Ducky
Co-founder and Lead Tester, ShineMD
Works for Shine Master Detailers LLC, which makes ShineMD.
Car nut, mechanic, and co-founder of ShineMD. Ducky can fix nearly anything on a car, spends as much time drifting and on motorcycle stunts as he does in the shop, and runs the hands-on product and testing work behind ShineMD and this site.
Credentials
- Co-founder of ShineMD
- Hands-on lead for ShineMD product and panel testing
- Lifelong car builder, drift driver, and motorcycle stunt rider
I am the co-founder who lives in the shop. If something needs fixing on a car, I fix it. If a coating claim needs checking on a panel, I am the one putting it down, washing it, and reading the instruments.
The short version of why this site exists: we could not find a graphene product whose durability claim came with anything we trusted, so we built ShineMD and committed to publishing the measurements either way — including the ones that do not flatter us. Drift cars and motorcycle stunts are how I spend the rest of my time. They are also why I care whether a coating actually holds up, rather than whether the marketing says it does.
My Instagram is @yung_duck_, and Ducky is the name I go by and publish under. The portrait on this page is from the shop — no generated face.
Tests they run
Articles by Ducky
How to Clean a Car Interior Without Ruining It
Vacuum order, chemistry by surface, and what not to soak. Interior cleaning that does not create a worse problem than the dirt.
How to Get Streak-Free Car Windows Without Guessing the Cause
Surface mineral deposits and etched glass need different fixes. A sequence for streak-free windows without guessing which problem you have.
How to Prepare a Car for Winter Road Salt and Cold
Road salt, underbody rinse habits, door seals and coating care through winter. Practical seasonal prep without a product shopping list.
How to Tell If Paint Needs Correction Before You Polish
Swirl marks, holograms and dull paint look similar until you inspect under the right light. A diagnosis ladder before you polish anything.
The Best Ceramic Spray Coating for Most People
Four ceramic sprays compared on application, price, and maker claims. Ours is one of them. Durability rankings wait on published instrument readings.
How to Remove Brake Dust From Wheels Without Damaging Them
Brake dust is hot iron embedded into the finish, not dirt sitting on it. Why soap alone cannot work, and how to clean wheels without ruining the coating.
How to Wash a Car Without Scratching It
Most swirl marks are installed during washing and drying, not by weather. The technique that prevents them, and why two buckets is only half the answer.
Wax vs Sealant vs Ceramic Coating: How to Choose
Four products, one job, wildly different lifespans and effort. A straight comparison of what each actually does, from a company that sells one of them.
How Long Do Ceramic Coatings Really Last?
Durability claims in this category range from weeks to a decade for the same products. Why the numbers conflict, and what we are measuring instead of asserting.
Graphene vs Ceramic Coating: What Is Actually Different
Nearly every graphene coating is a silica coating with graphene added. What that means for durability claims, and which differences we can currently measure.
How to Remove Bug Splatter From Car Paint and Front Bumpers
Bug remains break down paint through enzymes and alkalinity, which is why they worsen fast in heat. A soak-first method for bumpers, grilles and mirrors.
How to Remove Bird Droppings From Car Paint Before They Etch
Bird droppings etch paint through heat and shrinkage, not acid. What that changes about removing them, and how long you actually have before damage sets in.
How to Remove Water Spots From Car Paint, By Type
Three different problems get called water spots and each needs a different fix. How to identify which one you have before you reach for anything abrasive.
Does Graphene Coating Actually Work? What Can and Cannot Be Claimed
We make a graphene coating, so we tested whether graphene does anything measurable. What the claims are, which are testable, and what the evidence shows.
How to Remove Tree Sap From Car Paint Without Damaging It
Tree sap removed on real painted panels, with the alcohol concentration question settled and the dwell times that actually worked on hardened resin.