How to tell if "single stage paint"

[KLnyc]

Hi guys,

Like the subject titled. How do you tell if a car it's single stage coated? I know when I polish with a white polish pad, I get paint coming off, beside that. Can you eye ball it by just looking at paint or the surface of the panel?:confused

And, how do you tell if soft paint or hard paint:confused

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to tell if "single stage paint"

Originally posted by KLnyc
Hi guys,

Like the subject titled. How do you tell if a car it's single stage coated? I know when I polish with a white polish pad, I get paint coming off, beside that. Can you eye ball it by just looking at paint or the surface of the panel?:confused

And, how do you tell if soft paint or hard paint:confused

A lot of seasoned experts can determine if a finish is single-stage or clear coat from looking at the overall finish, not always, but sometimes. The most accurate indicator is to test using a paint cleaner or a cleaner/wax on a white peice of cloth, or in the case of a white paint job, a colored peice of cloth.

As far as hardness or softness goes... experience again is the best teacher. After you've removed the defects on many cars, it's pretty easy to tell if a car's paint is hard or soft by applying a paint cleaner to remove swirls and scratches, (either by hand or machine), and after working a small area for few moments and then wiping off the residue and re-inspecting the finish, discovering that a majority of the swirls and scratches are gone... or there has been little or no effect.

Experience, (that results in having worked on a lot of cars), and the resulting familiarity with the product line of your choice and results you produce, are the primary factors that are going to tell you if the paint you're working on is hard or soft.

The term for describing the above is workability. Softer paints are workable, harder paints are less workable. By the word workable we mean more than the ability to be cleaned or abraded, anything can be scratched; however because the goal of polishing paint is creating beauty... the paint polishing process is more complex than whether you can remove paint... you must be able to remove a defect and leave the finish looking smooth, clear an glossy. This usually requires special products, application materials and the right application process...

A lot of people think taking a swirled out mess of a paint job and restoring a swirl free finish is as simple as "Wax-on, wax-of", as the line goes from "The Karate Kid", but the reality is, it takes the products, the right process and the human elements of care and passion to create a high gloss, swirl-free flawless finish.

[KLnyc]

Thanks Pro.Philips for the reply