Microfiber hand test??

[Mike Phillips]

Here's the only hand test I use for microfiber towels. When it passes this test I start wiping...



The Robert DiTerlizzi Method


This is a technique my buddy Robert shared with me and I like it so much I show it at all my classes and always give him due credit as I don't steal other guys stuff.

After you've done all the hard work the last thing you want to do is to put any swirls or scratches back into the paint. Now I wash all the microfiber towels we use here at the garage myself and I'm very meticulous and careful about the entire washing and drying process because the last thing I want to have happen is for Max to come out here to get a few microfiber towels to work on his cars and have some kind of contaminant in the towel.

That said, before using any microfiber towel it's important to inspect it two ways.


Visually Inspect
First look closely at the towel, especially if the towel has a plush nap and inspect for any type of foreign contaminant that might be lodged in the nap. If discovered either remove the contaminant or get a different towel.


Tactically Inspect
Second, take your clean hand and run it over the face of the towel on both sides. Often times your sense of touch will detect foreign particles or contaminants that your eyes cannot see. If discovered, remove the contaminant or get a different towel.

Do this for each towel. It only takes a few seconds to inspect your towels and it can save you a lot of heartache.





RDM = the Robert DiTerlizzi Method


Thanks Robert and for everyone reading this into the future, if you're not inspecting your microfiber towels by feeling EACH ONE before you wipe down something you've been buffing out all day long then start!


Due credit where credit is due...

[Kamakaz1961]

Yahoo!! So based on Mike Phillips comments above I AM NOT Koo Koo for Cocoa Puffs!! Stroked89coupe continue your hand test!! I always do for the same reason Mike does.....

I do not use Roberts method I just look at the MF towel from picking it up both sides!!

Woo hoo!!!!

[cleanmycorolla]

Yahoo!! So based on Mike Phillips comments above I AM NOT Koo Koo for Cocoa Puffs!! Stroked89coupe continue your hand test!! I always do for the same reason Mike does.....

I do not use Roberts method I just look at the MF towel from picking it up both sides!!

Woo hoo!!!!

He's talking about inspecting for debris. Not to see if the towel passes a hand test. Mikes talking about little particles of dirt in the nap, not the actual nap itself....

[Kamakaz1961]

He's talking about inspecting for debris. Not to see if the towel passes a hand test. Mikes talking about little particles of dirt in the nap, not the actual nap itself....

You are a party pooper!!! I do check for deri though!!!.....LOL I guess I am back to being Koo Koo ofr Cocoa Puffs!!

Bottom line it is an inspection....LOL

[cleanmycorolla]

You are a party pooper!!! I do check for deri though!!!.....LOL I guess I am back to being Koo Koo ofr Cocoa Puffs!!

Bottom line it is an inspection....LOL

You're not crazy, we have our own things. Just pointing out what Mike was discussing is different than OP.

[Harry Da Hamster]

The Robert DiTerlizzi Method

Is this the guy that makes homemade meatballs too?

[Mike Phillips]

Just pointing out what Mike was discussing is different than OP.

Exactly. I'm pointing out what's most important assuming you're starting out with a quality microfiber towel to start with.

I have at least a half a dozen types of microfiber towels in the studio for working on our car projects and I never induce swirls or scratches with any of them due to the fibers themselves. In fact it's the least of my worries.

I TRY to keep the cabinet doors closed when taking pictures during our car projects but with a dozen or so guys working on the car it seems the towel cabinet door is left open once in a while mostly because the guys working on the cars don't know I don't want the doors open in my pictures. That said, here's a picture of the door open while I was taking a picture of our last project car.

Note the multitude of different towels in the cabinet in the back on the right...




Point being I could grab any particular style inspect it and use it and the towel itself is not going to scratch the paint.


I do tend to use the florescent green rolled edge towels for show car work and we always wear microfiber gloves.











What I'm only concerned with is if the quality towels I'm using are contaminated from use or the washing and drying process.

I do all the laundry here at AG because it's important it's done without introducing contamination, that means accidentally dropping towels on the floor or not paying attention and mixing a towel used somewhere else here at Autogeek that is visibly contaminated with non-contaminated towels.

The last thing I want is to put scratches back into something I've already polished out let alone have Bob or anyone here at AG grab a microfiber towel to use on their car and scratch their car.

Autogeek sells quality microfiber towels and if you start with quality towels then the only real next concern is if they are contaminated with something attached to the towel from use.


FWIW

[KBsToy]

I just hate it when I get a little behind in my work!

Bob

Quit it Bob, I just spit out my morning coffee reading about being a little behind

[FUNX650]

Quit it Bob, I just spit out my morning coffee reading about being a little behind

Sorry...
__________________________________________________

''Hand test''.

Is this a good way to judge a microfiber...

•Besides the split/(#-of-splits per/microfiber) mentioned earlier---(16 "splits" is said to be of very high quality):

I thought that when you feel the microfiber-towel (MF-towel) grabbing the skin on your hand that it means it is a microfiber/towel made from "split microfibers". Many higher quality microfiber-towels are said to be made/assembled from "split microfiber".

•I'll go with the "weight" of the MF-towel as a good way to judge them.
-MF-towel weight is determined by the grams per square meter (GSM).

•So what is the weight of an individual, typical 12"X16" MF-towel...that is said to be 300 GSM? How about 600 GSM?

•Since 1983:
-A meter has been officially defined as the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second;
-Or, more commonly: 1.0936 yards, or 39.370".

•Weight of a 300 GSM MF-towel (12" X 16")
-Area of one square meter = 39.370" X 39.370" =
1,549.9969 sq."

-Area of a 16" X 12" MF-towel =
192 sq."

-1549.9969 sq."/192 sq." =
8.07

-300 GSM/8.07 = 37.1747 GSM

•Weight of the 600 GSM MF-towel?
-600 GSM/8.07 = 74.3494 GSM

•IMO:
-The lower GSM MF-towels makes for excellent general cleaning;
-The higher GSM reserved for more "delicate use".


Bob

[Stroked89coupe]

Thanks for all of the info. So what makes a microfiber towel scratch or leave micro swirls other than foreign debris? I'massuming the material Iit's made of? What specifically?