I need to remove some clear coat scratches/swirls. I had Scratch X before I got Swirl.

Are they basically the same type of polish?

Both products talk about using a foam pad for application. The orbital polisher I have (a handheld Coleman - 8" I think) uses bonnets. I'm only aware of terry, MF and wool bonnets - no foam.

Will the MF bonnet work for applying one/both products?

 

Don't know. But neither Scratch-X nor Swirl were particularly effective on some scratches I had. Quixx worked much better on the scratches I had.

 

Swirl was designed for swirls, not scratches though. Cut is the stuff for the nasties.

I've got an order of Swirl coming- can't wait to try it out!

 

The "scratches" I'm talking about are in the clearcoat (and are straight not "swirls"). Sorry. I'm trying to "repair" the clearcoat. Obviously I need to revise my wash/dry methods!

 

oooh ok. Gotcha. There are lots of ways to describe the same thing, or slight variations of it.

I went to autozone and the guy turned me away from Scratch-X. Said it was no good. This was the same guy who told me that claybar would do 'more harm then good' as well. That was a different story. He was clearly not on the same planet as the rest of us.

 

Given that OctaneGuy recommended Scratch X, I feel pretty good about it. I know Swirl is good, too. Just need to refine my method. Am currently looking for a foam pad that will work with my 6" OP (not 8"). Maybe that's why these 8-9" bonnets are so loose! Doh!

 

According to Heather at Detailer's Paradise, Swirl should be used on scratches. Cut should not be used on new cars.

 

I'm talking about the nasty scratches, not like the 'linear swirls' in the clearcoat someone was talking about earlier. If I ask Heather one more question about Swirl she'll kill me.

 

Likewise, to all

 

As a rule you should start with the least aggressive polish and work up. Swirl and ScratchX are essentially the same - both use diminishing abrasives, and grit wise are pretty similar. I believe Swirl is a little bit more aggressive than ScratchX but marginally so.
If after 4 or 5 good applications of Swirl the scratches remain, step up to Cut. Not only can product be stepped up, but pads as well. In the DP pad line the color of the pad indicates the aggressiveness of the pad. Black being the softest (Epic and Amigo), then white (Amigo and Swirl), followed by orange (Swirl and Cut) and finally yellow. A yellow pad used with Cut will give you the most aggressive combination, but be forewarned that it will haze out the finish and you will need to walk back down the aggressive scale to get the finish back.
I have found Heather and Richard usually have an unlimited amount of patients, so if our answers don't get you there give them a shout.

 

Scratch-X has saved my MINI on several occasions.

 

I could be wrong, but after reading the directions for Scratch-X it sounds like it's intended to be used by hand and not with a PC?

 

Meg has a new formula for ScratchX that allows it to be used with a PC.

 

Is scratch-X intended for troublesome spots or the whole car? (what about Swirl too?)

 

Well based on the cost of ScratchX, I use it only for spot application. Prima Swirl on the other hand is a whole car product I use before every wax for problem areas and general paint improvement.

 

Scratch-X is for trouble spots, which is why I would do it by hand.

 

Don't know about Swirl, but Scratch-X is more of a spot repair product. I've used with great success.

 

The Coleman doen't have enough power to do correction. It's just good for applying wax. Scratch x by hand does work but it takes a lot of rubbing. Use a foam applicator pad and rubb like crazy till it is clear , wipe off and reapply until it looks acceptable or your arm falls off, whichever comes first.

I haven't used swirl by hand but it works good with the porter cable and the orange or white pad.

 

Probably the latter

 

Scratch-X is just a hand applied paint cleaner. It has diminishing abrasives. It's basically the same product as Meguiar's Swirl Remover 2.0 or M82. They are all very fine polishes. The latest version of Scratch-X works with the PC, but earlier versions was hand applied only. The PC version is just a little thinner so it can spread our more easily by machine.

Scratch-X doesn't repair all types of scratches--often times it minimizes them and other times it barely makes a difference. Regardless, it's a product that needs to be worked in--often 5 or 10 times before you see a difference. I know Lynn said that Scratch-X didn't do much, but that other product that included sandpaper did. Like I said, sometimes you need to get more aggressive than Scratch-X which is designed as an all purpose, gentle product. Cut and a Yellow pad may fit the bill better, or maybe the scratch needs to be wetsanded, or maybe you need a rotary buffer.

I'm working on a 2007 M6 Convertible--metallic black (Astro Black) and it's got very fine short scratches. No real swirls, just lots of little scratches. In order to take this finish to the next level which is flawless from 2 inches away, I've had to use the rotary buffer with Prima Swirl, followed by successive passes with the PC/UDM with both the Orange and White pads. I've used Cut in a few problem areas, and Finish in other areas. To get an idea of what it's taking--I've spent 4 hours only on the hood so far, and it's about 99.9% there now.

Richard

 

Egad. This just settled it. I'm NOT quitting my job to start a detailing business.

 

I agree. I like to do detailing for about a day at a time.
I have great respect for people like Richard who do great work day after day and keep very high standards.

 

Yes, I just finished polishing and waxing my MC (Swirl, Amigo, Epic), and although I was totally exhausted after a full 10+ hours of polishing (i.e. a whole Saturday!), followed by a couple more hours of waxing on Sunday, I must admit I am not all that satisfied with the job I did. Never having done this before, it would have been better to have purchased Octaneguy's DVD prior to starting, but one gets itchy to begin when all the supplies and equipment are sitting in front of you! I suspect I did not "work" the polishes long enough with the PC (?) - about five minutes per 2 x 2 ft. area, or I should have gone back and done the same area another time or two (?). I was so exhuasted after the first day, I didn't think I would survive the second. I have a new-found respect and regard for anyone who does this for a living...they must have shoulders and biceps like Arnie to do this all day!?!? The MC definitely looks better than it did before I began this project, and I did "pull back" some of the swirl marks, but I think I'll wait a few months before tackling this job again! Oh yes, and tomorrow, I will be ordering the DVD...

 

Thanks. FWIW, I'm just finishing up on the M6 that I started on at 10AM this morning. Still got a few more things to do. Keep finding little scratches that I missed--it's much easier to see the true paint condition in the dark--lit by single lights, and much nicer to work now that it's in the 60-70s instead of 80s and 90s like this afternoon.

Richard

 

Ok, well I just had to make one final post to this topic---after my 12 hour detail--turned out I didn't finish until 11:30PM, spent 30 minutes cleaning up until Midnight, and decided to install my shiny new Invidia exhaust---it's now 3:50AM--got a new exhaust--I'm literally exhausted---time to gas up and head home and enjoy the "new" ride.