# Why are MF pads so popular in the US?



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

Something that I've noticed when watching various YouTube channels is that the US detailers seem to really favour MF pads over foam ones...and I wondered if anyone knew why that was the case...and not so much here in the UK...and Europe (from what I can tell).


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## budgetplan1 (Aug 10, 2016)

Microfiber generally cuts more than even the most aggressive foam in my experience. When I was first trying to reduce etched waterspots on a 2004 Corvette, Microfiber + Megs D300 outcut Megs M101 on yellow Lake Country Foam.

Always use foam to finish but when cutting, microfiber seems to work better. Recently many are beginning to favor wool over microfiber though.


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

MF pads tend to be more abrasive and correct faster than foam cutting pads.

This doesn't explain their popularity but they are also easier to clean with compressed air than foam pads which helps when 'mowing down' paint and therefore it is quicker and less pads are probably needed when doing a large car.

Just some thoughts and maybe others can chip in with their thoughts.

Alan W


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2020)

Try one yourself and see. They are super effective, cut fast and finish very well, and as said are very easy to clean.

As for the yanks using it, it's likely due to the meguiars detailer line of products which are hugely popular over there (and are formulated for use with their MF pads). They have less access to European brands like scholl and menzerna etc, and megs has the market pretty much cornered there.


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## nicks16v (Jan 7, 2009)

Do you think maybe because the detailing business over there is so huge, something that cuts quicker = more jobs they can turnaround = more money ?


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## Sawel (Aug 5, 2016)

nicks16v said:


> Do you think maybe because the detailing business over there is so huge, something that cuts quicker = more jobs they can turnaround = more money ?


Wool cuts quicker and better than microfibre pads. On a DA, Microfibre doesn't cut as well as short nap wool pads like the purple thin foam ones made by Lake Country.


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## beatty599 (Sep 18, 2016)

I usually heavy correct with megs microfibre pads they just seem to cut quicker with less effort and control dusting better as well. I finish with Rupes foams.


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

Some interesting views and opinions, thank you!

I'd definitely give one a crack if I was tackling really swirled paint I think, although a yellow hex pad with M105 of Scholl S20 Black has never had a problem in that context for me yet or seemed slow to me, perhaps it what I've experience of though and I haven't experimented too much.

Am I right in thinking that typically paint on American cars is quite soft? I'm not sure why i've got that opinion or where I've picked it up from but I want to sense check that too.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

You can't generalise paint hardness across a brand let alone a nation lol.

Related to the initial question I have always wondered how Brian from Apex finishes down so well with BuffNShine UroFibre pads on anything but hard paint - I find microfibre pads (even the 50/50 blend of the UroFibres) leave a little more haze no matter the polish used, perhaps there's a technique variation I haven't been doing.


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

atbalfour said:


> You can't generalise paint hardness across a brand let alone a nation lol.


Don't we do that with German manufacturers?

I know what you're saying though and you're right, I just thought American manufacturers had a rep like Japanese ones with the softness of the paint. Ironic as that is because Honda motorcycles have a rep of some of the best paint in that sector.

I know what you mean about Apex detail, with a DA too!


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Mother-Goose said:


> Don't we do that with German manufacturers?


Nope.. as big a detailing myth as you'll find. As sweeping a statement as calling Americans fat


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## suds (Apr 27, 2012)

atbalfour said:


> Nope.. as big a detailing myth as you'll find. As sweeping a statement as calling Americans fat


They're not fat, they're just too short for their width

My microfibre pads finished down very well - probably took longer but just a case of finishing with slow speed and no pressure?


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

suds said:


> They're not fat, they're just too short for their width
> 
> My microfibre pads finished down very well - probably took longer but just a case of finishing with slow speed and no pressure?


I will persevere. Personally find they are a bit too aggressive for soft to medium clear and foam does an overall better job quicker on these paints. Could just be me / my technique.


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## JU5T1N (Dec 7, 2019)

microfibre pads you need compressed air to clean them out, so unless you have an air line your better off sticking with foam.


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## Guest (Sep 18, 2020)

Not true, though air is certainly faster/better. A brush works great.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

DannyRS3 said:


> Not true, though air is certainly faster/better. A brush works great.


Normally would have a compressor to use but when giving a mates car a tidy up on my drive without one I found myself cleaning/swapping the pad every panel. The brush helped the fibres from matting but with a non dusty compound did very little else.


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## Guest (Sep 18, 2020)

atbalfour said:


> Normally would have a compressor to use but when giving a mates car a tidy up on my drive without one I found myself cleaning/swapping the pad every panel. The brush helped the fibres from matting but with a non dusty compound did very little else.


A new/clean pad per panel kinda goes without saying to most of us mate 

Brush/Air will only unmat, it won't clean out a M/F pad unless its a drying and dusty compound as you say, but a brush after each set of passes will get you though a panel no bother.


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## MAUI (Feb 1, 2008)

DannyRS3 said:


> Try one yourself and see. They are super effective, cut fast and finish very well, and as said are very easy to clean.
> 
> As for the yanks using it, it's likely due to the meguiars detailer line of products which are hugely popular over there (and are formulated for use with their MF pads). They have less access to European brands like scholl and menzerna etc, and megs has the market pretty much cornered there.


Not True


nicks16v said:


> Do you think maybe because the detailing business over there is so huge, something that cuts quicker = more jobs they can turnaround = more money ?


True


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

DannyRS3 said:


> A new/clean pad per panel kinda goes without saying to most of us mate


Ah depends on the situation and the pads.. it's been a long time since I've been swapping out a pad after a panel. Scholl Spiders will do two, maybe even three without question. Using cool forced air also helps keep the pad temperature down and structure intact. 1 pad per panel was probably more relevant in the past and may still be in certain circumstances... abrasives are now cutting faster than ever, pads are releasing heat and have more advanced structures to avoid premature clogging etc. etc.


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## Itstony (Jan 19, 2018)

Personally like using the MF pads. Cut well, sit well and once they're nicely primed and flat they work best and good feedback. Always make sure I keep my stock up on them.
The latest Mille compound is way better for me with its new formula.


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

Not all Americans use them I use Meguiar's MF they cut well, so of the US market use shampoo as Snowfoam plus the are adamant that it works equally well. 

Ted11 on here now Devil in the Detail likes mf also Jim @whitedetail, Matt at Obsidian to name a few. 

Been on Autogeek 101 for 8 years @Mike like mf always plenty of video on the channel. 

John Tht.


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

I didn't say all Americans use them, just that they seem far more popular than they do over here, more widespread anyway, maybe that's what it is?


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## Sheep (Mar 20, 2009)

Sawel said:


> Wool cuts quicker and better than microfibre pads. On a DA, Microfibre doesn't cut as well as short nap wool pads like the purple thin foam ones made by Lake Country.


Wool won't finish as well as MF, and it's not very useful for a DA user compared to a MF pad. There is Cutting and Finishing MF pads too, so you can avoid having to use a foam pad if you want to (paint and polish dependant). I've seen a Finishing MF pad used with a AIO that produced some really good results.



DannyRS3 said:


> A new/clean pad per panel kinda goes without saying to most of us mate
> 
> Brush/Air will only unmat, it won't clean out a M/F pad unless its a drying and dusty compound as you say, but a brush after each set of passes will get you though a panel no bother.


I have literally seen compressed air blow out polish from a pad, so no, that's not correct. Maybe you need more air pressure, but the compressor at work can blow out enough polish to use only a couple pads for a full car.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2020)

Sheep said:


> Wool won't finish as well as MF, and it's not very useful for a DA user compared to a MF pad. There is Cutting and Finishing MF pads too, so you can avoid having to use a foam pad if you want to (paint and polish dependant). I've seen a Finishing MF pad used with a AIO that produced some really good results.
> 
> I have literally seen compressed air blow out polish from a pad, so no, that's not correct. Maybe you need more air pressure, but the compressor at work can blow out enough polish to use only a couple pads for a full car.


Sorry but you're not getting wet polish out of microfibre pad with air alone. Some polish comes out sure, fluffing up the pile a bit yes, usable for another panel, ok. But clean? No. MF holds on to everything and if it's holding polish it's also holding anything else that came off the panel. So IMO it's best to change pads often and wash them out after.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

DannyRS3 said:


> Sorry but you're not getting wet polish out of microfibre pad with air alone. Some polish comes out sure, fluffing up the pile a bit yes, usable for another panel, ok. But clean? No. MF holds on to everything and if it's holding polish it's also holding anything else that came off the panel. So IMO it's best to change pads often and wash them out after.


Would agree but compressed air does allow you to travel further before traditional pad cleaning.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2020)

atbalfour said:


> Would agree but compressed air does allow you to travel further before traditional pad cleaning.
> 
> Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk


It does indeed, and is less of an issue to blow out a foam pad that a shaggy microfibre pad in my opinion. MF holds on to debris and polish. Better to be careful and change a MF pad than to potentially trap a contaminant in it and make problems for yourself. I don't think they should be treated the same way as foam in this regard, but to each their own


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

DannyRS3 said:


> It does indeed, and is less of an issue to blow out a foam pad that a shaggy microfibre pad in my opinion. MF holds on to debris and polish. Better to be careful and change a MF pad than to potentially trap a contaminant in it and make problems for yourself. I don't think they should be treated the same way as foam in this regard, but to each their own


I've actually found the opposite... albeit short pile MF. Seems to release spent polish residue/dust much quicker and better than foam. Could just be with the products I am using, I'm also wary of going too hard on the foam pads with air


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