Questions about Microfiber & Applicators
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2nd Gear
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From: NY
Questions about Microfiber & Applicators
I have a couple of pretty basic questions that I couldn't find answers to.
How can I tell if MF is good quality? I understand the Prima MF is great and will get some as soon as it is back in stock. In the meantime, what are good brands? Favorite sources?
Does expensive microfiber really make a difference on glass?
What should I use to hand apply Epic, Banana Gloss, Black Wow? (besides Prima's Skinny applicators which are sold out)
Thanks!
How can I tell if MF is good quality? I understand the Prima MF is great and will get some as soon as it is back in stock. In the meantime, what are good brands? Favorite sources?
Does expensive microfiber really make a difference on glass?
What should I use to hand apply Epic, Banana Gloss, Black Wow? (besides Prima's Skinny applicators which are sold out)
Thanks!
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2nd Gear
Joined: May 2010
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From: NY
Straight from the source! I took advantage of their Mother's Day sale this past weekend. Spent way too long picking out MF only to find most of their MF was sold out 
. Haven't bought the Black Wow yet. Hoping to get the rest of my detailing supplies from one place.
. Haven't bought the Black Wow yet. Hoping to get the rest of my detailing supplies from one place.
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Vancouver, WA
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mediately.html
if i was to re-buy all my MF quick detailing cloths, i would get the GREEN colored ones from Griot's. make sure to remove the tag completely.
As for glass, you want to use MF made for glass..it's a very short threaded version. i use the Prima glass towels. works great!
here's the Griot's green towels to get. very plush but not super plush for easier handling. plus you can use BOTH sides.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...rrivals&page=1
As for glass, you want to use MF made for glass..it's a very short threaded version. i use the Prima glass towels. works great!
here's the Griot's green towels to get. very plush but not super plush for easier handling. plus you can use BOTH sides.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...rrivals&page=1
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2nd Gear
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From: NY
This Thread may be of some help to you...OctaneGuy is a well respected Detailing Guru here on NAM, both as a Vendor and a Fellow MINIac...he should have what you are looking for!!
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mediately.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mediately.html
Last edited by Jessz; May 20, 2010 at 06:17 PM. Reason: spelling
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6th Gear
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From: Vancouver, WA
Last edited by RJKimbell; May 28, 2010 at 01:16 AM.
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2nd Gear
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From: NY
You mean those evil sewn in tags aren't a sign of crappy MF? darn
griot's has a 3rd party sew them in. it's a "griot's" tag... 
i keep telling them not to do it cause it's just more work for me to remove them.
the MF towels are very good quality. better than the Prima platinums imho.
i have like 30 platinum towels and 15 or so of the Griot's green towels. the green towels win hands down.
i keep telling them not to do it cause it's just more work for me to remove them.
the MF towels are very good quality. better than the Prima platinums imho.
i have like 30 platinum towels and 15 or so of the Griot's green towels. the green towels win hands down.
I have been using the new Adams Double Soft Premium Microfiber Towel
This towel is so soft and there is no label to remove.
http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-494-n...ber-towel.aspx
This towel is so soft and there is no label to remove.
http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-494-n...ber-towel.aspx
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From: Denver, CO
My personal apologies for our own out-of-stock situation on a few of our microfibers, as well as for Richard's (OctaneGuy/ShowCarSupplies). 
We're having some issues with our manufacturer... luckily not quality-related issues but just supply-related issues. Working with Korean microfiber manufacturers can be frustrating at times. They have a different sense of urgency than we do here in the right-now U.S.!
The good news is that we're supposed to be drawing near to our new supply. I'll post here as soon as it's in!
In the meantime, I'll share with you some things I've learned about microfiber.
First, keep in mind that there are two sets of criteria- one for when buying for paint use (read: quality = durability, ease of use, effectiveness AND MOST IMPORTANTLY safety/scratch risk) and one for when buying for non-paint use (read: quality = just durability, ease of ease and effectiveness).
As a general rule, microfiber manufactured in Korea is superior to microfiber made in China. This is because Korean manufacturers use equipment that is far better and thus is more exact and consistent. Korean microfiber is almost always denser (more threads per square inch) which translates to greater effectiveness and sometimes less scratch risk. It's also less likely to have edges that are scratchy, etc.
Beyond the manufacturing country, here are a few tips for buying microfiber (MF):
(note that I stole my own '08 post wording for this
) I'd say that if you want to save some $$ and don't mind putting in extra arm-effort to adjust for the inefficiency, it's fine to buy bulk/cheap MF for non-paint areas. Just don't use good quality microfiber on these areas first or you'll find it's hard to switch to the not so good microfiber! For your paint, ALWAYS use good quality microfiber from a reputable source.
I hope that helps! Happy Detailing.
-Heather
We're having some issues with our manufacturer... luckily not quality-related issues but just supply-related issues. Working with Korean microfiber manufacturers can be frustrating at times. They have a different sense of urgency than we do here in the right-now U.S.!
The good news is that we're supposed to be drawing near to our new supply. I'll post here as soon as it's in!
In the meantime, I'll share with you some things I've learned about microfiber.
First, keep in mind that there are two sets of criteria- one for when buying for paint use (read: quality = durability, ease of use, effectiveness AND MOST IMPORTANTLY safety/scratch risk) and one for when buying for non-paint use (read: quality = just durability, ease of ease and effectiveness).
As a general rule, microfiber manufactured in Korea is superior to microfiber made in China. This is because Korean manufacturers use equipment that is far better and thus is more exact and consistent. Korean microfiber is almost always denser (more threads per square inch) which translates to greater effectiveness and sometimes less scratch risk. It's also less likely to have edges that are scratchy, etc.
Beyond the manufacturing country, here are a few tips for buying microfiber (MF):
(note that I stole my own '08 post wording for this
)- Nap Length/Plushness: For anything that touches your sensitive painted surfaces, be sure to use MF with long, plush fibers. Many looped or short-style MF do not have enough cushion to prevent micro-marring from tiny pieces of dust and dirt that may accidentally be in your MF or on your paint. Also, split (aka non-looped) fibers are usually more effective than the looped fibers on paintwork tasks.
- Thread Count/Density: Thread count doesn't affect the safety of your MF on paint, but it does dramatically affect the effectiveness of your MF. Most premium MF is anywhere from 180,000 threads per square inch to 220,000 threads per square inch (all Prima microfiber is over 200k). Most general/cheaper MF is anywhere from 50,000 threads per square inch to 100,000 threads per square inch. Try this: apply some QD or polish or wax to your paint then wipe one section with a cheap MF and another section with a premium MF. You will see what I mean! (unless you happened to have found a good batch of the cheap ones, which can happen from time to time!) The premium MF will have removed significantly more product in fewer swipes. Or, is your wax stubborn to remove? Try the premium MF and it'll likely solve your problem with little effort.
- Imperfections/Quality Control: This is by far the most important consideration in terms of paint use safety! The giant machines which weave microfiber have extremely hot mechanical parts right next to the fabric being woven. Very often, the fabric goes "off course" just the slightest bit and the edges touch the "bazillion degree" metal. This causes very small nubs on the edges which harden into mega-swirl-makers. Most specialty suppliers of premium MF check for these imperfections and discard or return those with the problems. The mass-marketers simply cannot slow down their process to inspect all of their MF, nor, quite honestly, do they care. At Prima we literally hand-inspect every single piece of MF we sell. It is horribly tedious but we simply refuse to sell you anything which could harm your paint. That's what you count on us for, right?? I don't know to what degree our specialty retailer comrades inspect, but I know they all (or at least most) do in some way or another.
I'd say that if you want to save some $$ and don't mind putting in extra arm-effort to adjust for the inefficiency, it's fine to buy bulk/cheap MF for non-paint areas. Just don't use good quality microfiber on these areas first or you'll find it's hard to switch to the not so good microfiber! For your paint, ALWAYS use good quality microfiber from a reputable source. I hope that helps! Happy Detailing.
-Heather
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2nd Gear
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From: NY
Thanks for the info!
My personal apologies for our own out-of-stock situation on a few of our microfibers, as well as for Richard's (OctaneGuy/ShowCarSupplies).
We're having some issues with our manufacturer... luckily not quality-related issues but just supply-related issues. Working with Korean microfiber manufacturers can be frustrating at times. They have a different sense of urgency than we do here in the right-now U.S.!
The good news is that we're supposed to be drawing near to our new supply. I'll post here as soon as it's in!
In the meantime, I'll share with you some things I've learned about microfiber.
First, keep in mind that there are two sets of criteria- one for when buying for paint use (read: quality = durability, ease of use, effectiveness AND MOST IMPORTANTLY safety/scratch risk) and one for when buying for non-paint use (read: quality = just durability, ease of ease and effectiveness).
As a general rule, microfiber manufactured in Korea is superior to microfiber made in China. This is because Korean manufacturers use equipment that is far better and thus is more exact and consistent. Korean microfiber is almost always denser (more threads per square inch) which translates to greater effectiveness and sometimes less scratch risk. It's also less likely to have edges that are scratchy, etc.
Beyond the manufacturing country, here are a few tips for buying microfiber (MF):
(note that I stole my own '08 post wording for this) I'd say that if you want to save some $$ and don't mind putting in extra arm-effort to adjust for the inefficiency, it's fine to buy bulk/cheap MF for non-paint areas. Just don't use good quality microfiber on these areas first or you'll find it's hard to switch to the not so good microfiber! For your paint, ALWAYS use good quality microfiber from a reputable source.
I hope that helps! Happy Detailing.
-Heather
We're having some issues with our manufacturer... luckily not quality-related issues but just supply-related issues. Working with Korean microfiber manufacturers can be frustrating at times. They have a different sense of urgency than we do here in the right-now U.S.!
The good news is that we're supposed to be drawing near to our new supply. I'll post here as soon as it's in!
In the meantime, I'll share with you some things I've learned about microfiber.
First, keep in mind that there are two sets of criteria- one for when buying for paint use (read: quality = durability, ease of use, effectiveness AND MOST IMPORTANTLY safety/scratch risk) and one for when buying for non-paint use (read: quality = just durability, ease of ease and effectiveness).
As a general rule, microfiber manufactured in Korea is superior to microfiber made in China. This is because Korean manufacturers use equipment that is far better and thus is more exact and consistent. Korean microfiber is almost always denser (more threads per square inch) which translates to greater effectiveness and sometimes less scratch risk. It's also less likely to have edges that are scratchy, etc.
Beyond the manufacturing country, here are a few tips for buying microfiber (MF):
(note that I stole my own '08 post wording for this
)- Nap Length/Plushness: For anything that touches your sensitive painted surfaces, be sure to use MF with long, plush fibers. Many looped or short-style MF do not have enough cushion to prevent micro-marring from tiny pieces of dust and dirt that may accidentally be in your MF or on your paint. Also, split (aka non-looped) fibers are usually more effective than the looped fibers on paintwork tasks.
- Thread Count/Density: Thread count doesn't affect the safety of your MF on paint, but it does dramatically affect the effectiveness of your MF. Most premium MF is anywhere from 180,000 threads per square inch to 220,000 threads per square inch (all Prima microfiber is over 200k). Most general/cheaper MF is anywhere from 50,000 threads per square inch to 100,000 threads per square inch. Try this: apply some QD or polish or wax to your paint then wipe one section with a cheap MF and another section with a premium MF. You will see what I mean! (unless you happened to have found a good batch of the cheap ones, which can happen from time to time!) The premium MF will have removed significantly more product in fewer swipes. Or, is your wax stubborn to remove? Try the premium MF and it'll likely solve your problem with little effort.
- Imperfections/Quality Control: This is by far the most important consideration in terms of paint use safety! The giant machines which weave microfiber have extremely hot mechanical parts right next to the fabric being woven. Very often, the fabric goes "off course" just the slightest bit and the edges touch the "bazillion degree" metal. This causes very small nubs on the edges which harden into mega-swirl-makers. Most specialty suppliers of premium MF check for these imperfections and discard or return those with the problems. The mass-marketers simply cannot slow down their process to inspect all of their MF, nor, quite honestly, do they care. At Prima we literally hand-inspect every single piece of MF we sell. It is horribly tedious but we simply refuse to sell you anything which could harm your paint. That's what you count on us for, right?? I don't know to what degree our specialty retailer comrades inspect, but I know they all (or at least most) do in some way or another.
I'd say that if you want to save some $$ and don't mind putting in extra arm-effort to adjust for the inefficiency, it's fine to buy bulk/cheap MF for non-paint areas. Just don't use good quality microfiber on these areas first or you'll find it's hard to switch to the not so good microfiber! For your paint, ALWAYS use good quality microfiber from a reputable source. I hope that helps! Happy Detailing.
-Heather
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 326
Likes: 4
From: Beacon, NY
^^That should be stickied! It's the first time I have seen MF quality properly and clearly explained. Up to now, I had no idea what made for good quality microfiber. I just thought that the softer and thicker the better!
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 326
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From: Beacon, NY
...So, given the enlightening information I just learned about microfiber quality, I decided that I was now going to go by thread-count...figuring I'd only buy stuff that's 180000 threads/sq.in. or better...only to find that info is nowhere to be found on any packaging or labels I've seen on the towels.
Guess I'll just have to keep ponying up for stuff like the green Griots towels, and just trust that they're good quality, having no easy way to actually know for sure!
Guess I'll just have to keep ponying up for stuff like the green Griots towels, and just trust that they're good quality, having no easy way to actually know for sure!
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2nd Gear
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From: NY
Upon review of the current situation it is clear we need to start hoarding MF. Better safe than swirly!
Banned
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From: Denver, CO
...So, given the enlightening information I just learned about microfiber quality, I decided that I was now going to go by thread-count...figuring I'd only buy stuff that's 180000 threads/sq.in. or better...only to find that info is nowhere to be found on any packaging or labels I've seen on the towels. Guess I'll just have to keep ponying up for stuff like the green Griots towels, and just trust that they're good quality, having no easy way to actually know for sure!
Guess I'll just have to keep ponying up for stuff like the green Griots towels, and just trust that they're good quality, having no easy way to actually know for sure!The denser/higher-thread-count MF will be noticeably more efficient. One swipe of a higher thread count MF will remove more wax, for example, than one swipe of a lower thread count MF- typically anyway.
-Heather
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Denver, CO
Often it is true- the softer and thicker MF is better... just not always.
Have fun!
-Heather