Wow, these new pads seem to be getting a lot of attention now that this foam is available here in the US… I have been using this type of foam for over a year now and must say that these pads are a nice addition to the pads that Lake Country already offers. In many cases, they turn what would normally be a 3-step polish into a 2-step polish, because they have significant cutting ability, yet finish-off very well.
When you first feel the pads, you’re thinking in your head "There's no way I'm polishing the paint with this", because the pads have a very coarse and aggressive feel to them. This all changes once the pad is saturated with polish. I found that by soaking them in hot water for about a minute or so really helps to soften them up before use. After soaking them in hot water, I squeeze out as much water as possible by hand, then spin the pad dry with the rotary and use compressed air to get them as dry as possible.
The only downfall I have found with these pads is that they don't last as long as traditional foam pads. The key to extending the life of the pad is to keep the outer edges of the pad saturated with polish.
The best way I have found when using these via rotary, is to apply a bead of polish to the outer edge of the pad and rub it in good with your fingers, then apply a small bead of polish on the panel. Pick-up the bead of polish with the buffer/pad and you are good to go. These pads (especially the cyan) will heat up the paint very fast, so be extremely careful until you get some experience with them.
When using these pads via PC, I like to apply a bead of polish all the way around toward the top of the pad (close to edge), then apply an 'X' in the middle of the pad. After the polish is applied, rub the polish into the pad with your fingers and push the polish toward the outer edge of the pad so the edges get saturated. This is just the way I do it. It seems to work the best for me and really seems to extend the life of the pad and ensure even coverage. After the pad is primed, you will only need a minimal amount of polish for each additional polishing session.
The cyan (blue) pad paired with SIP, cuts like an aggressive compound, but will finish off almost hologram free on most paints and will just need a quick zip over with a finishing polish. This combo is truly amazing and cuts just as well as a heavy compound on a wool pad, minus the marring. Many of the cars I detail have very hard clear. These pads have made my life so much easier it's incredible. If I had to compare the cyan pad to another pad, I would compare it to the Scholl Concepts blue foam and the Menzerna white/orange foam. If you are not familiar with either of these pads, I would say the cyan pad has a little more cut than a traditional LC orange pad and is pretty close to the cut of yellow, yet finishes off better than an orange pad.
The tangerine pad is comparable to the Scholl Concepts orange pad, or the traditional LC green or white pad, but has a tad more cut. It is great for removing light to moderate defects, compounding haze and swirl marks. Its finishing ability is comparable to a white pad and will finish off LSP ready on most paints, but may require a less aggressive combo on softer paint and/or darker colors. This pad paired with Menzerna Power Finish (PO203S) is an awesome 1-step polishing combo that works well on a majority of finishes. As I mentioned above, you may need to follow up with a finishing polish on softer paint and/or darker colors.
As with anything, there isn’t one single product, tool or pad that is going to work great for every situation. I find that these pads work the best on harder clears such as BMW (except Jet Black), Audi, Mercedes, Corvettes and other manufacturers that have SRC finishes. I think they fill the gap well and are a huge timesaver when working with harder paints, although they do work fantastic on softer paints too. I still like to use the traditional style LC pads on certain paints (5.5 inch flat, non CCS), so don’t think that these will replace all of the other pads you have. The only way to find out if you’ll like them, is to place an order and try them out for yourself.
When you first feel the pads, you’re thinking in your head "There's no way I'm polishing the paint with this", because the pads have a very coarse and aggressive feel to them. This all changes once the pad is saturated with polish. I found that by soaking them in hot water for about a minute or so really helps to soften them up before use. After soaking them in hot water, I squeeze out as much water as possible by hand, then spin the pad dry with the rotary and use compressed air to get them as dry as possible.
The only downfall I have found with these pads is that they don't last as long as traditional foam pads. The key to extending the life of the pad is to keep the outer edges of the pad saturated with polish.
The best way I have found when using these via rotary, is to apply a bead of polish to the outer edge of the pad and rub it in good with your fingers, then apply a small bead of polish on the panel. Pick-up the bead of polish with the buffer/pad and you are good to go. These pads (especially the cyan) will heat up the paint very fast, so be extremely careful until you get some experience with them.
When using these pads via PC, I like to apply a bead of polish all the way around toward the top of the pad (close to edge), then apply an 'X' in the middle of the pad. After the polish is applied, rub the polish into the pad with your fingers and push the polish toward the outer edge of the pad so the edges get saturated. This is just the way I do it. It seems to work the best for me and really seems to extend the life of the pad and ensure even coverage. After the pad is primed, you will only need a minimal amount of polish for each additional polishing session.
The cyan (blue) pad paired with SIP, cuts like an aggressive compound, but will finish off almost hologram free on most paints and will just need a quick zip over with a finishing polish. This combo is truly amazing and cuts just as well as a heavy compound on a wool pad, minus the marring. Many of the cars I detail have very hard clear. These pads have made my life so much easier it's incredible. If I had to compare the cyan pad to another pad, I would compare it to the Scholl Concepts blue foam and the Menzerna white/orange foam. If you are not familiar with either of these pads, I would say the cyan pad has a little more cut than a traditional LC orange pad and is pretty close to the cut of yellow, yet finishes off better than an orange pad.
The tangerine pad is comparable to the Scholl Concepts orange pad, or the traditional LC green or white pad, but has a tad more cut. It is great for removing light to moderate defects, compounding haze and swirl marks. Its finishing ability is comparable to a white pad and will finish off LSP ready on most paints, but may require a less aggressive combo on softer paint and/or darker colors. This pad paired with Menzerna Power Finish (PO203S) is an awesome 1-step polishing combo that works well on a majority of finishes. As I mentioned above, you may need to follow up with a finishing polish on softer paint and/or darker colors.
As with anything, there isn’t one single product, tool or pad that is going to work great for every situation. I find that these pads work the best on harder clears such as BMW (except Jet Black), Audi, Mercedes, Corvettes and other manufacturers that have SRC finishes. I think they fill the gap well and are a huge timesaver when working with harder paints, although they do work fantastic on softer paints too. I still like to use the traditional style LC pads on certain paints (5.5 inch flat, non CCS), so don’t think that these will replace all of the other pads you have. The only way to find out if you’ll like them, is to place an order and try them out for yourself.
