1st time using clay bar

[TECH986ART]

Anyone with good experience using the clay bar? I notice the surface of my paint is very rough, what is the benefit by using it? Any tips?

thanks!!

[Stryke]

Yes, I own a detail shop and go through 10+ clay bars per week. Here's a few general tips.

Never drop it on the floor. If you do it goes in the garbage.

Use soapy water to lube the panel well and keep it wet. Do not use water for lube as it dries fast and will stain the clear.

Be sure to turn the clay and stretch it often to expose a clean area.

Do the bumpers and lower portions last as they are the worst and they will cause abrasives to scratch the higher panels.

Do not apply pressure. Let the bar do the work. It is better to go over an area 5 times lightly than twice hard.

Lastly, please do not wash your cars with dish washing soap. Dish washing soap is a degreeser and just as you would not wash it with wheel cleaner, do not wash with dish soap.

[Perfectlap]

basically you should never wax your car if it needs claying.
Use soapy water like or specific clay lubricant and wash after claying and before waxing.
I never wax or polish without a quick clay first.
keep a bowl of soapy water to clean off the clay and fold frequently so that you are alway working with a clean side of clay.
I don't believe in this folding the clay without first cleaning it thoruoghly to remove sediments and debris.
Don't reuse clay its asking for trouble.

[PDXBoxster]

Originally Posted by TECH986ART

Anyone with good experience using the clay bar? I notice the surface of my paint is very rough, what is the benefit by using it? Any tips?

thanks!!

Hi!
I have recently used a clay bar on my 01 Boxster (Seal Gray) and the results are pretty amazing! You spray on the liquid that comes with the kit and rub the clay bar over the liquid in straight lines (don't use a circular motion) and the viola! the finish is as smooth as a baby's ... er, very smooth. You can then use a finishing polishing compound and then put on the carnuba (I have also used Mequiars NXT wax with good results and it is easy on/off).

Everyone who has seen the before and after say they can really tell the differance.

I used Mother's "CALIFORNIA GOLD® CLAY BAR PAINT SAVING SYSTEM"

[Brucelee]

Much good advice here.


Clay is indepensable.

[TECH986ART]

Thanks guys!!! I truly thank all for the fast response!! I learned somthing new again.

Should I follow with a cleaner paint cleaner, then polish, and finally some NXT tech wax? For best results, or can I just jump to the final wax stage?

[Stryke]

No need for a paint cleaner after a clay. If the car doesn't have any swirl marks after clay just wax it with a good carnuba such as P21S.

Repeat wax every 4 weeks and repeat clay every 2-3 months.

[PDXBoxster]

Stryke,
This is off this topic but I wanted to chat with you about your Boxster mods.

I will start a new thread.

Thanks!

[Stryke]

Feel free but I sold it to a fellow member here 2 months ago.

[PDXBoxster]

stryke,
sent you a private message.
PDXBosxter

[Ronzi]

Stryke, since you brought up the issue, could you expand a little on your opinion of dish soap as a car wash soap?
I have heard a number of car care products sales people on this topic, and they all throw up their hands in horror at the thought of someone using it to wash their car. However, I sense more than a little bias in this opinion, as why should they say it's ok to use dish soap at $2.29 a bottle when they can sell car soap at $10 a bottle? A matter of self-interest, and self-preservation if you will.
I understand your point about dish soap being a degreaser (it works a heck of a lot better at removing garage grease than hand soap), but if your objective is to remove the wax and start over, is it not just the ticket?

[Stryke]

You can remove the wax in other ways than use a degreaser on your clear coat. Degreasers have agents that can haze or damage clear coats and dish soap should not be used. I personally clay cars then follow with a thin layer of lacquer thinner using a terri applicator and have my guy follow behind with a towel. I don't recommend this in your driveway but this removes all wax and contamination. An "acid bath" as we call it in the industry, or a bottle of white distilled vinegar will also strip the car down to the clear. Then rewash it and start over. Dish soap over a long period of time will not be healthy for your finish!

[scoobyrex27]

This is great info, wish I had it a month ago but now I have put on my wax....

Stryke, would you mind elaborating on the vinegar strip idea. I want to get down to the clear coat so i can clay bar this weekend but don't want to damage anything.

[Stryke]

You can clay right over wax. Besides, if you waxed a month ago you'll need to redo it anyways.

OK look. Go out and wash the entire car with a good car wash soap. I use all Gliptone professional products at my shop but they also have retail products you can buy (www.gliptone.com). They have an awesome soap called wash and glow. It suds up nice and has a chemical that makes the water sheet off the car for easier drying.

After its washed rinse it and don't dry. Wet one panel at a time with the soapy water mitt and clay it. Then rinse the entire car and dry it. Take an applicator and pour vinegar (white distilled) on it and apply it to one panel at a time. Rinse the entire car and wash it again. Your car will be stripped and contamination free at this point.

If you have a dark color or if you see spider webbing or swirls in the cear you can polish it out with a PC or rotary (if you know what you're doing) follow with a glaze and a carnuba wax.

I can elaborate a ton more on different things but this will give you a general idea of what to do each month to keep it looking new.

[Perfectlap]

[QUOTE=TECH986ART]Thanks guys!!! I truly thank all for the fast response!! I learned somthing new again.

Should I follow with a cleaner paint cleaner, then polish, and finally some NXT tech wax? For best results, or can I just jump to the final wax stage?[/QUOTE]

if you love your baby (reminds me of that scene in Harold and Kumar) you should invest in a Porter Cable orbital polisher. I have the popular 7424 which I got from Harbor Freight for $100 during a sale. You'll need a flexible velcro backing plate and a polishing pad(polishes..duh) and finishing pad(waxes and sealants).

as to after claying,
for German paints the Einzett or 1Z line is very popular among Porsche owners. I would give their paint polish a shot either manually or with the Porter Cable orbital polisher, Amazing results in a very short time. The orbital action will prevent inadvertent stripping of the clear coat. German paints are very soft! (actually I think they are illegal here in America, not eco friendly).

I swear by Klasse All in One(cleaning and polishing) and Klasse Sealant Glaze(SG).
After at least 10 coats of Klasse SG (24 hours curing time between coats) I top off with S100 once a month, which is the same as P21S but 1/3 the price.
THe Klasse two step I only do 2 or three times a year.

If your car is black I would try the NXT as a quick detailer but I'm not sure if you can use that over a natural/bio product like Carnauba.
I use Klasse AIO, NXT and Rejex on my wheels, including the barrel of the wheel.

p.s. I highly recommend the Sonus Waffle weave towels with the tufted loop ends.
Microfiber is striclty for interiors on my car. For final buffing you should use something like Sonus Concours Buffing towel. Much of a paints swirling not caused in washing process occurs when owners buff with a polishing towel.

Here's a pic of 12 coats of the Klasse SG with my old Black Car
(this car was never garaged or repainted in ten years).

[jiggysubman]

call me ignorant, but what exactly does using clay do?

[Adam]

It removes surface contaminates from your paint.

[Perfectlap]

yes you can wash your car 4 times in a row and ti won't remove that film that slides right off after one soapy pass of the clay bar.
If you have ever washed and dried your car and imediatly followed with applying wax and noticed that the foam pad was dirty after removing the wax,
well you needed to clay. And you probably micro marred the paint.

[Stryke]

Quick rundown for those not in the know.

Clay is a synthetic polymer which is very smooth and sticky. As we drive the metallic brake dust that gets all over our wheels also gets all over the road. This brake dust is kicked up by cars in front of us and as hot micro razor blades is lodged into the clear coat (top layer of paint) of our cars. This is why when you wash the car and then wax it the wax pad is dirty even though you think the car is clean. The only way to remove these particles is to pull them out. In past years people used paint cleaners which was hard work. Today we use a clay bar. If left untreated these brake dust and atmospheric fallout can oxidize (rust) and this is why you see little orange dots on the car, especially visible on white paint. These rusted particles act to lift the clear coat and eventually cause dull and peeling paint. We need to remove them and seal the paint with a good wax.

Often when these particles are removed we are left with uneven surfaces in the clear coat. They can be permanently fixed with a polish which acts to remove and even out the surface or with a glaze which simply temporarily fills the void. Below is a half ass attempt at illustrating this. Take the zip lock test. Wash your car and then place your hand inside a zip lock bag and run it across your hood. If you feel it's grainy you need to clay. Paint surface should feel like silk.

[Lux]

Why mess with vinegar and its stink? Just wash your car with Dawn and it'll strip the wax right off. This is what Sal of Zaino fame recommends.

Clay, then polish, then protect. NXT is a protectant with some fillers. It does a nice job of hiding light swirls. But getting rid of the swirls is the best solution. BTW, don't bother trying to get rid of swirls by hand. Go PC or don't even bother. If you don't want to invest in a PC, then get a professional detail job and you can "maintain" the appearance with a hand polish/wax afterwards.


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