Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

[Ryan L.]

Hey all...

Somebody posted a link to this article in another thread, and I was reading through them and I noticed this.

"Interestingly, carnauba (which people still want to see in a product) actually grays the surface of a vehicle."

Taken from here:
"Myth 10: Paste wax offers greater protection than liquid wax.
While Barry Meguiar admits this once was true, times have changed. "In the old days, there was a great reliance on carnauba wax, which was the hardest natural wax available. Fifty years later we have synthetic waxes, polymers and resins that have far more resilience than carnauba and enhance the gloss. Interestingly, carnauba (which people still want to see in a product) actually grays the surface of a vehicle."

So does that mean any wax with any carnauba in it grays the surface, or just pure carnauba?

Ryan

[Murr1525]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

Well, if a product was only 50% carnuba, you should get 50% of the graying....

[BlueZero]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

Odd! Put some wax on your garage window or other piece of clear glass and see if it turns gray over time.

[Murr1525]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

It isnt over time, its the idea that carnuba isnt optically clear. A solid block of it is yellow afterall...

[PorscheGuy997]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

There are many rumors about waxes leaving the paint a different color.

For example, M26 leaves white paint looking yellowed.

If this were true, my car should have turned a shade of purple because of M21.

[BlueZero]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

It isnt over time, its the idea that carnuba isnt optically clear. A solid block of it is yellow afterall...

Good point!

On the same thought... I don't think many, if any of the LSP's (sealant or caruba based) I've used are clear in the container. Another thought... Elmers glue isn't clear but it drys clear.

[christian6984]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

i know of a detailer over here that is conducting a large scale test of sealants and waxes, i can find it if needs be, but Nxt Gen Paste has outperformed the liquid (both v2.0)

[Dav_C]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

Scientifically, they are called light refraction, light reflection and light absorption. Unless the R&D team speaks up and tell us the scientific way of evaluating a wax/sealant, we wouldn't have this information.

What we can do is use what we like/prefer. Generally for dark car, I find sealant looks better. On a silver metalic car, I find that I need the wax to bring out some depth. Again, it's up to personal preference.

[eyezack87]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

Gray the surface? I've never had that problem. Got a small tub of Dodo Juice Supernatural 2.0 and a full tub of Rubbishboys OE. Never had that since I used it and it has been on a lot of colors out there, including white....

[Larry A]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

If you put on enough carnuba it will give a amber look , good for black and red , not so good for white and silver.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

I've been detailing cars for longer than I care to remember, I've never come across a car where after looking at it I thought the paint was a different color because of the wax being used. Not once.

It might happen but I've never seen it.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

I haven't really noticed it either, but when I saw that Barry Meguiar said it, I figured he knows more than me...

Ryan

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

I haven't really noticed it either, but when I saw that Barry Meguiar said it, I figured he knows more than me...

Ryan

How's the saying go...

Barry has forgotten more than most of us will ever know.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

How's the saying go...

Barry has forgotten more than most of us will ever know.

AHAH...Company owner for how long, vs. 17 year old. No way he can know more.

[Larry A]

Re: Do Carnuba's really gray the surface?

A friend of mine had a white Mustang that he waxed often with a carnuba wax. Over time it got a yellowish tint to it . Maybe it was just waxing over dirt or maybe useing a straight wax over and over again. What ever the reason he used a cleaner on it and it was white again. He then didnt wax so often , and used a cleaner wax from time to time.