Have always used Zaino for years on all my cars even on black and love the shine and clean look it gives. The more you apply the shine really pops. Thinking of trying a wax but was wondering what the up side and benefits are. any input appreciated. Thanks.

 

If by wax you mean carnauba, then the results will be slightly different.

Since carnauba reflects back 100% of light, synthetic 80%, you will get greater depth and clarity. You will also get a warm look that synthetics cannot match. Synthetics give you great shine and gloss, but that takes away from clarity and depth.

Neither is better than the other. It's just personal preference. When doing a simple claying, polishing, and waxing, there are far fewer steps and time compared to zaino.

 

which product or products are you using from zaino.

polish vs wax - well they are 2 different things.

 

I use Zaino because it lasts much longer than traditional wax. I polish my car once a year since it is always indoors at work and home.

 

Since I have no swirls the paint is pristine I wash it with Zaino car wash and use Z-2 followed by Z-6. I have numerous coats of Z-2 and the shine is great. After the initial Zaino work the following coats go on fast. Just wondering if wax would add anything

 

Since carnauba reflects back 100% of light, synthetic 80%, you will get greater depth and clarity. You will also get a warm look that synthetics cannot match. Synthetics give you great shine and gloss, but that takes away from clarity and depth.

The only thing that will reflect 100% is a mirror (secular reflection)reflective value (RV) 1.00, Water (RV 1.33), Carnauba (RV 1.45) and a Polymer (RV 1.48) but I do agree that a Carnauba wax provides depth and jetting (the so-called 'wet-look, which is due to its diffused reflection ) and that a polymer provides a brighter shine (somewhat sterile IMO)

Refractive Index

Refractive Index (RI) or Haze Value -when light strikes the surface of a material it bounces off in all directions due to multiple reflections. The most familiar example of the distinction between specula and diffuse reflection would be a polymer and a Carnauba wax.

While both exhibit a combination of specula and diffuse reflection, Carnauba wax has a higher proportion of diffuse reflection and Polymers have a greater proportion of specula reflection.

· Mirror (specular) – RI: 1.00
· Water - RI: 1.33.
· Carnauba wax (diffuse) – RI: 1.45
· Poly (dimethylsiloxane) (specula) – RI: 1.48

 

Thanks for the education Jon. It's amazing how a RV of .03, difference between carnauba and synthetic RV, can be visible to the human eye.

Here's an interesting read I found on wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refractive_index

Jon, would it be safe to say that if the swirls and imperfections we see in the paint finish is because light is moving at a slower rate? It's slower due to the microscopic peaks and valleys that are actually the swirls and scratches?

That's what I interpreted from the animation on the bottom right of the wiki article.

 

Appreciate the great input from all. Has been very helpful. Going to do carnuba wax and see how it goes. Some of the wax jobs I have seen seems like you could put your hand right through the car they were so deep with their shine. That being said the Zaino polish isn't bad but would like that liquid look.

 

That page brings back distant memories as I contributed to it quite some time ago, but I digress-

As far as reflective indices are concerned there are many other things to consider when it comes to ‘what we actually see’. Light reflection has more to do with viewing direction of the the light reflection than its phase speed (as it relates to us detailer’s anyway) and the angle at which it leaves, plus the type i.e. a flat (polished) or an uneven surface (with scratches)

Spatial reflection – [:direction of incoming light (the incident ray), and the direction of outgoing light reflected (the reflected ray) make the same angle with respect to the surface normal, thus the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection; this is commonly stated as θi = θr.][1]

The perfect, mirror-like reflection of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected into a single outgoing direction the best example of spatial reflection is seen when reflected from a flat level surface.

If the surface is perfectly flat, light will be reflected to produce a mirror image of the surface. But if there you have matte paint or are imperfections such as swirls, surface contaminants, orange peel, or oxidation (dull, opaque or unlevelled paint) light is refracted and the reflected light becomes distorted, which mutes the shine.

Diffuse reflection[: incoming light is reflected in a broad range of directions] [1]
When light strikes the surface of a material it bounces off in all directions due to multiple reflections.. The most familiar example of the distinction between specula and diffuse reflection would be glossy and matte paints.

While both exhibit a combination of specula and diffuse reflection, matte paints has a higher proportion of diffuse reflection and glossy paints have a greater proportion of specula reflection. [1]

[EDIT: added 05.10.11] Light Reflective Value (LRV)

The average blackest black has a light reflection value (LRV) of approximately 5% and the whitest white is approximately 85%. Some yellows can measure up into the 80's or 90's as well. All colours fit in between these two extremes.

A colour with an LRV of 50 will reflect 50% of the light that falls on it, and one with an LRV of 23 will reflect 23% of the light, and so on. Think of a reflective value as a numerical version of a grey value scale for colours, roughly like this-

Pure White - 100, White -95, Light - 80, Low Light - 65, Medium - 50, High Dark - 35, Dark – 20

It would take too long to list individual OEM colours, i.e. Arctic White, Speed Yellow, Guardsman Red, Onyx Black, etc so you’ll need to interpolate.

As can be seen there are many factors to consider as to what constitutes optimum light reflection, one factor that has the most profound affect is light reflective value (LRV) or Surface colour

 

I used the new Turtlewax Black Box and it is awesome on black cars.

It took me 2 1/2 days, but was well worth it, as my TT has never looked better.
First, I washed my entire car, then clay bar or compound out scratches, bad spots, water spots, etc., then I opened the Turtlewax Black Box and used the cleaner on the whole car and buffed, then applied the Turtle Wax Black Box carnuba wax and buffed the whole car. It left NO swirl marks, and NO white wax residue on the seals, window trim, bumper trim, seals, rubber, etc.

I HIGHLY recommend it. A great product for BLACK cars and less than $20 dollars at Walmart.

Good luck - JIM

 

what do you recommend for the HIGHEST GLOSS on a black Porsche ?

While I read good things about Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze, I also read that it is hard to get off if you don't like it, so I am not sure if I want that kind of product on my black Porcshe.

I have already clay bar'd, cleaned and waxed my TT, now looking for the final HIGH GLOSS top coat.

PLS advise - JIM in Texas

 

Requirements:

•Clean-washed to remove oxidation, surface dirt and grime, tar and road film
•Reflectivity – that comes from a clean and level surface
•Gloss-that comes from oils and polymers with their ability to reflect light with a minimum of light diffusion to produce surface shine
•Optical depth-comes from an applied product that is two-dimensional, so that light is reflected from both a high and low source, (i.e. a Carnauba waxes ‘egg-grate’ type structure) which ‘distorts’ reflected light to produce a rippling effect (warmth)as opposed to a polymer elongated and ‘chain-link’ type mesh, which exhibits a flat ‘mirror’ like shine
•Optimising light refraction -apply product in ‘direction of airflow’, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle
•Transparency-or clarity of the applied product, which will enable all the above components to be clearly visible (See also Light Reflection article)


Zymol Vintage Glaze is the most optically clear Carnauba wax I’ve used, applied with bare hands; it’s got to be seen to be believed

On the ther end of the (price) scale P21S Carnauba Wax or Pinnicle Souveran Paste Wax are hard to beat at whatever price


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