Question regarding combination of pad + polish

[Crazycoward]

Which one impacts the amount of cutting ability during polishing, the pad or the polish?

I know they both affect the outcome but does one have more impact than the other?

Say i use a very fine finishing polish with an orange pad, will that cause a greater abrasiveness than an aggressive polish with a black pad?

Is it even good to use those combinations or are you suppose to just use a pad that is similar to your polish?

[dooyaunastan]

People toy around with pad/product combinations a LOT on this site. From what I've seen, there isn't anything really clear cut, pending the condition of the paint and the machine/pads/products you're using. This is one of the many instances where I attribute detailing, or paint correction rather, to that of an artform.

On here, I've seen M205 and White LC Flat pads used on trashed Accord paint that removed a majority of the defects and finished down. I've also seen M205 and Black pads induce marring on Porsche (I think) and Subaru paint. You see people perform very much acceptable one steps with M101 or FG400 on White/Tangerine pads and so on and so forth.

Basically, I don't think there's really any definitive way to compare product + pad to another combination, in-brand abrasiveness charts are one thing, cross-product/cross-pad comparisons are another.

[BillE]

Well explained.

This is a good example why doing a test spot is so crucial. There just isn't a 'use this pad with this product on this paint will do this' answer.

Here's (maybe) an example that may amplify the explanation...use a piece of 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper dry, not much happens. Now the same with the sandpaper 'wet', cuts like crazy.

Make any sense?

Bill

[hernandez.art13]

IMO find a compound, polish, and wax you like and stick to it. (Of course it might vary, slightly vary)

Black paint I haven't yet mastered. But white, grey etc is pretty easy.

Concentrate more on your technique than the product.

I am sure a lot of guys here can get the same results from using Meguiars compared to Wolfgang. To an untrained eye it might not vary. But unless your car is a show car "who cares" IMO