Drive through car wash experience?

[C T Rick]

Collectors can leave it shrink-wrapped in the box, but I'd rather play with my toys

Is that the same as " Wrap it or Whack it" or is that a different scenario ?

Rick

Sponsored

 

[CyberGus]

What I’m struggling to understand from some of these threads is the need to follow BKF with something other than a windex wipe down. I don’t understand the neutralizing issue/need.

BKF usage instructions specify that it should not remain on surfaces, and must be removed/neutralized. It's acidic, so anything base will do (or large volume of water).

 

[Texarado]

BKF usage instructions specify that it should not remain on surfaces, and must be removed/neutralized. It's acidic, so anything base will do (or large volume of water).

I understand. I’m just trying to understand the “or what happens?” I understand with the plastic. But for stainless steel, I don’t fully understand the need to further soap it down after windex’ing it.

 

[Crissa]

Yeah, definitely not going to fit in all of them. It's a truck.

But for stainless steel, I don’t fully understand the need to further soap it down after windex’ing it.

Windex is base, it will encourage corrosion of metal surfaces, even stainless ones.

-Crissa

 

[Texarado]

Windex is base, it will encourage corrosion of metal surfaces, even stainless ones.

-Crissa

Playing devil’s advocate…. So if corrosion occurs, BKF it, windex it, then wash/soap it down in the future. There is no “cure” to it that I’m aware of that would be permanently damaged by allowing Windex to be on it. *If* it turns out there is corrosion, that can be “undone” by BKF/Windex/wash.

Any flaw in that thinking?

 

[MeadowShade]

Woah. It is stainless steel?

 

[CyberGus]

Playing devil’s advocate...

Woah. It is stainless steel?

You want something nonreactive? Make your car out of gold. That stuff was still shiny when they dug up the pharaohs.

Iron OTOH is reactive af. It is one of the components of thermite! So stainless-steel isn't "non-reactive", but the top layer of oxidation becomes a barrier to protect the metal below. That layer must be reactive to provide the protection! Therefore, the appearance is subject to change by the environment, but as long as that top layer remains oxidized, the steel won't "rust".

Wipe it with a strong acid, or strong base, or bleach, or ammonia, and you probably won't notice a difference. It is metal, after all. But repeat that often, and/or with a long duration, and it can take a toll.

Soap and water will be fine most of the time.

 

[Crissa]

Playing devil’s advocate…. So if corrosion occurs, BKF it, windex it, then wash/soap it down in the future. There is no “cure” to it that I’m aware of that would be permanently damaged by allowing Windex to be on it. *If* it turns out there is corrosion, that can be “undone” by BKF/Windex/wash.

Any flaw in that thinking?

Windex is pointless after bar keepers friend. Steel likes acid, hates base.

-Crissa

 

[RollingRefrigerator]

Collectors can leave it shrink-wrapped in the box, but I'd rather play with my toys

Couldn't agree more. I've also run mine through the drive through wash several times. So it gets "microscratches". If it starts to look off, I'll just refinish it every few years and maybe try some new looks/ textures. Personally I love the idea of raw material I can modify as I see fit like a block of wood. No precious thin coatings that can't even handle a bit of road gravel here!

I'm willing to bet we'll soon see some entrepreneurial types offering up custom finishes to suit your tastes at a fraction of the price of paint or even a wrap.

Sponsored