to address wheel wells, I guess with my Oregon background, (it rains a lot), I was never a concern as anything you did would be unoticable after driving a car a few times in the rain.


If I were to do something I'd probably go aerosol something-or-rather.

[Travisk]

What was the consistency like? Could it be used in a pneumatic spray gun?

[Mike Phillips]

What was the consistency like? Could it be used in a pneumatic spray gun?

Yes.

[JustJesus]

Continued....

After one application and wiping the tire down there is now a low sheen, matte finish. The treated rubber is darker and uniform in appearance, but not shiny like I expected.




Then after treating all 4 tires I gave each tire a very soft buff...

Thanks for the video! I really got to get me some of those Cyclo brushes!! - I'll hint to the wife, as my bday is coming this year.

They came out clean.

After 1st application, it looked like you took it from really clean, to really, REALLY clean with a hint of dressing.

After 2nd application, they looked like super cleaned and properly dressed tires. They look fantastic!

Thanks for the excellent write-up (as usual) and showing these great results from the product.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Mike the tires look fantastic. Nice write-up on machine cleaning the tires. To clean the brushes after, do you just pop them in a bucket of water/snappy-clean?
Also, is the new Blackfire product a direct replacement for the AIO Tire & Trim? Any cleaning capabilities?

[xabo]

Thanks and I agree. The white lettered BF Goodrich Radial T/As are iconic tires from our "car history" and the smooth sidewall gives you the opportunity to either be the hero or the zero by your choice of how you dress them after cleaning.






Yeah.... I'm the last detailer on earth to address wheel wells, I guess with my Oregon background, (it rains a lot), I was never a concern as anything you did would be unoticable after driving a car a few times in the rain.


If I were to do something I'd probably go aerosol something-or-rather.

Speaking of rain, how does his product hold up in the rain?