Cut polishing
- Thread starter eriks
- Start date
markowwes
Member
Please be careful doing this with cut polish! as the label says "Cut" it is a form of sand paper. you only have so much clear coat over that paint/gel coat. a good polish and or soap will clean and wax will make it look like new.
get your neighbors kids to wash it down with soap and water with clean rags and wax it down after with a good Carnauba wax. As the man said "Wax on Wax off grass hopper"
get your neighbors kids to wash it down with soap and water with clean rags and wax it down after with a good Carnauba wax. As the man said "Wax on Wax off grass hopper"
Foxsea
Well-Known Member
You are right about clear coat and paint: cut polish should be used with great care, if at all. However, on older gel coat, cut polish is indispensable in removing oxidation to provide a clean surface for a good coat of wax.
dmurph
Well-Known Member
Just about to start doing the cut polish on my boat also. I seem to have to do it each season, the hull is green and dulls pretty good after year which would make me think I’m doing something wrong. I get it looking real good with the cut polish and then wax but only lasts a season. I use a 3m rubbing compound Then wax.
CBsqrd
Well-Known Member
You probably need to go with at least one or two more steps before you wax. As @Stizzla says, you need to polish after using a cutting compound (which 3M Rubbing Compound is) as they are quite coarse and will leave lots of little ridges/grooves that will promote oxidation and catch salt and dirt.
I followed this guide two years ago and have been very happy with the results. https://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/52772-tips-compound-polish-wax.html
I started with 3M Rubbing Compound, then Presta Ultra Cutting Creme and then Presta Chroma to Glaze. Final step was a coat of Collinite #885 Fleetwax. Last year I just did the glazing and waxing steps and it came out great. Considering skipping and polish/glazing steps this year and just waxing. Best place I've found for Presta products is KMS Tools.
ab1752
Crew Member
What does everyone like for nonskid surfaces? I believe Starbrite makes one as well but haven't located it yet. That collonite product has great reviews and for sure, if the base surface is in good shape then no need to go deeper than glaze / wax to protect the base surface material.
CBsqrd
Well-Known Member
I've been using Woody Wax on non-skid the past couple years. It works ok, but I haven't been overly impressed with it. A pain to apply and I don't find it lasts that long. Starbrite has a non-skid wax that I'd like to try; their non-skid deck wash works great.
You can get the deck wax off Amazon.ca now: https://www.amazon.ca/Star-Brite-097316-Non-Skid-Deck/dp/B01N4618UH
You can get the deck wax off Amazon.ca now: https://www.amazon.ca/Star-Brite-097316-Non-Skid-Deck/dp/B01N4618UH
ab1752
Crew Member
Great thanks, yes I use their non skid wash, it's awesome...I'm going to order some of the wax today.
CBsqrd
Well-Known Member
Let us know how you like it!
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
Mine’s a fishing boat, so I skip this stuff and go for the “workboat” finish! 
SteelyDan
Well-Known Member
walleyes
Crew Member
Have to finish off mine this spring. I cut and did one polish on it last spring as it was baddddd. Used the 3m system it did a decent job but it definitely needs the once and good polish and wax. But I was worn out from working on the boat all winter last spring and had enough by the time I did the first two passes on it.
Picked up some good info just reading this one guys, thanks.
Picked up some good info just reading this one guys, thanks.
