[Kev Martin]

I have had 3 of our customers direct me to the Video on Monster Brushes and asking for my opinion.

They claim they are the fastest stripping system on the planet at £149.95. 

They use a slate floor with a topical sealer on!  (They do not say which sealer it is or the time frame of application).
They then apply a stripper!  (They do not say how long it is on the floor or what brand it is)
They then start up a 150RPM Wirbel Rotary Machine fitted with Drive board with several brushes fitted to it and scrub the floor.
They then vac it and show the slate clean!!!

My opinion is:

I have been teaching an identical practice on our course for nearly 4 years and Marblelife Ltd have been doing the same process on restoring slate and similar riven stone for over 6+ Years using a brush system that costs less than £50.

Kind Regards

Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics

[StoneSealersHQ]

I can't see what the problem is Kevin, people will use whatever they want to use. It's up to them to decide, no need for negativity? I received a couple of emails yesterday, no problem to me, Mikes a really nice guy and runs a good course.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

No difference between someone using a £3k portable to clean a carpet or a £20k truckmount.

There's no single system that people use for any type of cleaning - and rightly so.

[Kev Martin]

I can't see what the problem is Kevin, people will use whatever they want to use. It's up to them to decide, no need for negativity? I received a couple of emails yesterday, no problem to me, Mikes a really nice guy and runs a good course.

Dave

No one said there was a problem, no one mentioned any names!

Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics

[StoneSealersHQ]

It's really obvious Kevin, loads of people received an email yesterday.

[Floor_Tony]

All Kevin was doing was voicing his opinion and voicing his opinion on it at no point did Kevin say Mike is a nasty bloke or runs a bad course you bought that into it. So don't understand why you would want to add that into!?

As you have stated a forum is for voicing opinions and to share each other opinions/methods. So there was negativity about the post at all.

So now actually share your thoughts on these brushes! Would you, have you bought them?

[StoneSealersHQ]

Tony,

I was stating that I had no problem with mike sending me emails to promote his new brushes, he's a nice guy, l like him, a good businessman.

It doesn't matter whether Kevin mentioned mikes name or not, he left enough details in there for the people in the know, to know who he was talking about. Believe me everyone knew within minutes. And those who weren't aware, would do so with a quick google search.

Would I buy his brushes? No because I already have my own brushes. Would they work? Of course, there's half as much surface area, so there's double the point pressure. They look like 46g tynex filaments so they should cut.

I'm not going to speculate on how much better they are, if the price is right etc etc. at the end of the day it is a product that someone will either purchase or not. I'm not against people having an opinion, that's what a forum is for.

Digging out on someone to promote your own wares which is basically what this thread is about, smacks of negativity and desperation. Face it, you'll always have competitors, how you respond and deal with it, is how you will be remembered. As a negative or positive influence, you decide.

Just my opinion....

[Jason Smith]

No difference between someone using a £3k portable to clean a carpet or a £20k truckmount.

There's no single system that people use for any type of cleaning - and rightly so.

Perfect quote Steve, sad that some people only believe in there own hype!!

[Jamie Pearson]

I received a set today.

They are frankfurt segments with diamond impregnated filaments.

Not used them yet but have a good test for them in the next week or so and will report back with how they compare to our traditional method.

[Floor_Tony]

We never had the e-mail! We have been sent it by three separate E-mails sent to him asking for his opinion, I myself have had two calls about them and asked my opinion, Kevin thought instead of whispering about them it would make for discussion. And believe me there is no desperation needed only you show that through your fake persona.

Coincidence really that you and Jason both join at the same time and attack Kevin in anyway you can.

So your flavour of the month is Universeal at the moment, few months a go it was DryTreat before that your own brand I look forward to see what the next is......

[Jason Smith]

It's no coincidence Tony, both Dave & I work together like you & your Dad. We just thought it would be a good idea to join the forum and offer our expanse of knowledge and experience to the members.

We do accept whilst offering advice we did mention our brand without paying for advertising, that mistake has now been sorted so hopefully no need for anymore complaints or post deletions.

[StoneSealersHQ]

What happened to aquaseal stc?

[Floor_Tony]

Aqual Seal (All for stone) is still around and we still stock it. Long story short there was not enough in the range to satisfy the quickly depleting stock of Aqua Mix. Kevin acted the find a replacement after months of testing other products not just the ones available in the UK but others as well as a couple of manufacturers Kevin made a decision whether you agree or not that Aqua Mix is still the best out there. So he sent a e-mail requesting to reconsider there position again long story short and unexpectedly they said yes.

As for Ian Taylor (All for stone) we have a lot of respect for him and I'm sure he will produce a great range and we look forward to his new products and still stock and will continue to stock it.

[Jason Smith]

Fair enough, good luck with it as we all know Aqua Mix is a premium product range of very good quality, but certainly not the only premium brand nor best by a long chalk.

In my opinion there are a number of brands that out perform Aqua Mix, for one the UK market leader Lithofin offers greater value for money and product quality. I know you will reply strongly disagreeing I would expect you to defend your brand. But believe me we have tested all the sealers we can get our hands on recently and lets just say they aren't No 1 for nothing.

With respect I know you guys also do a lot of testing but we have the tools to complete more thorough testing, using a mass spectrometer can tell you a lot about the quality of an stone Impregnator.

Just my opinion Tony, I don't want to debate about it that's my opinion and we already been there and we know where you stand on this.

[Floor_Tony]

Of course ill disagree I wouldn't expect anything different from you to say it is not the best! 

As for the debate I love them, All the big fancy equipment does not interest me as you know it what works on the road and for the individual.

Aqua Mix deserves a lot of respect they were the first company to do what they did water-based wise and still are market leaders maybe not in the UK at the moment (sales) wise. At the end of the day it is a professional and as you stated a premium product.

[Jason Smith]

Can't disagree and I did say premium product, the trouble is technology doesn't stay new for long. I agree they were the first to do what they did with water based technology but what you need to know Tony is the Fluorine Chemists all talk and it doesn't take long to catch up.

The problem you have is you have a great product which is over priced. Trouble is there are products out there now that can match Aqua Mix and are 30% less expensive. Mark my words over the next couple of years stone sealers are going to become cheaper and cheaper and the quality will not be compromised. The same thing is going to happen as it did with the tile adhesive market, it all used to be about BAL, Ardex, PCI etc, now there isn't such a thing as a crap tile adhesive. The same will happen to the sealer market, people will realise that the leaders in technology have been making to much money for to long and the technology has been match at a fraction of the cost. As we all know its very difficult for the big brands to slash there prices, they have no option but to stick to there guns and keep pushing superiority, but people have become cute especially in tough economic times.

Without the fancy machinery us manufacturers cannot produce the product that works in the field.

[Floor_Tony]

So you have your own factory then. You physically run it and employ? Or pay chemists to make your products then import them?

[Kev Martin]

Fair enough, good luck with it as we all know Aqua Mix is a premium product range of very good quality, but certainly not the only premium brand nor best by a long chalk.

In my opinion there are a number of brands that out perform Aqua Mix, for one the UK market leader Lithofin offers greater value for money and product quality. I know you will reply strongly disagreeing I would expect you to defend your brand. But believe me we have tested all the sealers we can get our hands on recently and lets just say they aren't No 1 for nothing.

With respect I know you guys also do a lot of testing but we have the tools to complete more thorough testing, using a mass spectrometer can tell you a lot about the quality of an stone Impregnator.

Just my opinion Tony, I don't want to debate about it that's my opinion and we already been there and we know where you stand on this.

Jason

Now We are beginning to get down to it.  If your opinion is so low of the Aqua Mix brand It is a shame You spent so long trying to replicate the product perhaps you should now try replicating Lithofin now instead as you seem to think so highly of it.  I am sorry you are so bitter about me not backing your brand I decided LTP was the brand I needed to carry for my DIY customers  One thing is for certain Aqua Mix Professional Products has been around for well over 35 years and it will still be around long after Universeal is gone.

Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics  

[SteveAllan]

Whoa, steady guys, we have experienced people on all sides here who we can glean info and techniques from for the better of the stone care world. Lets not fall out peace

[StoneSealersHQ]

That's a very bitter post Kev, from what I've read Jason has wrote that Aquamix is a premium product and very good quality; just not the best. His opinion.

Personally I do rate the aquamix sealers (apart from enrich & seal), good quality but expensive for today's market. Just my opinion.