Clay bars and marring

[JHZR2]

Hello,

I am gettng mixed info on clay bars. Some say it is supr safe and critical... yet some places I see that it mars the surface and that swirls can be noted after claying.

Is this an issue of poor practices, or is polishing/filling really critical after claying because it will cause issues?

What is the best clay? Ive heard sonus green, griots and zaino, but for every good thing, I seem to hear something bad too.

Thoughts?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Hello,

I am gettng mixed info on clay bars. Some say it is supr safe and critical... yet some places I see that it mars the surface and that swirls can be noted after claying.

Using a dirty clay and/or not applying enough lubricant while claying may lead to swirls/scratches. I've used it for years on my silver A4 and never had any problems. I haven't gotten around to trying it on my black 530i yet... getting too lazy for this stuff nowadays.

Quote:

Is this an issue of poor practices, or is polishing/filling really critical after claying because it will cause issues?

I don't think polishing is necessary, but waxing definitely is since clay will strip whatever wax you had on there. You could always try a sealant/polish combo such as Zaino, too.

Quote:

What is the best clay? Ive heard sonus green, griots and zaino, but for every good thing, I seem to hear something bad too.

I haven't tried too many of them, but from those that I did, I liked ClayMagic the most. It was softer and easier to work with than Zaino clay.

 

[Ike_Clanton]

How do you know when its time to get a new clay bar?

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Hello,

I am gettng mixed info on clay bars. Some say it is supr safe and critical... yet some places I see that it mars the surface and that swirls can be noted after claying.

Is this an issue of poor practices, or is polishing/filling really critical after claying because it will cause issues?





Poor practice. Anything can be done wrong. Keep the surface wet with the right lube and the clay doesn't touch the paint so it can't mark it.

If you drop a claybar on the ground throw it away.

 

[bretfraz]

I don't know who is providing the confusion. No question, claying can mar a paint finish. It may not do it every time to every paint surface, but it certainly can happen. I get marring on about half the cars I detail.

Claying is part of a process, so, yes, polishing is critical to obtaining a high quality result. Light polishing will remove clay bar marring unless it is really bad; I never have a problem removing it so I don't worry if I get marring or not.

As far as the best clay, they are all pretty similar. AutoWax Inc / ITW owns the US patent to paint detailing clay, so everyone either buys it from them or pays them a royalty.

There are some clay bars that have a more aggressive abrasive mixed in. They are best suited for removing paint overspray. The clay bars sold at retail are all very mild in abrasiveness, so all are plenty safe to use.

 

[SZR48207]

Bretfraz got it. They can mar if you aren't careful. I always anticipate polishing afterward or at least go with a cleaner wax.

 

[wapacz]

I just go with you can never have to much lube. I end up using like a whole bottle when I do my car.

 

[dgee]

Just use alot of lube and practice a side to side or an up and down motion.
Just a rule of thumb that i follow is to never make any sort of circles when working on paint.

When i apply wax, i use the applicator to apply it side to side.
Clay; spray lube, up and down with the clay, wipe lube with microbiber towel.

Once you clay a car, it should be good for a couple months.
I usually clay my car at the end of winter because of all the salt and crub everywhere and once more after summer.
Just remember to apply a sealant or at very least a layer of wax after claying.

If you have the time:
Wash car & dry
Clay
Polish
Sealant
Wax

 

[roushstage2]

In addition to what has been said already, there are different levels of aggressiveness for clay bars too. If you get a more aggressive one, they generally will induce marring much easier. The most common cause of marring though is not using enough lubrication.

 

[JHZR2]

Well I did two cars, never dropped the bar, kept cleaning it with blackfire clay cleaner, didn't ntice grit, but got this... Only spots on two cars, but bummer all the same... Only an iPhone pic, but it seems to be visible...

 

[roushstage2]

If those scratches came from a clay bar, something got into the clay, you didn't notice, and therefore rubbed it into the paint causing scratches. That isn't marring from a clay bar. Marring looks mostly similar to swirls.

 

[JHZR2]

aaah, ok.

My guess is that I must have caused them, as I do not recall seeing them before.

Doesnt mean that is the case - will be interesting to see on my 82 if I note any new scratches.

Nothing else really showed up on the silver car, but then again I did try to clean the clay often...

Any chance of working those out to be less notable?

 

[The Critic]

If washing the car doesn't take them off, then they are actual scratches and not QD residue (as I have experienced before).

A light polish such as Meguiars M205 and a finishing pad should remove those marks.

 

[roushstage2]

If you can catch them with your fingernail, they are going to be there to stay. You can reduce the appearance of them with a good cleaner, like mentioned above. If you can't catch them with your nail, they should be able to be removed entirely.