BLACKFIRE: What's the difference?

How is BLACKFIRE different?

Carnauba waxes and synthetic protectants typically contain one or two polymers in a petroleum solvent base. Some of these solvents can be quite strong and up to 60% of a product’s volume.

Modern science has now given us a whole new set of water-based “building blocks”. These new super polymers allow us to optimize each characteristic of a product in a way that was never before possible.
	New paint friendly "Super Polymers" mimic the deep, rich shine of carnauba waxes but last months longer!
BLACKFIRE breakthroughs include: A deep, rich gloss that mimics the very best carnauba waxes. Gone is the sterile shine typical of conventional polymer products. The 2-step polish and protect procedure creates the illusion of a wet surface rippling with color and energy. A paint-friendly, oil-in-water, base formula. This emulsion contains a very mild, refined, mineral spirit that is less than 15% by volume. Being predominantly water based, these products are very safe for all automotive finishes. Repeated applications, even over years, will not dry out or dull the paint’s top layer. Ease of application even in climates of high heat and humidity. BLACKFIRE products wipe on and buff off without streaks and smears. Always apply small amounts of product and allow All Finish Paint Protection to fully dry before buffing. The longer All Finish Paint Protection stays on the finish, the easier it will be to buff off. A super-slippery finish. After buffing, your wipe towel will glide across the surface. This slippery finish will last and last. A very high surface adhesion. This keeps BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection on the paint month after month and wash after wash. Extreme resistance to heat and ultraviolet radiation. The polymers in BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection offer stable protection from -100 degrees F. to +480 degrees F.
Defining shine beyond brightness. To most people, shine is the easy-to-understand concept of light reflection. Simply make the surface more mirror-like and you will increase the shine. But, is this really the goal? A bright shine is often criticized as being “sterile” or “unemotional”. A black or red car with a conventional synthetic sealant will produce a silvery-white reflection in direct sunlight, not the deep, rich color of the car’s paint. These sealants also high-light scratches and paint imperfections. They increase the hard edges around water spots and swirl lines making them more noticeable. We’ve looked very seriously at every aspect of surface enhancement and feel brightness alone is not the answer. The most emotionally pleasing shine lets the color of the paint radiate through a shimmering, liquid-like gloss. Advertisers have coined the term “wet-look” but technically it is known as ”jetting”. Natural carnauba waxes have a high “jetting” factor. This is one reason why most enthusiasts prefer a carnauba wax shine. The best carnauba waxes produce a shimmering, deep, gloss creating the illusion of the paint being under water or “wet”.
So why not just use carnauba wax? The problem with carnauba is a 180 degree F. melting point. This may seem high but a black or red car parked in the sun can have a sustained 200 degree F. paint temperature. The wax is literally melting off the car! As a rule of thumb, 50% of a carnauba wax coating is gone after 30 days, 75% is gone after 60 days and after 90 days it’s time to re-wax the surface.
	BLACKFIRE'S ultra high temperature stability makes it ideal for states of high heat and ultraviolet.
Carnauba also requires a petroleum solvent base which can weaken and dry the top paint layer. (I know, there is a manufacturer of paste waxes that claim their waxes contain no petroleum solvents. They lie! Look at their Material Safety Data Sheet which they are required by law to make available to consumers. They list on their sheet that their waxes contain a mineral spirit!) What we have created in BLACKFIRE is a low solvent (paint-friendly) protectant with the same high jetting factor of carnauba (for a deep, liquid shine) but with substantially improved resistance to ultraviolet and infrared radiation (for durability). The secret is three steps. The multi-layer finish on your car, from the primer through the top (clear) coat is only .006 to .008 of an inch thick. Regardless of how great the finish is now, it will deteriorate and dull. Radiant and ultraviolet energy, moisture, salt, atmospheric pollutants, insect fluids and bird droppings wage a constant war on your car’s finish. The only proven procedure for protecting and preserving your car’s good looks is a three step clean, polish and protect regimen.
Creating the perfect shine! The perfect shine is dependent on two considerations, proper paint preparation and the reflection characteristics of the product used to protect the finish. As paint ages from exposure to heat and ultraviolet light, the top layer dries out and turns opaque. Climates of severe UV are especially detrimental as constant UV bombardment attacks both paint pigment and binder producing a dead, lifeless, and chalky finish... even when it’s clean. Waxing over such a surface only produces a protective shield over dull paint, not the deep, rich gloss of fresh paint. Creating the ultimate shine requires three separate steps: Clean the paint. In addition to routine washing, it is important to remove airborne contamination that can bond to the paint and cause corrosion. This contamination includes tiny metallic particles from brake pad linings, rail dust from train tracks, overspray, tree sap mist and industrial fallout. Paint contamination can be felt as a “rough or gritty” texture on the paint’s surface. This contamination affects all paint finishes and can cause serious damage when left untreated. There is no wax, natural or synthetic, or any paint treatment that can prevent or protect against this contamination.
Polishing will not remove these bonded particles. The easiest and safest way to remove this contamination is to clay the surface using one of the new Poly Clay Bars. For more information on clay bars and paint contamination, please visit www.properautocare.com.
Click on the “POLISH” page and read “Using a clay bar to remove paint contamination.” This article is listed on the bottom of the “POLISH” page.
The easiest way to check for paint contamination is to place your hand inside a plastic sandwich bag. Run your fingertips gently over the paint’s surface. If it is smooth as glass, proceed with polishing and protecting. If the paint has a “rough” or “gritty” texture, you should first clay the surface before polishing.
	"Claying" the surface removes paint contamination, overspray and industrial pollution. It creates a smooth-as-glass surface ready to polish.
2. Polish the paint. Polishing removes old wax, reduces blemishes and revitalizes the top paint layer. It brings out the paints full color and intensity. BLACKFIRE Gloss Enhancing Polish wets the finish to restore the paints original vibrant color while fillers further complete the task of hiding minor swirls and scratches. Polishing, especially by machine, rounds over the top edges of swirls which robs sunlight of a sharp edge to cause a reflection.
Polishing does not remove the swirl as it does not remove the layer of paint or clear coat that contains the swirl. It only makes swirls less noticeable. BLACKFIRE Gloss Enhancing Polish applies easily by hand or machine creating a rich, liquid gloss ready for the final protection step.
3. Protect the paint. Apply BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection to protect the surface with a deep, liquid shine. BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection combines a number of gloss polymers that work together to mimic the depth and richness of carnauba wax.
These polymers do more than reflect light, they refract light, similar to a diamond. When applied over Gloss Enhancing Polish, BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection creates the illusion of a wet surface rippling with color and energy.
To maintain that “just-detailed” sparkle and extend protection, we recommend a weekly mist and wipe with BLACKFIRE Deep Gloss Spray. A great time to do this is just after washing the car. I can wipe down my entire car with Deep Gloss Spray in less than three minutes. Not only does this make the finish look fantastic, it removes pollution, overspray, salt and mineral deposits that normal washing leaves behind.
So advanced, it’s easy! The polymers used in conventional products offer good protection and gloss but usually at the expense of ease-of-application and long cure times. Some products require moderate amounts of elbow grease to apply and/or require 24 hours cure time before final buffing or applying the next coat of product. Ease-of-application has been designed into BLACKFIRE’S super polymer genetic core. We even made the viscosity of each BLACKFIRE product self-leveling to prevent any thin spots during application. Application Tips: Apply small amounts of product. A little goes a long way. Allow All Finish Paint Protection to fully dry before buffing. The longer it stays on the surface the easier it will be to buff off. Always buff All Finish Paint Protection using a Microfiber Towel. While it doesn’t exactly apply itself, all BLACKFIRE Products wipe on easily and buff off uniformly without streaks. And, there’s no waiting between coats. You can go directly from Gloss Enhancing Polish to All finish Paint Protection! You can even add multiple coats of Paint Protection, one after another, to maximize depth of gloss. Protection that lasts month after month and wash after wash! BLACKFIRE All Finish Paint Protection duplicates the deep, liquid look of carnauba but with modern polymers that are stable to nearly 500 degrees F! These new “super polymers” have exceptional surface adhesion, are highly water repellent and offer extreme resistance to ultraviolet and infrared radiation. This insures lasting protection month after month and wash after wash. Our tests in Tampa, Florida (a climate of severe UV, heat and atmospheric salt) have demonstrated protection that can last six months or more. Using a weekly mist and wipe of BLACKFIRE Deep Gloss Spray can extend the initial protection to a year or more.