If you’ve been around the blog at all over the past several years, chances are you are at least somewhat familiar with paint coatings. Paint coatings are the latest and greatest form of paint protection, pushing traditional waxes and sealants into the “old school” category. If you are unfamiliar with paint coatings, check out this article on Why You Should Give Them a Shot.
In this article, I am going to discuss my initial impressions of Gyeon Mohs, a well-known product that has been around for a while, but somehow I am just getting around to trying it out.
I have been using a lot of Gyeon products lately on my personal vehicles and have been quite impressed by the majority of them, but this will be my first experience with a Gyeon paint coating. Gyeon boasts that Mohs provides chemical resistance, improves surface hardness, resists contamination, durable, and very easy to use. These are all very important traits of a quality paint coating.
The Mohs kit is available in either 30 mL or 50 mL sizes and comes packaged in a very attractive triangular box that, like most Gyeon products, really stands out on the shelf next to other more ordinary containers. Inside the box was the bottle of Mohs, a dropper, an applicator block, four suede applicator cloths, a face mask, 100 mL of Gyeon Cure (a nice bonus!), and detailed instruction pamphlet on how to use Mohs and many other Gyeon products.
Application Process
The instructions specify to begin by washing the vehicle with a strong degreasing agent. For this particular test, I simply used Optimum No Rinse for my initial wash. Gyeon then recommends that used cars should be clayed and treated with a tar and iron removal process, however, I personally recommend these things be done on brand new cars as well. If the car has superficial defects such as swirl marks and scratches it is recommended to remove the defects through appropriate paint correction methods. Once this preliminary work is completed, you will be ready to get going with the paint protection application.
Begin with a thorough wipe down using Gyeon Prep. Prep is a proprietary solution used to remove residual oils from the surface. I spray a liberal amount onto the surface and then wipe with a plush towel to really clean the surface. I follow with a second plush towel and a light mist of Prep directly on the towel for a final wipe to produce a streak-free finish. Ensure the paint is completely dry before proceeding with the application.
Begin by giving the bottle of Mohs a good shake before opening. Next, wrap a suede applicator cloth around the applicator block and pour the product onto the cloth. You may need to use more product initially on a fresh, dry applicator than you do on subsequent sections when the applicator has already been dampened. Wipe the coating onto the painted surface working in criss-cross motions to ensure even coverage. Begin wiping the coating from the surface using a clean microfiber towel before the coating has dried. It is important to note that the drying time may vary from as little as 30 seconds to as much as two minutes depending on your ambient temperature and humidity. If you are new to coatings or are working in a warmer or cooler area than you are used to, I would recommend working in smaller sections until you have a good feel for the process. If you are confident in the process you may work on an entire panel at a time.
It is very important that you ensure the coating residue is completely removed and the panel is free of any streaks or smudges before you move on to the next panel. Should you find that the residue is tacky or difficult to remove, you are likely waiting too long and should work quicker or work in smaller sections. If you find the coating to still feel wet and it is smearing on the surface instead of wiping away cleanly, you are likely wiping too soon and should allow the coating to sit for a while longer. Continue working panel by panel, or section by section, until the entire vehicle has been coated. Apply at least one, but up to two, more coats (total of 2-3 coats). Wait for a minimum of 1 hour between coats. Each added layer will improve overall durability, gloss and scratch resistance. The vehicle should not be driven for 12-24 hours after application as the coating needs time to dry after the final layer has been applied. After this initial waiting period, you may wipe the surface with Gyeon Cure to provide additional protection while the coating continues to cure for two to three weeks. Once cured, Gyeon states that Mohs will easily last up to 12 months or 12,500 miles, however, based on my experiences with other paint coatings I am hopeful that this coating will drastically outperform these very modest durability claims.
Finally, it is important to note that the vehicle should not be washed with any detergents or be exposed to any chemical cleaners within the first 7 days post-application. The same precautions apply to this product as with many detailing chemicals, so be sure to keep yourself safe by working in a well-ventilated area and using appropriate PPE such as gloves and respirators as needed.
Initial Impressions
Through years of testing various professional and consumer coating products, I have come to appreciate certain aspects of individual products. One thing I am most appreciative of is how user-friendly a product is during application in a variety of environments. Gyeon has stated that Mohs was an easy to use product, and I am happy to report that they are spot on. I was working in a less than accommodating environment that consisted of very high humidity and temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (typical Midwest Summer). Even with these extreme conditions, the coating was an absolute joy to work with. My first coat was applied heavy and I worked in moderate-sized sections. For reference, I split the hood into three parts and split doors in half. I found the coating wiped away cleanly and easily despite my heavy application. For my second coat I used a bit less product and applied to entire panels at a time, even the hood was done in one shot. The coating was still a breeze to wipe away, leaving no smearing, no haziness, no fuss at all. This experience places this product into my personal “Very User-Friendly Products” category along with GTechniq Crystal Serum Light and the entire 22ple paint coating line. Another thing I wanted to briefly mention is the fact that I was initially a little put off by the requirement to apply more than one coat. Some manufacturers recommend a second coat, but this was the first that I had seen actually require it. Perhaps I am lazy, or just like to keep things simple, but I have only ever done multiple coats of a paint coating with professional coatings which required it for warranty purposes. After using Mohs, I found the multi-layer system to be no real fuss because the coating was just that quick and easy to use. Each layer took just 20 minutes or so to apply to this Porsche, so it was not a major time investment to apply a second coat.
The paint was noticeably slicker after applying Mohs. I will be interested to see if this slickness fades quickly as I have experienced with other coatings or if it hangs around for a while. While I do understand that the physical slickness does not mean much in terms of paint protection, but it is still a trait that I personally enjoy. The visual characteristics were on par with other coatings I have become very familiar with. This silver paint looked incredible thanks to both the paint correction work and the coating.
I am interested to see how this product holds up on this not-so-daily driven vehicle, and I intend to do further testing on my personal vehicle that is driven daily in all types of weather. My initial impressions are very positive and I hope this product performs at a high level beyond the 12-month estimate.
