one step polish ? or is it a all in one

[enoch7fa]

the rookie is back!! well been getting into polishing more.  winter will be over soon here in California.  got customers wanting new looking cars, minor imperfections cleared and all the people with good looking cars who went through machines at car washes and those use the same terry cloth dirty towels hand car washes are already seeking me out. I been avoiding polishing but I see no other way specially with some customers going on utube and learning ( sometimes knowledge is a dangerous thing lolol).  ok I also been learning and I notice that some people call there polish a one step when it seems to me it is a all in one.  to me a true one step would correct and polish or compound, correct, and polish at same time depending on what pad you use.  now I called adams and was told there one step also puts down a layer of protection.  to me that makes it a all in one.  I wish it didn't do that I would like to clean paint and start with a naked and nude paint you might say and lay down my own protection so as not to hinder something like adams paint sealant.  seen to many post by adams and others saying for best bond paint sealants and ceramic coating need a clean, naked paint so if I finished with adams one step or there finishing polish that would not be so.  would using the paint prep wipe those product protection right off?  you guys are the experts so if anyone can say for sure the protection from the one step or finishing polish either comes off easy with paint prep wipe or does not effect  sealant or ceramic in any way talk about it here.  most of these people are not looking for 100% and would know the difference from 100% and 90 so a one step would work out for me.  but when I lay down a layer of protection I want it to last, I usually layer which I want get into now but what want it to last.  the acid rain here in California is deadly to paint so I like to give good protection.  so help a rookie out.  tell me your experience with one step if you use it or finishing polish with a sealant .  I had a bad experience with car I used brilliant glaze on the paint under paint sealant and I did 2 other cars I see all the time with out the glaze.  the glazed car paint sealant didn't last long in a 3 day rain we had a couple weeks back like we are having now. the other 2 cars were beading and sheeting like the first day I applied it. from now on I want a naked paint if possible. so just talk here about this issue if you have comments or advice.

[shane@detailedreflections]

A couple of things. Your post would be much easier to read with some paragraphs. Reading a wall of text like that makes it possible to miss some points. 

 

A “one step polish” is literally just that. It’s a polish only and typically a diminishing abrasive that goes from a medium aggregate to a fine aggregate. This will remove imperfections. It will not finish down like a true finishing polish or cut like a compound. This is for your clients who want improvement, not perfection. 

 

An “all in one” is essentially a polish and protection in one. Usually less powerful in cut than even the one step polishes. All in one products are full of compromises because it’s doing multiple jobs. It will never function as well as separate dedicated products. Protection isn’t long lived. We use an all in one as an economy one step polish. We upcharge for different steps and better protection. 

 

If you’re going into polishing for money, there’s a few points I feel need mentioning. First is to get yourself a paint thickness gauge of some kind. It’s invaluable in knowing what you’re working with and how aggressive you can (or more importantly can’t) be. Once you take money from someone for a service, you’re a professional. An “oops” has to be fixed. An oops in polishing can mean repainting at your expense. Know what you’re working with to work confidently.

 

The next point is to not underestimate the cost of the proper tools. We have more polishers than most and you don’t need to go to that extreme, but you will need more than one polisher to do most jobs without cutting corners. 

 

Also from a business standpoint don’t underestimate the expense and number of pads you will need and will burn through. You can’t stop working on a clients car because you smoke a pad. You need a bunch of them. We have six or seven different pads (different cuts, wool/foam, etc) and we keep a bunch of each. This expense needs to be figured into your pricing and you need to sit on stock. 

 

Polishes can be kept as simple as compound, correcting and finishing. The line we use gives us seven or eight options  so we can typically find just the right amount of cut. 

 

Practice polishing a bunch before you take money and invest in the proper equipment to do it as a business. 

[enoch7fa]

Thanks for responding shane.  I will remember about the paragraphs.  Think I will respond numbered so I stick to one thing as you can see I am a little impatient when it comes to writing on the forums as you can tell but you always seem to respond where others are probably saying forget it lol.

 

1) Glad you see about what I was saying about the difference between a "one step" and a "all in one".  Some companys are advertising a "one step" but there product is really a "all in one".  So I am wondering if adams "one step" is a true "one step" or does it give protection which would make it a " all in one".

 

2) I have been polishing a little 99% of customer dont ask for it but I dont have many yet since I am a weekend warrior but I want to practice so I can expand services if I want.  I have had cars come in for a exterior detail that after I clean paint with normal means, wash, clay, chemical decontam, etc, etc, I realize after I see them again I probably should have done a polish or correction to clean more so I will have a nude and naked paint, seeing the way the protection lasted.  Most of my customers I have are willing to pay and people they send me are impressed so they are also.  For the ones that have those twice a year I wash my car or use coin machine auto " destroy my clear coat fill it with swirls" car washes, I want to polish.

 

3) I have a lot of polishing equipment.  I got from mystery boxes, buckets, etc, etc, and stuff I bought to experiment.  I have the 15mm and 12mm and will soon get the 21mm ( some of my customers have suvs need I say more).  I learned from terrible experiences when I first got started I would need a lot of pads also after I called adams and talked to them about polishing ( sling !!  lord I am still having nightmares ).  polishing is what made me a utube detailing junky.  

 

4) can someone talk about cleaning pads with a brush between pads and how to do it cant seem to find a lot of videos on it for some reason.  point me in the right direction if you can.

 

5) fortunately for me I have neighbors who have trashed or old cars they like for me to experiment on and drive by and ask If I need there cars a lot.  they pay me with me asking for pay since I am experimenting and they agree that any thing that goes wrong they want get mad.  these are relatives and old neighbors that I can trust. so far everyone is reeeeaaaaal happy and have good looking cars for not much.  after my first year I stop a lot of that ( everyone is not happy bout that lol) and started regular charging for things I feel I got down real good.  

 

6) does anyone know if adams  "one step " has protection which would make it a " all in one".

 

7)  ok that's it for now I will post more as I go along I hope more people chime in.  pictures coming soon.

[falcaineer]

Yes, Adam's One Step Polish is infused with silica, so it adds protection as you polish. It's semantics, similar to the Wash & Wax (more of a Wash & Seal, but people tend to understand "Wash & Wax" better).

 

Check out the product page for the One Step on how to use it:

https://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/polishing/adam-s-one-step-polish-8oz.html

 

[Z06Seal]

Their "one step" is really an "all in one". I wish they had named it correctly. It adds silica for protection according to description so yeah.... Consider it an "aio" 

 

 

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

Am I correct in understanding that the finishing polish is also silica infused?

[Chris@Adams]

3 hours ago, Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin said:

Am I correct in understanding that the finishing polish is also silica infused?

Yes

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

 

3 minutes ago, Chris@Adams said:

Yes

Thank you, Chris. So if I'm looking least abrasive polish that Adam's offers (without the addition of protection) would that be the Orange correcting polish?

[mc2hill]

1 hour ago, Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin said:

 

Thank you, Chris. So if I'm looking least abrasive polish that Adam's offers (without the addition of protection) would that be the Orange correcting polish?

 

No the Finishing Polish (white in color) would be the least aggressive polish that contains abrasives.  Revive Hand polish is less aggressive, but it has no abrasives, and make a great paint cleaner. 

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

 

1 hour ago, mc2hill said:

 

No the Finishing Polish (white in color) would be the least aggressive polish that contains abrasives.  Revive Hand polish is less aggressive, but it has no abrasives, and make a great paint cleaner. 

Oo, paint cleaner that’s a new one for me. Does that mean it acts as a sort of surface prep?

[mc2hill]

On 5/10/2019 at 5:11 PM, Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin said:

 

Oo, paint cleaner that’s a new one for me. Does that mean it acts as a sort of surface prep?

 

Yes, it can be used like that.  I don't use it often as a paint cleaner, but I have a few dark colored show cars that I use Revive on before applying Brilliant Glaze and Americana.

[mogleygull]

Does this thingy work equally on bright and dark colors or I'm being too foolish with the question?

[falcaineer]

1 hour ago, mogleygull said:

Does this thingy work equally on bright and dark colors or I'm being too foolish with the question?

 

Not silly question. It works regardless of surface color. But it won't perform as well as dedicated polishes, ie Finishing, Correcting, etc.

[RayS]

8 hours ago, mogleygull said:

Does this thingy work equally on bright and dark colors or I'm being too foolish with the question?

I can tell you that it works equally on Bright Red and Dark Red and it was rather easy to work with.