Well said Kirby!
I personally find applying the BLACKFIRE Black Edition with a suede cloth makes it harder to use if you're looking for more working time (sweating). Because the suede cloth spreads the coating out SO THIN, it actually "rainbow flashes" and behaves like a normal coating. If applying it with this type of applicator, let it sit for 30-60 seconds and wipe off.
I typically use the Blue Microfiber Coating Applicators that we sell to apply that coating -
Blue Microfiber Coating Applicator. I find these to spread the coating out in a thicker layer. When applied thicker, it allows it to form sweating more from what I have seen personally. It actually flashes like a normal coating for the first 30 seconds or so but then dissipates and the sweating feature kicks in.
In our air conditioned garage, I have applied the coating and let it sit for different increments of time just to see how the wipe off would be. I did 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and even 40 minutes before wiping off. After 5 minutes it does become sticky to remove but can still be wiped off with a tight napped towel. Around 10 minutes it took a lot of rubbing but was still able to get a good bit off. After 10 minutes, it wasn't wiping off. In Kirby's class we let it sit for around 40 minutes and they ended up having to use a Griots Garage G8, Buff and Shine Uro-Tech Maroon cutting pad, and Griots Garage Fast Correcting Creme and many passes to get it off. That was just after only 40 minutes! INSANE, imagine a 24 hour cure time, really shows how durable this coating really is!
However, anything before 5 minutes seemed to wipe off no problem for me. I find this coating unique because you wipe it off "wet" essentially which is kind of nice because you can really see what area you're wiping off easily. Other coatings flash and the layer is so thin, sometimes it's hard to tell if you missed a spot and need a good light to really double check your wipe off.
The coating itself will be more of a "rubbery" feel to it after wipe off but that is just the nature of this high solids coating that is really designed for the ultimate durability. It won't feel as slippery feeling as like Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating but will certainly outlast it! I found the hydrophobic properties extremely amazing with this coating as well. You can use products such as SiO2 Spray Sealants over the coating and they will help with making it more slick.
I will have them update our directions and copy about the rainbow flash and also about the flash time. When working with this coating in air conditioning, I truly believe you have an "up to" a 5 minute working time from the testing that I've done. I even recorded a video of wipe off round a 5 minute time frame to show people how easy it still wipes off and how the sweating looks. BUT when working in high humidity/heat, definitely would cut down on the flash time and treat it like a normal coating: 30-60 second flash time.
Only thing I can think of for the coating to be acting up as it did was these: the coating used 6 months prior was not fully compounded/removed off. Or possibly the temperature may have been just a tad "too cold" possibly if it was in the low 60's (have not seen how this coating reacts in colder climates). We usually have the AC around 72 in our garage. It could possibly have been a bad bottle but have not heard of this ourselves at this time. If you call me at 772-247-3502, I can send you some of the microfiber applicators I talked about and a new bottle and you can give it another go if you'd like.