T-Cut Polish and Wax

[Alan Drury]

I will advise customers to Tcut but NOT wax polish. Tcut should remove some paint so the surface should be a clean as it can be. When I was doing traditional stuff which was invariably gloss enamel on the original gloss vehicle paintwork I would tcut as a routine preparation. Never had issues and I was brush signwriting for well over 20 years.
Alan D

[Ian Johnston]

I Nearly ask them to T-Cut, Definitely no Polish Though..

Ian

[James Martin]

Tks guys

That’s what I thought, I use t-cut myself to remove annoying ‘stuff’ from paint work before applying.

After wards though, providing the vinyl is stuck OK can the body and vinyl be polished and waxed any which way the customer likes?

Jimmy

[Peter Dee]

I would only say with a liquid non cutting wax, no t-cut and not to use mutton cloth which can pick up vinyl points easily.
I would also want the vinyl to have been on for at least a month in warm weather.

[Martin Pearson]

Jimmy I always tell customers to clean their vehicles but not to polish them explaining that the vinyl won’t adhere properly to a newly polished surface.
If they are gong to T cut then as ha been said no polish afterwards.
I use either G10 or if really bad G3 myself but normally get the customer to do the hard work.

As for polishing pretty much any silicone or wax polish will be OK. I do tell customers to wait a few days before polishing just to ensure the vinyl has stuck properly, especially in the colder weather and I tell them it is best to do it by hand and not use a machine.

[Alan Drury]

A month is a bit over the top – a few days should be fine, another day or two if its really cold. Ordinary liquid polish is fine afterwards but good point regarding mutton cloth as this does tend to pick up sharp corners
Alan D

[Anthony Woodsford]

a paint cleanser like dodo juice lime prime would be better, or autohlym hd cleanser over t cut. but as above, wax contains silicons and carnaubas which are design to stop things sticking

[Peter Normington]

Tcut I would not recommend as a prep, it is difficult to get rid of the residue.

I just ask that the vehicle is washed beforehand. then use my own cleaners to prep the surface, that’s part of the job to prep the surface, and should not be left to the customer.
then after applied, just clean as normal

Peter

[Bob Clarkson]

T-cut is hard work, so you can’t really expect or guarantee the customer will do it properly. If it’s new, or newly valeted, warm water, with some washing- up liquid in it. (yes I know you shouldn’t use it as it corrosive etc and will dull the paint), but it’s only one wash and it’ll clear residue better than even truck wash can, then simply panel-wipe it. If it’s old and rough, G3 (plenty of water) then the same as above. Just make sure it’s stated they’ve got to pay, or you’ll just be doing free valeting.
It’s also a good way of removing wax build-up on prestige cars etc.

I love it when people say "How long before I can polish it?" I doubt if 10% of new vans get polished. My customers usually replace every 3or4 years, a new van, based on this, it’ll still have some shine on it even if no one polishes for the whole time they’ve got it.

[Peter Normington]

Bob,
correct, who uses polish nowadays?
sorry most of us do,
all the car washes around here use Polish as the main ingredient for valeting
😀

Peter

[Bob Clarkson]

I always thought the expression "polish it" referred to a liquid or wax polish applied by hand with a mutton cloth or similar, as oppose to a bucket full of car shampoo that contained wax or a run through the car wash on a cycle that included wax. Can’t really add to that. lol