My Favorite One-Step Pad/Polish Combination
by Joe MetlowMastering the one-step paint correction is vital for all detailers. One-Step paint corrections can be tricky for the simple fact that you have to maximize your cut to remove defects but you also have to leave a finish worthy of your LSP (last step product) It takes more skill to achieve a high level of defect removal with a one-step procedure for the reasons mentioned above.
Griots Garage Correcting Cream The Ultimate One Step
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the Griots Garage Boss Line. I have been using the entire line since July of 2015 and I do not see my self stopping anytime soon. So what is Correcting Cream all about? Correcting Cream is a hybrid polishing compounding that is fully capable of removing heavy/moderate defects all while leaving an LSP ready finish! Correcting Cream can be compared to 3D ONE it is very similar in overall performance. Essentially Correcting Cream was 3D ONE before 3D ONE existed. 3D One overall is a nice product however I do prefer Correcting Cream over ONE.
Lake Country Microfiber One Step Pad
Above I stated that Correcting Cream is essentially a hybrid of a compound/polish well the same theory applies to the Lake Country microfiber One-Step pad. It offers a great cut for removing defects effectively and time-efficient all while leaving an excellent finish. So Correcting Cream offers a great cutting/finish ability as well as the Lake Country One-Step pad making this a match made in heaven!
What Makes The Lake Country One-Step Pad Different From Traditional Microfiber Cutting Pads?
There are many reasons why the One-Step microfiber pad offers such a good cutting/finish ability. The fibers are softer and longer when compared to traditional microfiber cutting pads. The other important factor is the orange interface that is behind the microfibers. The orange interface is indeed a polishing pad interface meaning that the mechanical energy from your machine polisher is going to be more gentle to the paint finish. Traditional microfiber cutting pads utilize a much firmer foam interface to maximize cut. The orange foam interface is the same as the orange Lake Country SDO/HDO pad. So we all know microfiber offers great cut and the orange interface gives us that perfect finish making this a ridiculously effective one-step pad.
BEFORE / AFTERS
How Does this Combo Work on Soft Paint?
When working with softer paint systems you will have to adjust your method/technique. Frequently cleaning/blowing out your pads is imperative to achieving a great finish. As well as maybe not doing as many passes. If you are indeed using the combo on softer paint and not getting the finish you desire it is important to figure out why you can’t get it to finish. Here are a few tips to help you dial in the process. Try using LESS POLISH! The more polish you use the more cut you are going to get. Backing down the amount of polish added to your pad means you are being less aggressive and that can make all the difference when working on softer paints. Also back down on your speed/pressure and try doing fewer passes. Sometimes by doing a complete buffing cycle you can be counter-intuitive and cause micro marring by extended buffing cycles.
Conclusion
This Pad/Polish combination is an absolute winner. It is an extremely rewarding combination that gives you the ultimate sweet spot of cutting and finishing ability and you can’t ask for more when doing a One-Step paint correction. One-Steps are the backbone of the detailing industry and this is why I encourage all to try this deadly combination!
Joe,interesting article,thank you.
My wife’s vehicle has a quite light single horizontal scratch on one panel, it’s around 12 inches long. Would this cream and pad be a good combination for this scenario. I plan on laying a coat of meguairs ceramic wax afterwards. Thanks
Excellent write-up Joe! (as always) I just purchased Menzerna 400 and it’s an excellent one-step, but now I’m super interested in Griot’s. Just not sure I’m ready do deal with the hassle of cleaning microfiber pads. Sweet profile pic btw haha. Hope you continue to write articles here
I’d like to say that Griot’s correcting cream is a great choice when doing a 1 step. It’s the bottle that empties out the fastest in the cupboard. Im not a professional, but I get professional results. Could you tell me, do you get good results with a orange LC HDO foam pad?
Looks a bit like pad haze left behind hurting clarity. Yes many of the detects are removed but I’m not sure the result is much better considering how cloudy the images look.
I have experienced the same thing with correcting cream. This is where I feel 3D One is better. It finishes out a bit nicer. But it probably has more to do with the microfiber pad than correcting cream alone with this paint.
Definitely needs to be followed up with another step.
Thanks for the article.
Dan, I was looking at the cloudy images as well. The hood shot looked better than the rest of the before/after’s. I too depend on 3D One and also love the Griots system on certain applications.
Thanks for the tips! Very appreciative!