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Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
My long-time friend and icon in the car world Barry Meguiar
Barry Meguiar visits Mike Phillips and his antique wax collection
The above picture was taken when Barry and his wife Karen were visiting Autogeek and checking out my antique wax collection in my office.
Now onto the article....
Barry Meguiar coined a term back in the 1980s to describe the unique characteristic about clearcoat paints. I always give due credit where credit is due. I never steal other people's work and present it as my own.
Here's the term Barry Meguiar coined,
Scratch-Sensitive
This means even though the paints are very hard they still scratch very easily and because there's a colored layer of paint under the clear, the colored layer works to amplify and magnify the surface or topical scratches making them easy for the human eye to see.
This drives car enthusiasts up the wall.
It also confuses people to no end because it's hard for people to wrap their brains around the concept of how a car's paint can be very hard but then scratch so easily.
The hardness factor smacks you upside the head when you're first learning how to either hand or machine polish because you find out real fast removing the swirls out of a clear coat finish is not as easy at it sound like it should be.
Again, this is for people brand new to working on clearcoats, seasoned pros acquire the skills that make removing swirls and scratches for them very easy via experience.
Once a person completely understands and fully grasps how the hardness factor affects the time, energy and resources required to remove swirls and scratches out of a modern clearcoat finish the light bulb in their head turns >on< and then they understand why it's so important to make sure that ANYTHING that TOUCHES the paint needs to be of the highest quality you can obtain and there needs to be some thinking going on as to the way or manner in which you touch the paint.
In other words, once you figure all of the above out and then buff your car's paint out to the point that you're happy with it, now you have to be mindful of,
- How "you" wash and dry it.
- How "you" wipe it with any type of spray-on product.
- How you let "someone else" wash it.
- How you let "someone else" wipe it with any spray-on product or even touch it at all.
The above 4 things are how a car is "touched" the most for most people and most cars. (think about it).
Make sense?
Clearcoat paints are scratch-sensitive. They are harder than traditional single stage paints but even though they are harder they still scratch very easily and because they are hard it's difficult to get the scratches out.
Abrasive Technology
This leads into the next topic people discover and that is the most important factor that determines if swirls and scratches are removed WITHOUT the product, pad and process simply replacing one type of defect and replacing it with its own type of defects, (holograms or micro-marring), and that factor is the abrasive technology. The stuff inside the bottle.
So be careful how you work on your own car and if you let someone else work on your car make sure they are qualified.
This includes taking your beautiful brand new car to ANY type of car wash, (things touch your car's paint at a car wash).
Or if you take your car to the dealership to have the oil changed because dealerships love you so much they will have your car washed, (touched), by their car wash guys...
See these articles...
How to maintain a freshly waxed car
DON'T WASH CAR !!!!!!!!!!!
Scratch your car for $5.00
The reality of the 100% Hand Car Wash
And the really BIG reason all of this is important?
Because clearcoats are THIN. The factory sprayed clear layer of paint on most new cars averages around 2 mils. That's thinner than the average post-it note.
The next time you see a post-it note... feel it between your fingers... this is usually all it takes to drive home the point as to how thin the paint is on your beautiful, shiny car.
There you go...
Win/Win
Please feel encouraged to share the link to this article with anyone you think needs to be brought up to speed about the paint on their car.
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Super Member
Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
thanks for the tip magic mike!!! wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season!!! joy joy joy
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Newbie Member
Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
Mike, I don't post much, but I really enjoy following AGO. Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge and information.
Have a great holiday season!!!
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Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
Originally Posted by
axel06
thanks for the tip magic mike!!! wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season!!! joy joy joy
Thank you sir and back at you!
Originally Posted by
fry
Mike, I don't post much, but I really enjoy following AGO. Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge and information.
It's just a natural passion... I love to make cars shiny and love showing others how to do it also.
Sometimes making a car shiny or keeping a car shiny doesn't start with the right wash mitt or wax it starts with head knowledge...
Originally Posted by
fry
Have a great holiday season!!!
And thank you and to you and yours also...
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Super Member
Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
I'm absolutely with no time now to post (sorry for that) but I wanted so much to say thank you for this topic. I've saw that image and your explanation about it many times, but every time I see it and start thinking how 'abstract it is', I feel that little 'cold inside', that's really emotional about doing this job.
After bringing AGO to my side I'm enjoying a lot, lot more doing this.
Knowledge is power.
Kind Regards.
“Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy”
― Isaac Newton
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Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
People don't touch my car. That is a 1st degree offense. I have stopped traffic on a highway before to avoid a water puddle.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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Super Member
Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
Way cool! I only wash my car! I never take my car to a hand car wash either. I made a deal with the service advisor...he does not wash my car and I will give him all excellent in the follow-up survey. Thanks for the info Mike as I am glad I am following some stuff you advise!!
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Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
Originally Posted by
Tato
Knowledge is power.
Exactly. Knowing how to properly work on a car's paint starts with head knowledge, not a buffer.
Originally Posted by
CowboyTruckn
I have stopped traffic on a highway before to avoid a water puddle.
I think I've followed you before...
Originally Posted by
Kamakaz1961
I made a deal with the service advisor...he does not wash my car and I will give him all excellent in the follow-up survey.
For those reading this into the future...
DON'T WASH CAR !!!!!!!!!!!
Subtitle: How to prevent your car dealership from putting swirls and scratches into your car's paint!
Originally Posted by
Kamakaz1961
Thanks for the info Mike as I am glad I am following some stuff you advise!!
It's what this forum is about... helping others...
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Re: Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
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