Sharkhide Metal Protectant

Darren S · #1 03-12-2010, 12:16 PM

Has anyone tried this stuff on their airplane after they polished it ?

http://www.sharkhide.com/mpinfo.html

Seems pretty interesting and a way to protect the aluminum surface and keep it shiny longer ? I am still waffling between polishing my -7 and painting. Polishing I can do and I know the finish I will get. Painting is another animal all together.

If this stuff works as advertised, a polished airplane maybe as easy to clean and maintain as a painted bird.

Darren

FresnoR · #2 03-12-2010, 03:44 PM

at $60 per quart it may be worth a try.

I wonder how easily it scratches off, or if it leaves a haze.

Darren S · #3 03-12-2010, 08:24 PM

That's what I would like to know too. What does the aluminum surface look like after you wash it and dry it with a Chamois ?

Does this stuff flake off around the rivet heads ? Trap dirt ? Get cloudy after a period of time ?

Hopefully someone out there has tried Sharkhide and can report back.

Darren

Snowflake · #4 03-12-2010, 10:39 PM

The website does mention recoating worn areas, says you don't need to remove the existing Sharkhide to do it. Just wipe over the existing Sharkhide, and it melts the original Sharkhide and forms a new coat.

That sounds to me like a chemical process, which makes me a little nervous. What happens if you get it on your canopy? How does it affect painted trim? Vinyl decals? etc. I'd want to polish up a spare piece of aluminum first to test.

ddurakovich · #5 03-13-2010, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflake

What happens if you get it on your canopy? How does it affect painted trim? Vinyl decals? etc. I'd want to polish up a spare piece of aluminum first to test.

Not a chemical process per se, but a mixture of polymers dissolved in a solvent. The MSDS shows Xylene and Toluene as the primary constituents (~90%). Most aggressive towards plexiglass, vinyl, and some paints.

Literature also shows that the material is not resistant to hydrocarbons, so fuel spills would be problematic. In fact, they claim that cleaning it off is as simple as wiping down with lacquer thinner. That's good news and bad news depending on where you plan to use it!

I'd try it, but $60 plus shipping (Might also be Haz-Mat surcharges) is a bit more than I want to spend on an unknown......

vfrazier · #6 03-17-2010, 11:27 AM

OMG! Please don't use any polishes containing toluene, xylene, or other nasty solvents around your airplane. There are much better ways to easily get a nice shine w/o any worries if you get some on your canopy.

This product pair works very well. The polish is a snap to use with no hard rubbing. Light pressure is all you need. The chemistry does the work. The protectant seals the aluminum for up to a year.

My F1 Rocket is painted, but I use this on my aluminum mag wheels on my truck. It takes about ONE minute to polish a wheel by hand. Wipe off, and apply the protectant and you're good for up to a year.

I apologize for the shameless plug, but this stuff works sooooooo much better than the older metal polishes.

http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/sto...roducts_id=213

We can get it in bulk quantities up to 55 gallon drums too!!