Review: BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner

[JustJesus]

Greetings All.

A huge Thank You goes out to Meghan for supplying the product for review, and TheGuz for being the middle man in the process :)

Review of BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner, BLACKFIRE Gloss Enhancing Polish, prewax polish, car polish (https://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-gloss-enhancing-polish.html) - Current price: 29.99 for 32oz (as of 04/04/18)

Some snipets from AG's product page:


https://sep.yimg.com/ay/autogeek/blackfire-gloss-enhancing-polish-18.gif (https://sep.yimg.com/ay/autogeek/blackfire-gloss-enhancing-polish-17.gif)

This finishing polish has a built-in glaze for the ultimate "wet-look"!
BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner visually reduces and removes swirl marks while creating a wet-look shine. It removes old waxes, sealants, and cleans the paint's surface to prep the surface for a shiny coat of wax or paint sealant. Used before your LSP (last step product), BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner improves the gloss and clarity of the finish. Polishing is must for a show car finish!

BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner is a non-abrasive polish and glaze combination. Use BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner to remove old wax, clean the top paint surface, visually reduce swirls and deepen the paint's gloss prior to wax or sealant application. It wets the surface to create the illusion of the paint being under water. BLACKFIRE Paint Cleaner helps hide minor swirls and scratches without removing any paint or clear coat. It "rounds-over" the leading edge of minor swirls which robs sunlight of a sharp edge to cause a reflection. While this visually reduces swirls, it does not remove them. This is a great product to use on a vehicle in good condition with very few swirls.



Background: With the somewhat recent revamp of the product line, I remembered that I hadn't used some of the Blackfire (BF) products I had bought in the past. I've used some, but not all the stuff I bought. Got me curious to play with what I had, and mentioned to TheGuz of my plans to do my wife's Kia (that will have to wait....can't seem to get our schedules on track) with a plethora of BF products. He mentioned Paint Cleaner and sent it over for me to review.

BF Paint Cleaner (PC), as I understand, used to be the Gloss Enhancing Polish (GEP). Having both on hand, I couldn't help but to compare!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180227_200902.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124539/title/20180227-200902/cat/3661)


Right of the bat, the biggest difference is the bottle size and shape. The PC is a 32oz bottle, and a basic cylindrical shape. The GEP is (forgot size! 16oz?) and has a curvy shape, for lack of better terms.

Labels are clearly different. I'm not a big fan of seeing cars on the labels of products, but the GEP label always caught my eye because of the colors. That's just me. I do appreciate a simple label approach, however, and think the current label is clean. And I'm not sure why, but I *really* dig the horizontal white stripe near the bottom. Granted, it only tells me the product number, but I just really like it.

If I had to guess, the product didn't change much, if at all. Could be a carryover from the prior gen. Not a bad thing.

On to the use of the product!!

Subject: 1996 Jeep Cherokee Sport - 244k miles
Location: Bell, California
Temp: 64* F
Humidity: 39% (low)
Time Period: End of Feb, 2018
Tool: Griot's BOSS G15
Pad: Meguiar's (thin) Yellow Foam (polish pad)
Prep: Coin-Op wash, clayed

The Jeep appears to have a matte white finish. It's not. It's just badly neglected from the prior owner. Who am I kidding? I've neglected it myself as well. It's main purpose is to be the occasional fun, weekend getaway vehicle to take out to the 4x4 trails.

Here's a couple of shots to show the condition of the paint.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180227_195756.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124537/title/20180227-195756/cat/3661)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180227_195808.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124538/title/20180227-195808/cat/3661)

After sectioning off a section of the hood, making passes til I thought the product was clear (hard to tell on white paint), I wiped off any residue. There didn't appear to be too much, which was nice. Wipe off was easy. The finish left was smooth. The result:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180227_201752.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124540/title/20180227-201752/cat/3661)


Next one.....

Subject: 2008 Toyota Yaris - 162k miles
Location: Bell, California
Temp: 68* F
Humidity: 59% (high)
Time Period: Mid March, 2018
Tool: Griot's BOSS G15
Pad: Buff n Shine White Flat Foam (polish pad)
Prep: Waterless wash, clayed

NOTE: When I did the Yaris, So Cal was experiencing light rains. As such, it was actually raining at the time I did this car. The work was done inside the garage, but with the garage door left open.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180310_155907.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124541/title/20180310-155907/cat/3661)


Much like before, I did several passes until I thought I worked it enough. This time around, however, removal wasn't as easy. Well, it was, but there appeared to be a slight film left behind. I thought maybe I worked it too long. So I added a bit more Paint Cleaner to the pad, did a section pass to wet the panel, and proceeded to wipe off. Okay, some improvement, but still a bit of a slight, hazy film left behind. I tried flipping towel, swapping towels. Huh. Weird. I finally reached for some Blackfire waterless wash, sprayed the panel, and voila. This did the trick. I'm still not sure what happened. The only variables that were changed (from using it on the Jeep) were the foam pad, a few degrees warmer, and humidity went from being on the low side, to being on the high side. Riddle me this, Batman! Anyway, the BF Waterless wiped off any remaining residue/film and I was more than pleasantly surprised with the resutls! On the Jeep, the paint was dull, scratched, oxidized, etc...The Yaris gets maintained more, waxed, etc. Yes, it has some light scratches and whatnot (it was also taken on a few off road trails!).

And a few shots that are of the "50/50" variety, from a few different angles


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180310_161944.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124542/title/20180310-161944/cat/3661)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180311_161836.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124543/title/20180311-161836/cat/3661)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3661/20180311_161839.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124544/title/20180311-161839/cat/3661)



Final Thoughts: I like this stuff. And really am surprised by the results achieved. The older name for this was Gloss Enhancing Polish. I do believe it lived up to that name. What about Paint Cleaner? You betcha. The paint was cleaned! haha. Yeah. Cleaned and polished, and both panels I did looked much better than before!!!'

Thanks for reading!

[The Guz]

Nice review and comparison. It sure did a nice job cleaning up that paint on both.

[atgonzales]

Nicely done

[Pats300zx]

Great review. Thanks for sharing !!!!

[Desertnate]

Didn't the old Gloss Enhancing Polish have fillers? For some reason I felt it was a cleaner/glaze-like product similar to Prima Amigo, but the product description is long gone . When I tried the two out head-to-head, I actually liked the Amigo better.

[Meghan]

Great review , thank you!

[DBAILEY]

Would this be used prior to the paint coating?

[JustJesus]

.
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Thank you all



Didn't the old Gloss Enhancing Polish have fillers? For some reason I felt it was a cleaner/glaze-like product similar to Prima Amigo, but the product description is long gone . When I tried the two out head-to-head, I actually liked the Amigo better.

I believe it did. It's labeled as a polish and glaze combo. If they're using the word "glaze" to be like a true glaze, then it likely has fillers. Product description also mentions it "hides minor swirls and scratches" - so I would think it does. Haven't tried Amigo myself.


Would this be used prior to the paint coating?

Not sure. I still haven't ventured into coatings. But I know it's wax/sealant friendly (at least within BF line-up)

[AKT]

Hello Jesus,


On the yaris, you wiped off with a WW to remove the streaks. Was the glaze aspect removed as well?

On your 50/50 shots, the treated panels look polished. Were you able to remove swirl marks using PC because of the pad you used?

[JustJesus]

Hello Jesus,


On the yaris, you wiped off with a WW to remove the streaks. Was the glaze aspect removed as well?

On your 50/50 shots, the treated panels look polished. Were you able to remove swirl marks using PC because of the pad you used?

Hello!

Not sure what you mean by the glaze aspect. I *think* you're talking about the glaze within the Paint Cleaner, as in the fillers/glaze part? If that's the case, then no. My mistake for not posting a pic of that film-type residue left behind. I'm not even sure I took pics of it. So caught up with the process at that point.

But the glaze was surely still there after I wiped with WW.

with the 50/50, it does look polished. I would say partly due to the polish pad used (minor correcting from the pad) in conjunction with the cleaning / filling ability of the Paint Cleaner.

[AKT]

Hello!

Not sure what you mean by the glaze aspect. I *think* you're talking about the glaze within the Paint Cleaner, as in the fillers/glaze part? If that's the case, then no. My mistake for not posting a pic of that film-type residue left behind. I'm not even sure I took pics of it. So caught up with the process at that point.

But the glaze was surely still there after I wiped with WW.

with the 50/50, it does look polished. I would say partly due to the polish pad used (minor correcting from the pad) in conjunction with the cleaning / filling ability of the Paint Cleaner.

Thanks! Have you observed the durability of the glaze within the paint cleaner?

[JustJesus]

Not yet. Honestly, though, I wouldn't normally use a paint cleaner, glaze, etc, and not protect it with an LSP. This time I did, just to see. But I've been forgetting to check it out! I haven't washed the Yaris in some time either. I'll try during lunch.

[AKT]

Thank you!

I am thinking of getting the paint cleaner and the new sio2 spray sealant. My research led me to your review of PC.

I dont have a DA and I dont want to remove paint since my test subject is a daily driver. So i am hoping that the glaze within paint cleaner will somehow be durable.

[JustJesus]

No DA? By hand? that will be fun!!

With the sealant, I would suspect the glaze will hold up fine as it's being protected by the sealant.

edit: What does TheGuz think? :)

[DBAILEY]

I always felt that the removal of the older BF GEP was not exactly easy. Doesn't sound like they improved upon that aspect. I feel that a paint cleaner should remove easier and not leave any ghosting or film.