The MISO compound lineup covers everything from 80 grit to 1500 grit. This guide walks you through which one to pick for your paint's condition, and how to judge what condition your paint is in.
MISO compounds, distributed by POP MONSTER, are a pro-grade compound lineup that runs from 80-grit heavy cut to 1000-grit mirror finish. The design core is pure water-based, zero fill — meaning No.3, No.5, and No.10 are all water-based formulas. No.3 is silicone-free, and No.5 doesn't use oils to fill in scratches, so what you see under the light is the paint's real condition.
Picking the right grit starts with reading your paint's condition correctly. The simplest way is checking it by eye in direct sunlight:
The paint shows a halo of reflected light in the sun but the surface is smooth. No compounding needed — a maintenance product or a coating is enough.
You can see fine, shallow circular or web-like marks in the sun. No.10, 1000 grit on its own is enough.
Beyond swirl marks, there are individual linear scratches you can see, but your fingernail doesn't catch a groove when you run it across. No.5, 600 grit on its own, or No.5 followed by No.10, two steps.
Your fingernail catches a clear groove. Start with No.3, 80 grit, then finish with 600 → 1000.
The paint is hazy all over, has no gloss, and feels rough to the touch. Check it first, then decide. If the oxidation hasn't eaten through the clear coat, it can be brought back: start with No.3, 80 grit heavy cut, then refine with 600 → 1000. If the oxidation has soaked all the way into the paint, it won't come back even if you polish through the paint. That paint is beyond saving, and it's not the compound's fault. If you're not sure of the condition, ask us first instead of going straight to heavy cut.
Higher number means finer. This numbering comes from sandpaper — the higher the number, the finer the particles. So 80 grit = coarse, 1000 grit = fine.
One compound handles the whole process, from correction to mirror finish. MISO No.5, 600 grit is formulated to cut at the start and shift to fine refining as you keep working. Condition permitting, one bottle can take you from moderate scratches to a mirror finish. If needed, finish with a fine foam pad.
The MISO formula reduces heat buildup during compounding, but the main cause of burnt paint is technique (pressure, dwell time, speed), not the compound. The accurate way to put it: "unlikely to burn paint under normal technique."
The logic behind the MISO compound lineup is simple: No.3 for heavy cut, No.5 as the workhorse, No.10 for the finish. Remember one rule: if a finer grit can do the job, never use a coarser one. A coarser grit is faster, but the marks it leaves need more work afterward to remove.
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