# Silicon blade hate - why?



## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Not used mine for years because they seemed to be viewed as the devil's own work but work are they so disliked?

My roof takes AGES to dry and I find it handy to speed the process up. I avoid the rest of the car - just use two MF cloths. If I dry the roof immediately with them, I have to wring them out constantly.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Get some autoglym aqua rinse, spray on after a wash then open end hose off. Your roof will be 95% dry.


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

You have to be totally sure the car is 100% clean. Trap a bit of grit (even the tiniest amount) and you will be striping the car in no time.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

335dAND110XS said:


> Not used mine for years because they seemed to be viewed as the devil's own work but work are they so disliked?
> .


Becuase they're a weapon of mass destruction, one tiny bit of grit and you've got a nice deep scratch. I sheet off what I can using an open ended hose and then use the leaf blower to remove what's left, gets the water out of all the grills and other cracks and crevices brilliantly.


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## Cadillacman (Jul 18, 2011)

Blades can cause scratches and marring, it's quite harsh.

Secondly, do you have proper drying towels or cloths ?
I use full size drying towels and I can almost dry the whole car with just one towel without having to wring it out in the process.
The second towel will finish it off completely...

.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Cheers.

I wipe the blade after every single "stroke" with a MF cloth and the car gets rinsed, snow foamed, rinsed then cleaned with a wash mitt then rinsed again. It really SHOULD be clean!!

I have about 20 MF clothes (BIG ones) in coloured pairs - I use a "wetter" one then a "drier" one to finish off.

Not seen a scratch yet - if I did, I'd stop and that also why it's roof only (most of which is a HUGE glass panoramic sunroof anyway!).


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

I'm guessing you mean the 110 lol. With a RR i just use two drying towels, do the roof & bonnet and then use another towel for the rest.

Try rinsing with a open hose and there shouldn't be that much water on there after that...


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

I have to say & im sure youll all say here we go again, but having wolfs Body Wrap on my car once its cleand i hose the water of using the open ended hose method & most of the water sheets off making i very easy to dry the car with one kent towel. :thumb:


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Dumb question time - open ended hose?!!!

Strothow - don't bother drying the 110s roof - it's too high up! This is for the BM.


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

I use mine without a problem.. if theres grit left on the car then the person obviously can't wash a car properly.. :thumb:


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

335dAND110XS said:


> Dumb question time - open ended hose?!!!
> 
> Strothow - don't bother drying the 110s roof - it's too high up! This is for the BM.


Imagine using a hose without a nozzle on the end so the water freely flows out the end, this pulls the water from the paintwork due to the sheeting action caused by that particular type of water flow, i have a setting that gives the same results as it would be a paint to keep taking the nozzle off. :thumb:


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

alan_mcc said:


> I use mine without a problem.. *if theres grit left on the car then the person obviously can't wash a car properly*.. :thumb:


Yes but you can't discount that, the amount of people you see on here with photos of clay that looks like it's been dragged down the road for half a mile is unreal.
With the blade, using it like the OP and wiping it after every sweep there shouldn't be a problem though, it's the car wash/dealer valeter leaving it on the floor that'll muller the paint.


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## JAISCOSSIE (Apr 11, 2006)

Have you not seen the amount of grit that can blow onto a car with just the slightest of a breeze not good when your wiping a blade over the car and this happens


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## stargazer (Aug 9, 2006)

IMO Unless you have a blow dryer or drying the car inside a covered area, everyone runs the risk of scratching their car whilst drying. Whether it's a water-blade or microfibre. All it takes is a little wind with a small particle of dust and your done for.


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

In my pre-DW days I did use to have a drying blade and you know what..............not a single mark from it. 

That said, I used to keep a cloth to hand and wipe it after each pass so I minimised the chances of damage. 

Like anything that us lot fear, if you use your loaf it won't kill your car. Please don't be shocked by this revelation but......

T-Cut.......won't kill your car!
Chamois.........won't kill your car!
Drying blades.....won't kill your car! 

There are just better products out there but used carefully they won't do much harm.


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## paulyoung666 (Jul 6, 2011)

Laurie.J.M said:


> Becuase they're a weapon of mass destruction, one tiny bit of grit and you've got a nice deep scratch. I sheet off what I can using an open ended hose and then use the leaf blower to remove what's left, gets the water out of all the grills and other cracks and crevices brilliantly.


just as long as you make sure the leaf blower aint picking up dust to throw on the car eh .............


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

stargazer said:


> IMO Unless you have a blow dryer or drying the car inside a covered area, everyone runs the risk of scratching their car whilst drying. Whether it's a water-blade or microfibre. All it takes is a little wind with a small particle of dust and your done for.


Living near the coast we get a lot of wind were i am & agree with the above, it's so easy to dry with a nice mf towel, enjoy the moment with your car 

Detailing isn't about easy it's about the experience  :thumb:


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## stantheman (Dec 23, 2010)

I've very recently started to use mine again to clear heavy morning dew and condensation from the side windows, works a treat and less likely to scratch then winding the windows down especially as grit tends to sit around the rubber seals.


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## stargazer (Aug 9, 2006)

ITHAQVA said:


> Living near the coast we get a lot of wind were i am & agree with the above, it's so easy to dry with a nice mf towel, enjoy the moment with your car
> 
> Detailing isn't about easy it's about the experience  :thumb:


How very true :thumb:


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## chillly (Jun 25, 2009)

Maybe try a better lsp durability wise and reprotect it more often. If your like me i hate roofs.


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## chillly (Jun 25, 2009)

ITHAQVA said:


> Living near the coast we get a lot of wind were i am & agree with the above, it's so easy to dry with a nice mf towel, enjoy the moment with your car
> 
> Detailing isn't about easy it's about the experience  :thumb:


Living near the coast we get a lot of wind :lol: Stop eating pasties Agreed enjoy the moment ( Berp ) :thumb:


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

paulyoung666 said:


> just as long as you make sure the leaf blower aint picking up dust to throw on the car eh .............


It's just a question of aiming it properly. I'm going to get a dedicated blower for doing the car as the leaf blower is quite awkward for getting at the roof as it's quite heavy, plus it's not much good for drying out the engine bay after cleaning it.


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## stargazer (Aug 9, 2006)

ITHAQVA said:


> Living near the coast we get a lot of wind were i am & agree with the above, it's so easy to dry with a nice mf towel, enjoy the moment with your car
> 
> Detailing isn't about easy it's about the experience  :thumb:


I dare say the dust on Phobos must be shocking this time of year. You ought to be here on Mars, trying to keep the car clear of this red dust is near impossible. :wall:


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

stargazer said:


> I dare say the dust on Phobos must be shocking this time of year. You ought to be here on Mars, trying to keep the car clear of this red dust is near impossible. :wall:


Been there the bloody Radiation is a killer  Phobos is great it does all the traveliing, the universe comes to you when ya live on an asteroid :thumb:


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

chillly said:


> Living near the coast we get a lot of wind :lol: Stop eating pasties Agreed enjoy the moment ( Berp ) :thumb:


:lol::lol::lol:


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

We are about 50 metres from the coast and it gets flipping windy here!

Cheers all - interesting answers as always!


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## A Fast Sloth (Aug 14, 2010)

I use mine a fair bit, when not using AG Aquawax or similar, I just take a tour of the car, make sure there is no obvious dirt and use away. Hope for the best! I must admit that I do use it cautiously.

I'll also admit use it in conjunction with drying towels etc. In any circumstance if a little bit of trapped grit gets onto the paintwork, even if using a drying towel scraped across the car could potentially scratch the paintwork, alot of it is technique and good luck, haha!


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

As post #27 , use one all the time


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

This is what you need

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/autoglym-no-31-autogloss-rinse-5-litre.php










You will not need to dry the car, once you apply this after a wash and then open end hose off


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## trv8 (Dec 30, 2007)

If some are worried about working outside and dust being blown onto their car while drying or polishing.....
Maybe you need one of these ....


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## trv8 (Dec 30, 2007)

JAISCOSSIE said:


> Have you not seen the amount of grit that can blow onto a car with just the slightest of a breeze not good when your wiping a blade over the car and this happens


Yes, but that can also happen while actually polishing your car, but no one seems to complain about that .


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## R0B (Aug 27, 2010)

I would say if your comfortable using a blade then use one,sure i agree with the percieved dangers of scratching but the above post regarding polishing and dust makes a valid point.
Personally i used to use one all the time but sadly fell victim to the scaremongering surrounding there use and retired it even though for me it sped up the drying process..........maybe its time for me to reinvest in one


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

i use one when wet sanding, as its the only way to quickly dry the panel to check sanding levels.

i used to use it on dads mazda aswell, as scratching wasn't important..
it was heavily abused, and only seen 2bm twice in its 2 years of owning, the rest of the time it was magifoam, long dwell rinse, and either air dry or blade dry lol
:lol:


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## stargazer (Aug 9, 2006)

trv8 said:


> If some are worried about working outside and dust being blown onto their car while drying or polishing.....
> Maybe you need one of these ....
> Sequence 1 110509 AFL Services Carcoon - YouTube


Just as I said in one of my previous posts....


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## Planet Man (Apr 12, 2008)

If I am correcting a car and the sun is shining (need for speed) then I will use one, no worries

Like all things detailing, one mans poison is another mans pleasure:thumb:


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## absolute (Jan 19, 2010)

Blades are dangerous. I use them for windows only.
You think youve cleaned your car and you wipe the blade every stroke but what about 
The piece of fallout sitting there ready to come off? 
The dust that sticks to the wet car like a magnet? 
The piece of tar with the microscopic grit you didn't see
Put it this way, anything you'd maybe come across in your clay could instead be dragged across your paintwork.
End of story really


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

Ooh they're dangerous  everyone run!


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

alan_mcc said:


> Ooh they're dangerous  everyone run!


Hey shut up, I was once attacked by a gang of silicon blades


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## Martin C. (Jul 1, 2011)

ITHAQVA said:


> Hey shut up, I was once attacked by a gang of silicon blades


Don't you mean "a gang of silicon babes"?


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## R0B (Aug 27, 2010)

alan_mcc said:


> Ooh they're dangerous  everyone run!


Classic :lol:


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## Stomper (Jun 8, 2011)

ITHAQVA said:


> Hey shut up, I was once attacked by a gang of silicon blades


Did they wipe you out ?


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Easiest way to open hose to save taking off hozelock connectors is to get an extra tap adapter and just plug it into the connector, voila, open hose.

Since I started up Splash n Dash Express last month we have started using them on windows.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

Spash and Dash?


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