This stuff really works - WOW!!

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:14 pm

The guy at work never even tried the stuff! The bottle still had the foil top under the cap.
It was part of a kit he got for Christmas or something, & it's a round cross-section bottle.

Also, is this stuff always so chunky? It looks like cream of wheat.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:27 pm

Chunky, er no...Sounds like it was frozen. Try it out and see if it's any good anymore. It has nothing to hurt your guitar, so it'll probably be OK.

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:28 pm

Paul, Zaino is not sold on TV. It's not sold in stores. It's not one of those "lighter fluid on fire" deals... it's sold only because of word of mouth from people who've used it and swear by it.

I know you said you've tried a dozen or so polymer based coatings before, and I know I should try some Zymol, but you *really* should try some Zaino. Seriously.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:28 pm

o.k.

I'm going in......

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:48 pm

Rob, other examples of polymers:

WD-40 (contains silicone)
Armor-All (contains silicone)

...and most other polymer-coating-type car waxes. These are not good for guitar finishes, and they make the guitars heck to touch up or refinish. Silicone does NOT "feed" paint like natural oils and waxes do.

Does Zaino say that it doesn't contain silicone? They avoid mention of it, and that is suspicious to me.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:48 pm

Did the back of my shadow... Good stuff Paul..

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:03 pm

Looks great!

Nice diapers, too, Dave...

More tips:

I usually cut one diaper into 4" squares with a very sharp scissors or pinking shears. I use these small squares to apply compound, Scratch-X and Zymol, and I keep the three in separate envelopes in between uses.

The trick, as I've said, is to do a small area at a time with the Scratch-X, about 2" square. Put a small dot of Scratch-X onto the diaper. Rub in a straight line; it concentrates your force better. If you need a bit more Scratch-X, put some more onto the cloth. Don't saturate the cloth, but don't let it run dry, either.

When the small area is nice and glossy, wipe it clean with a new full-sized diaper, and move to an adjacent area with the small scrap and Scratch-X. Be methodical. work around the whole area of the guitar, section by section. When the gloss is consistent and to your satisfaction, apply Zymol with another small scrap of diaper. Keep rubbing in the Zymol, but this time use a circular motion (heretofore unknown to you, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology), covering a larger area, maybe 4-6" in diameter. Keep adding Zymol as it dries out.

Finally, buff the whole guitar with a clean, new diaper. Touch up any spots that look like they need it.

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:12 pm

Paul, Zaino contains zero silicone. Yeah, I know silicone is seriously evil stuff.

PS - I use 3M Finesse-it, but I haven't tried Meguiars Scratch-X. Comments?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:18 pm

Rob--two entirely different products with different applications. Finesse-It is a glaze, or sealant. It bonds with a finish to seal hairline swirls and scratches. Scratcx-X is an incredibly fine abrasive that never shows scratches--it just eliminates them.

I sent a note to the Zaino folks. We'll see how they respond.

An Internet search turned up something interesting. There are lots of car guys raving about Zaino. Every so often, I'll turn up a negatively-titled reference on Google (i.e., "Zaino--all hype, no follow-through"). Every single negative review comes up with a "404--page not found" message.

Are you guys some kind of cult, Priests of Zaino or sumthin'?

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:47 pm

Well for the first time out, it came out very good. With a reflection now on the bass (from the TV), you can see the mirror finish. I still see some swirls however. I know now that I must work on much smaller areas.

Paul, can I use these products on the pick guard?
Can I use the wax on the chrome?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:56 pm

Yes to both questions.

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:27 pm

Paul-

****, I didn't mean to type Finesse-it - the stuff I use prior to polishing is just plain old rubbing compound (3M). Like I assume the Meguiars stuff is, it's just a micro-abrasive. Probably not much difference there.

Now that I've got your attention...

I've been using Zaino for so long I forgot why I thought it was better than wax, so I did some more research on the web. Google "zymol zaino" and click on the first link that comes up. It's a Zaino vs. Zymol thing (with Meguiars in there just for fun). The best part about that is they didn't even bother to use Z-5(swirl remover) on an old hood that, from the glare in the pictures, looks like it could have really used it.

Reading more internet bullsh*t, from what I gather, *good* carnuba products give an awesome shine with the first application. Zaino gives (depending on what you read, and since I've never used a *good* carnuba product, I can't say first-hand) 90% of that shine, gloss, wetness, whatever you call it, after the first coat. After the second and third coat (alternating Z-2 and Z-5 if there are swirls or *really* fine scratches), you can't tell the difference between Zaino and a good wax. This is why multiple coats are a must and you'll hear a lot of b*tching about the labor involved. Plus, for a car, you gotta wash it with dawn dish soap to remove all the old wax and clay it first if you want the best results. The first time I did my Pontiac it was an all-day affair...

The thing about it is that it goes on really easy and comes off easier, so multiple coats aren't that big of a deal. Plus, it lasts A LOT longer than any wax.

And 99% of the time you hear anybody complaining about is because they didn't do it right - Zaino needs to be applied on a warm day in the shade(and this is the most important) in THIN coats, and it needs to be completely dry before you wipe it off.

Ok, I've had a few beers and this post is long enough.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:10 pm

You guys hang around airports, right, handing out free samples and banging on tambourines?

I was amused to see Zaino's recommendation to use Dawn dishwashing soap. Years ago, I learned NOT to use dishwashing soap because of the salt added to it to soften the water, so it suds up like crazy. Obviously, salt is corrosive. So I stick to car wash liquid products for cars.

I'm waiting to hear back from the Zaino folks. But you or them can't convince me to switch, because I will never use polymeric coatings on my cars or my guitars

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:10 pm

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:18 am

Intersting about Dawn... is there any other soap that removes wax that doesn't contain salt?

And like I said, I'm not trying to convince you to switch... I just want you to think about giving it a shot.

What did you ask them, out of curiousity?