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Adding clear coat to preserve original finish

96.SVT.COBRA

I should Work at Oakley
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I recently picked up one of my best pairs to date, a first gen XX 24K which overall is in great condition. It has just started to have a slight discoloration on the tip and its not that much. You can see where some of the gold finish shows buildup and the plasma finish looks unfinished. With X-Man now being able to add a clear coat to the frames, is this something that ya'll would consider if you planned on wearing said pair vs leaving them in the case?

On a side note, is the first gen 24k XX frames the bone finish plasma? It may have changed my mind on a plasma finish as I have not really been a fan on the later gen Juliets. Thanks everyone!
 
Being a NSW I would absolutely give that pair, over any other colorway, a x-man cera-clear-kote.

But if I only wanted to SW them then I'd clean them and leave them alone. But I wear my pairs.
 
keep in mind, by clear coating, you're pretty much turning an oem finish to a non-oem finish automatically. regardless how mint it was.

you're better off to just keep wearing it, IMO. when it gets to a point where it's too bad you can't even wear it, then that's when you get it refinished.
 
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I have considered doing this as well. I have first gen 24k and TiO2. I like to wear them but I want to preserve how the first gen color and prevent fading so I try to wear them as little as possible. Soon I might send them to xman for a clear coat so I don't have to worry about ruining the first gen finish.
 
Yeah, leaving them untouched is great if you never plan to wear them, but if you do, it's better to take preventative steps to preserve the original finish than wait for it to deteriorate then refinish.
 
Yeah, leaving them untouched is great if you never plan to wear them, but if you do, it's better to take preventative steps to preserve the original finish than wait for it to deteriorate then refinish.
I guess we all have different definitions of preserving. personally, I wouldn't consider applying a clear coat as preserving. now, if the clear coat was removable without damaging the original finish then I'd say yes.
 
I guess we all have different definitions of preserving. personally, I wouldn't consider applying a clear coat as preserving. now, if the clear coat was removable without damaging the original finish then I'd say yes.

So how exactly do you personally define "preserve"?
 
So how exactly do you personally define "preserve"?
when you're able to keep something in its original state. like using a (removable) case for my cellphone. not using something that will permanently alter the item.


think a valuable baseball card. you can laminated it to "preserve" it but are you really preserving it?
 
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when you're able to keep something in its original state. like using a (removable) case for my cellphone. not using something that will permanently alter the item.


think a valuable baseball card. you can laminated it to "preserve" it but are you really preserving it?

Well, again, if they were being kept in storage / display, such as you would a valuable baseball card, I would agree that leaving them alone is the best option.

But remember the OP is asking about taking a pair that's notorious for deteriorating with wear and wearing them. How does letting it deteriorate keep it in "its original state"? The deterioration is a change from the original state. If it wasn't, there's be no point in disclosing deterioration in a sale.

If you're looking for a product that fits your definition, though, I would recommend Renaissance Wax - it's a microcrystalline wax polish preservative widely used by museums and collectors. I've used it on brass, high carbon steel blades, etc for years and it works great:

Renaissance Wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But when it comes to defining "preserve", I tend to follow more the dictionary definition, such as:

1. to keep alive or in existence; make lasting:
"to preserve our liberties as free citizens."

2. to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare.

3. to keep up; maintain:
"to preserve historical monuments."

And, by that definition, a clear cerakote will fit the bill better than anything else.
 
Well, again, if they were being kept in storage / display, such as you would a valuable baseball card, I would agree that leaving them alone is the best option.

But remember the OP is asking about taking a pair that's notorious for deteriorating with wear and wearing them. How does letting it deteriorate keep it in "its original state"? The deterioration is a change from the original state. If it wasn't, there's be no point in disclosing deterioration in a sale.

If you're looking for a product that fits your definition, though, I would recommend Renaissance Wax - it's a microcrystalline wax polish preservative widely used by museums and collectors. I've used it on brass, high carbon steel blades, etc for years and it works great:

Renaissance Wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But when it comes to defining "preserve", I tend to follow more the dictionary definition, such as:

1. to keep alive or in existence; make lasting:
"to preserve our liberties as free citizens."

2. to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare.

3. to keep up; maintain:
"to preserve historical monuments."

And, by that definition, a clear cerakote will fit the bill better than anything else.
like I said, we all have our own definition. some people would consider laminating a baseball card as preserving but not me (and not you apparently). as for clear coating, we obviously have different views. and I never said letting it deteriorate would preserve it. you'd have to be stupid to think that.
 
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