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skinnyb
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- Alex
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- 21 Mach 1. FJG, Tremec, ESS G3X
I finally got around to trying a few more of the Stjarnagloss products I have ordered so far over the weekend. I really like one of them, the rest are just Meh, I can take or leave them.
Forst is a citrus pre cleaner/degreaser. This works really well, very strong and I like it. I used it to clean my tires and it stripped off the old dressing with ease. Almost as good as Retyre, and on par with P&S Undressed. Also can be used for bug guts although I didn't try it on that.
Hjul reactive wheel cleaner. This is simply an Iron Fallout remover. It doesn't have much surfactants at all that I can see, does not make suds at all. Is OK but I much prefer NV Purge or even KCx Magic Wheel cleaner.
Sno. Dedicated snow foam soap. Works OK, does make good suds but doesn't have tremendous cleaning power. Smells good though. Probably won't buy again.
Matta. This is a matte finish soap. It is dedicated for matte finishes but it is just a pure soap that can be used on anything. Their other soap is Bubblor which has gloss enhancers. Matta works OK as well, isn't very slick at all under my Microfiber Madness Incredimit. I much prefer KCx GSF, CarPro Reset or Gyeon Bathe. Will use up and not re-order.
Glatt is their spray and rinse sealant. I personally don't see any change in beading after using on my wheels unlike Carpro Hydro2 or Gyeon Wet Coat. Definitely won't be buying this one again.
WIll be trying Parla their spray sealant and Silke their quick detailer this next weekend when I wash my Mustang..
Forst is a citrus pre cleaner/degreaser. This works really well, very strong and I like it. I used it to clean my tires and it stripped off the old dressing with ease. Almost as good as Retyre, and on par with P&S Undressed. Also can be used for bug guts although I didn't try it on that.
Hjul reactive wheel cleaner. This is simply an Iron Fallout remover. It doesn't have much surfactants at all that I can see, does not make suds at all. Is OK but I much prefer NV Purge or even KCx Magic Wheel cleaner.
Sno. Dedicated snow foam soap. Works OK, does make good suds but doesn't have tremendous cleaning power. Smells good though. Probably won't buy again.
Matta. This is a matte finish soap. It is dedicated for matte finishes but it is just a pure soap that can be used on anything. Their other soap is Bubblor which has gloss enhancers. Matta works OK as well, isn't very slick at all under my Microfiber Madness Incredimit. I much prefer KCx GSF, CarPro Reset or Gyeon Bathe. Will use up and not re-order.
Glatt is their spray and rinse sealant. I personally don't see any change in beading after using on my wheels unlike Carpro Hydro2 or Gyeon Wet Coat. Definitely won't be buying this one again.
WIll be trying Parla their spray sealant and Silke their quick detailer this next weekend when I wash my Mustang..
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DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #829
I've been very fortunate to have been sent a selection of Bilt Hamber products to sample.
I've been using Bilt Hamber Surfex for a while now and have been very impressed with the cleaning ability, but until now I haven't delved deeper than that. That's mainly because of Bilt Hamber's convoluted dilution requirements that require more than a simple ratio calculation. I'm not the first to make that comment either. But, I think there is some interesting products within the range that warrant the math.
First of which is Touchless.
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...e-wash-touch-less?_pos=1&_sid=96a2f4113&_ss=r
Confession, I tried this on the Ranger yesterday and was less than impressed, in fact, I sort of had a little tantrum. Some of that was from being extremely tired after working 6 days straight, some of that was then spilling the foam cannon bottle and its contents over the bench (again, tired), and some of that from sub-par results. In truth, I probably shouldn't have been messing around in the garage in that state of mind.
Today, I upped the concentration of product in the foam cannon and got better results..............much better results!
And no, that was not my Ranger. With mine having a service, this filthy loan car was the perfect gunnie pig for the test. This Ranger XL was covered in mud, bugs and road grime.
Check out the puddle of brown dripping from the vehicle.................
Touchless is a very high alkaline soap, sitting at around pH 12.0, so I would be cautious with what you use it on. If your car is ceramic coated, then this wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. It also doesn't produce shaving cream-like foam, producing a runnier fluid film that drags contamination off the car as it drips down the panel.
I foamed Touchless on from dry and allowed to soak for several minutes. I then rinsed the car and watched in amazement at how most, if not all, contamination rinsed cleanly from the car. Was it 100% perfect, no, that would be wanting too much. To be fair, most people would be more than happy with the result, however from my perspective it provides a cleaner surface to perform the contact wash on to get that last 10% remaining.
I actually stopped right there, blew the car down and called it good. Lets just say the service advisor was impressed with how clean the vehicle was from nothing more than a foam and rinse.
Something you will note with Bilt Hamber products is a lack of scent. Touchless and AutoFoam are no different, having that rather distinct detergent smell to them, not pleasant, not unpleasant. These are workhorse chemicals, designed to perform and nothing else.
Next was Atom Mac, an anti-corrosion agent.
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...rrosion-inhibitor?_pos=1&_sid=0f3fba540&_ss=r
I've been using Hydes Serum Rustopper for brake rotors for a while now, Atom Mac is a similar product that is sold in concentrate form rather than RTU. Application is the same in that you spray the rotors after washing to prevent the film of rust forming as it dries.
Atom Mac seems more effective here than Hydes, but I still need more time with it. As you can see above, the rotors are largely rust free after treatment and drying. Compare that to below for an untreated rotor.................
Some would question what's the big deal with rusty rotors, that they only stay that way for a few seconds. However, that rust has to go somewhere............all over your freshly cleaned wheels. On black or dark coloured wheels, you will notice this instantly.
Interesting to note that the above Ranger XL was the 2WD model with the base powertrain, a single turbo 2.0 diesel with the older 6R80 6-speed automatic. Till now, I've only driven the 2.0 in Bi-Turbo and 10-speed format. I was set to be disappointed but...................I think I like this powertrain more.
A lot of that centers around the 6-speed gearbox shifting in a more normal manner, as in not skipping gears. As such, it seems to shift smoother, both up and down the ratios, nor does it have that "busy" sound and feeling of the 10-speed. It's also seems better at auto rev matching when manually downshifted.
Up until this point, I've been set on ordering an XL 4X4 to get access to the Bi-Turbo and 10-speed if I ever did decide to update. But after this, maybe I don't need the Bi-Turbo after all?
I've been using Bilt Hamber Surfex for a while now and have been very impressed with the cleaning ability, but until now I haven't delved deeper than that. That's mainly because of Bilt Hamber's convoluted dilution requirements that require more than a simple ratio calculation. I'm not the first to make that comment either. But, I think there is some interesting products within the range that warrant the math.
First of which is Touchless.
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...e-wash-touch-less?_pos=1&_sid=96a2f4113&_ss=r
Confession, I tried this on the Ranger yesterday and was less than impressed, in fact, I sort of had a little tantrum. Some of that was from being extremely tired after working 6 days straight, some of that was then spilling the foam cannon bottle and its contents over the bench (again, tired), and some of that from sub-par results. In truth, I probably shouldn't have been messing around in the garage in that state of mind.
Today, I upped the concentration of product in the foam cannon and got better results..............much better results!
And no, that was not my Ranger. With mine having a service, this filthy loan car was the perfect gunnie pig for the test. This Ranger XL was covered in mud, bugs and road grime.
Check out the puddle of brown dripping from the vehicle.................
Touchless is a very high alkaline soap, sitting at around pH 12.0, so I would be cautious with what you use it on. If your car is ceramic coated, then this wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. It also doesn't produce shaving cream-like foam, producing a runnier fluid film that drags contamination off the car as it drips down the panel.
I foamed Touchless on from dry and allowed to soak for several minutes. I then rinsed the car and watched in amazement at how most, if not all, contamination rinsed cleanly from the car. Was it 100% perfect, no, that would be wanting too much. To be fair, most people would be more than happy with the result, however from my perspective it provides a cleaner surface to perform the contact wash on to get that last 10% remaining.
I actually stopped right there, blew the car down and called it good. Lets just say the service advisor was impressed with how clean the vehicle was from nothing more than a foam and rinse.
Something you will note with Bilt Hamber products is a lack of scent. Touchless and AutoFoam are no different, having that rather distinct detergent smell to them, not pleasant, not unpleasant. These are workhorse chemicals, designed to perform and nothing else.
Next was Atom Mac, an anti-corrosion agent.
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...rrosion-inhibitor?_pos=1&_sid=0f3fba540&_ss=r
I've been using Hydes Serum Rustopper for brake rotors for a while now, Atom Mac is a similar product that is sold in concentrate form rather than RTU. Application is the same in that you spray the rotors after washing to prevent the film of rust forming as it dries.
Atom Mac seems more effective here than Hydes, but I still need more time with it. As you can see above, the rotors are largely rust free after treatment and drying. Compare that to below for an untreated rotor.................
Some would question what's the big deal with rusty rotors, that they only stay that way for a few seconds. However, that rust has to go somewhere............all over your freshly cleaned wheels. On black or dark coloured wheels, you will notice this instantly.
Interesting to note that the above Ranger XL was the 2WD model with the base powertrain, a single turbo 2.0 diesel with the older 6R80 6-speed automatic. Till now, I've only driven the 2.0 in Bi-Turbo and 10-speed format. I was set to be disappointed but...................I think I like this powertrain more.
A lot of that centers around the 6-speed gearbox shifting in a more normal manner, as in not skipping gears. As such, it seems to shift smoother, both up and down the ratios, nor does it have that "busy" sound and feeling of the 10-speed. It's also seems better at auto rev matching when manually downshifted.
Up until this point, I've been set on ordering an XL 4X4 to get access to the Bi-Turbo and 10-speed if I ever did decide to update. But after this, maybe I don't need the Bi-Turbo after all?
OP
OP
DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #830
After trying a number of UK-based brands, I have to say most have disappointed me. Is it just luck, or lack thereof, or is it indicative of a different method of detailing. Auto Finesse, Auto Glym, WoWo's, Stjarnagloss...................I finally got around to trying a few more of the Stjarnagloss products I have ordered so far over the weekend. I really like one of them, the rest are just Meh, I can take or leave them.
Forst is a citrus pre cleaner/degreaser. This works really well, very strong and I like it. I used it to clean my tires and it stripped off the old dressing with ease. Almost as good as Retyre, and on par with P&S Undressed. Also can be used for bug guts although I didn't try it on that.
Hjul reactive wheel cleaner. This is simply an Iron Fallout remover. It doesn't have much surfactants at all that I can see, does not make suds at all. Is OK but I much prefer NV Purge or even KCx Magic Wheel cleaner.
Sno. Dedicated snow foam soap. Works OK, does make good suds but doesn't have tremendous cleaning power. Smells good though. Probably won't buy again.
Matta. This is a matte finish soap. It is dedicated for matte finishes but it is just a pure soap that can be used on anything. Their other soap is Bubblor which has gloss enhancers. Matta works OK as well, isn't very slick at all under my Microfiber Madness Incredimit. I much prefer KCx GSF, CarPro Reset or Gyeon Bathe. Will use up and not re-order.
Glatt is their spray and rinse sealant. I personally don't see any change in beading after using on my wheels unlike Carpro Hydro2 or Gyeon Wet Coat. Definitely won't be buying this one again.
WIll be trying Parla their spray sealant and Silke their quick detailer this next weekend when I wash my Mustang..
So, I'm both sad and glad to read your experiences. Glad because it's clearly not just me who found the Stjarnagloss stuff lacking. Sad because you spent the money and are disappointed by the product. Let me be clear in saying the Stjarnagloss products aren't terrible, but they're not brilliant either. They are however very well presented and marketed.
I effectively threw Sno away, it smelled lovely and foamed brilliantly, but had no lubrication or cleaning ability.
I ended up giving Gummi away, Silke was nice but frankly, it's hard to screw up a simple quick detailer.
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DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #832
In this instance today, I applied Atom Mac after cleaning each wheel. When I foamed the car, I made sure not to apply soap to the wheels, allowing the chemical to hold the rust back while I worked on the rest of the car. After the rinse and moving back into the garage, I reapplied Atom Mac before blow drying. Overkill I know, but it worked well.
Best results can be achieved using the dual application, but I've also had good luck by applying only one application prior to blow drying. I think how successful a single application is comes down to ambient temps and how quickly the rotors air dry, in turn speeding up the appearance of the rust film. Cold winters day, you would have more grace, a hot day will see the rotors drying and rusting over quickly.
skinnyb
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2022
- Threads
- 12
- Messages
- 3,682
- Reaction score
- 9,341
- Location
- Knoxville TN
- First Name
- Alex
- Vehicle(s)
- 21 Mach 1. FJG, Tremec, ESS G3X
Yeah I was most disappointed in the soaps for sure. Didn't buy Gummi as I am really happy with my current lineup (perl, PSS, Darkside). Forst was the lone highlight. I will buy that again.After trying a number of UK-based brands, I have to say most have disappointed me. Is it just luck, or lack thereof, or is it indicative of a different method of detailing. Auto Finesse, Auto Glym, WoWo's, Stjarnagloss...................
So, I'm both sad and glad to read your experiences. Glad because it's clearly not just me who found the Stjarnagloss stuff lacking. Sad because you spent the money and are disappointed by the product. Let me be clear in saying the Stjarnagloss products aren't terrible, but they're not brilliant either. They are however very well presented and marketed.
I effectively threw Sno away, it smelled lovely and foamed brilliantly, but had no lubrication or cleaning ability.
I ended up giving Gummi away, Silke was nice but frankly, it's hard to screw up a simple quick detailer.
OP
OP
DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #834
Latest article on a topic that I find so fascinating, vehicle decontamination -
https://detailingshed.com.au/blogs/articles/how-to-prepare-and-decontaminate-your-car
If there is one area of detailing where I have evolved the most in recent years, save for pressure washing, it's the preparation of the paint prior to polishing and the application of an LSP, ie decontamination.
I remember my first uses of a clay bar back in the mid-2000's, a California Gold Clay Bar kit sold at an auto store.
At the time, I thought that using a clay bar was 100% necessary 100% of the time. When in fact the use of a clay bar is best used on as-needed basis. Truth be told, I never liked using a traditional clay bar, they are hard to manage and just feel all wrong. Naturally, they still have their place on heavier contamination.
But with so many advancements in both chemical and clay technologies, using a lump of clay is increasingly less likely these days. Listening to a chemical expert talking about this subject the other day confirmed my thoughts on the whole decontamination topic. To truly decontaminate your car, you need to tackle the problem from different angles in order to remove each type of contamination effectively and deliver that clean slate to work from.
Hence the topic of the article, exploring a more holistic approach rather than washing the car with a strip wash, rubbing the paint with a clay bar and calling it done.
https://detailingshed.com.au/blogs/articles/how-to-prepare-and-decontaminate-your-car
If there is one area of detailing where I have evolved the most in recent years, save for pressure washing, it's the preparation of the paint prior to polishing and the application of an LSP, ie decontamination.
I remember my first uses of a clay bar back in the mid-2000's, a California Gold Clay Bar kit sold at an auto store.
At the time, I thought that using a clay bar was 100% necessary 100% of the time. When in fact the use of a clay bar is best used on as-needed basis. Truth be told, I never liked using a traditional clay bar, they are hard to manage and just feel all wrong. Naturally, they still have their place on heavier contamination.
But with so many advancements in both chemical and clay technologies, using a lump of clay is increasingly less likely these days. Listening to a chemical expert talking about this subject the other day confirmed my thoughts on the whole decontamination topic. To truly decontaminate your car, you need to tackle the problem from different angles in order to remove each type of contamination effectively and deliver that clean slate to work from.
Hence the topic of the article, exploring a more holistic approach rather than washing the car with a strip wash, rubbing the paint with a clay bar and calling it done.
skinnyb
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2022
- Threads
- 12
- Messages
- 3,682
- Reaction score
- 9,341
- Location
- Knoxville TN
- First Name
- Alex
- Vehicle(s)
- 21 Mach 1. FJG, Tremec, ESS G3X
Good article. I love all the new technology, specifically the decon "towel". That with NV Purify works really well fo rme when I need to go that route. I have only used actual clay twice in my life, I dislike it a lot...Latest article on a topic that I find so fascinating, vehicle decontamination -
https://detailingshed.com.au/blogs/articles/how-to-prepare-and-decontaminate-your-car
If there is one area of detailing where I have evolved the most in recent years, save for pressure washing, it's the preparation of the paint prior to polishing and the application of an LSP, ie decontamination.
I remember my first uses of a clay bar back in the mid-2000's, a California Gold Clay Bar kit sold at an auto store.
At the time, I thought that using a clay bar was 100% necessary 100% of the time. When in fact the use of a clay bar is best used on as-needed basis. Truth be told, I never liked using a traditional clay bar, they are hard to manage and just feel all wrong. Naturally, they still have their place on heavier contamination.
But with so many advancements in both chemical and clay technologies, using a lump of clay is increasingly less likely these days. Listening to a chemical expert talking about this subject the other day confirmed my thoughts on the whole decontamination topic. To truly decontaminate your car, you need to tackle the problem from different angles in order to remove each type of contamination effectively and deliver that clean slate to work from.
Hence the topic of the article, exploring a more holistic approach rather than washing the car with a strip wash, rubbing the paint with a clay bar and calling it done.
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Bulutt
Well-Known Member
Last few years, because of the quality of the current detailing products and the frequency I choose to apply them, I have not had any need to clay the paint on any of my cars.
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DFB5.0
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #840
Just to expand on this a little.
As mentioned, ceramic coatings have a window of pH tolerance with regards to the various chemicals they will come into contact with. For the most part, the manufacturer will publish those figures and develop a range of maintenance products designed to work safely with the coating while still being effective.
For example, Gtechniq CSL has a tolerance of 2 up to 12, Gyeon Pure EVO pH 2 - 11, Carpro Cquartz UK 3.0 between 3 and 14. I have Pure EVO on a car, so I probably wouldn't use Touchless on that, at least not on a regular basis.
This subject was actually discussed in the below video from about 28.50min, explaining how modern coatings can withstand higher pH's without completely stripping them from the surface. Waxes and sealants were never designed with that in mind.
In that case, he was using Auto Foam with a pH of 13, compared to Touchless at pH 12.
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