Can claying actually harm the finish?

[beeste]

I have tried claying twice now and both times I have been sure that the clay is picking up minute particles that I have not noticed (mainly from the lower panels) and as a result scratching the surface. It`s really hard to see or feel the clay doing it as I use a lot of lubricant but I`m sure something is happening. What am I doing wrong? Am I the only one to get claying so wrong?

[White95Max]

I had a problem with scratching from the clay a couple weeks ago on a silver car. I couldn`t see any scratches until I turned my halogens on. Then they were quite obvious, almost like holograms. But SSR2.5 on a polishing pad quickly got rid of them.

This was a brand new clay bar too, and I was kneading the clay twice per panel, and using lots of lubricant. I was really confused when I saw the scratching.

[J.J.]

I clayed my car today and feel the same way you do. Granted, this was the first time this car had ever been clayed. I went through an entire bar of Clay Magic and now need more. I feel that claying will not be something I do very often to the whole car, only spot calying from now on.



It took me quite awhile to clay while QEWing... around 2.5 hrs. The improvement was noticable but now my car is sitting in the garage w/o wax!



Needless to say, I need some more clay! Can anyone recommend a source for buying good clay at a relatively fair price. I was not that impressed with clay magic. It was not easy to knead. Any other good clays out there?



JJ

[Accumulator]

When claying, you gotta consider how it works, the clay picks up the contamination and *then the clay is contaminated*. Some of the contamination is embedded in the clay, but some of it will protrude from the clay and act like sandpaper. If you keep moving that clay across the surface you`ll cause scratches. So as soon as the clay picks up some potentially abrasive contamination, you gotta knead/fold/replace the clay. Sometimes this means you must do something after *one* stroke with the clay. Takes a lot of self-discipline and patience, but that`s the only way to be truly safe about it. Many people might be better off with a middle-of-the-road approach, trying to minimize the marring but accepting that they`ll probably have to polish out *some* scratches.



FWIW, I like the Sonus clay from the Autopia store but I can`t tell you if it`s inexpensive or not.

[JustinR32]

Cut your clay bar into quarters. Flatten one piece out. Use one side of the piece you flattened for a couple square feet, then fold the used face in on itself and re-flatten for the next section. Continue working in this fashion.



There is actually a mathematical equation that states how many times you can fold a surface in this manner without re-exposing the starting surface; it`s somewhere around 28 times, but my memory is bad. It`s a topological puzzle. The point is that as long as you keep refolding and don`t drop the clay, one quarter of a claybar should suffice even for a big car without scratching.





Tom

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by Mosca

There is actually a mathematical equation that states how many times you can fold a surface in this manner without re-exposing the starting surface; it`s somewhere around 28 times, but my memory is bad. It`s a topological puzzle. The point is that as long as you keep refolding and don`t drop the clay, one quarter of a claybar should suffice even for a big car without scratching....



Heh heh, of course the key to doing this correctly is to (correctly) solve the puzzle ;)

[imported_Sullybob]

And fold the clay perfectly evenly each time you fold it :)

When I fold and knead clay my clay it doesn`t look very good, but it gets the job done:)

[Glossmaster]

Ditto, Accumulator!

[imported_Jinba ittai]

Originally posted by White95Max

This was a brand new clay bar too, and I was kneading the clay twice per panel, and using lots of lubricant. I was really confused when I saw the scratching.



Happened to me just yesterday. I debated whether or not to clay my new paintjob. I really don`t like claying for fear of scratching but I figured it was a good thing to do to get any contaminents, overspray or polish and/or wax off that was put on by the bodyshop.



I clayed it with a brand new Z-18 claybar. I followed the intructions to the letter. Washed with Dawn first. Cut one bar in two and was very, very careful. Used lots of lube (16oz of distilled water w/one capful of Z7 in a spray bottle) and tried to glide the bar over the paint as gently as possible. I checked the clay frequently, turned it over, folded and kneaded it, etc. I used one half of the bar for the top of the car and the other half for the lower part and did the wheels last so as to minimalize contamination. As it turned out I hardly got any contaminents at all. The bar wasn`t dirty except when I clayed the wheels at the very end.



I then washed with Z7 and upon drying it I saw all sorts of scratches/marks up and down on the trunk, hood and even the sides. :angry I was cursing myself for for claying what was a perfectly good finish and making it worse!. I then had to go over the car with glaze and Scratch X and rewashed again with Dawn to cleanse the finish. I must`ve added 3 hours of work to what should`ve been an hour. Fortunately after all that the finish was completely cleansed. The water on the last wash just sheeted right off without any beading whatsoever. The paint was squeaky clean.



Fortunately I got all the marks/scratches out and feel a lot better today after putting a nice coat of Z1/Z5 on. Car looks fantastic so I guess the claying didn`t hurt any and was in the end a good thing to do but I can`t see doing it again for quite awhile. I`ll do spot claying, but the whole car? Not anytime soon. It`s just too nervewracking. :eek:

[togwt]

Detailer`s clay is the only way I know of that will remove imbedded contaminents from a paint surface, polishing may `shave` off the top but leave a penetration for water and airborne pollutants with the imbedded particle acting as a conduit, which will cause rust to the base metal.



Like all things in detailing there is a learning curve to the proper application, and with practice you will will master it. There are countless threads on application methodology, all I could add to most of them is - use plenty of lubricant (this means soap and water0 work on an area of no more than 2-foot square, cut the bar into small squares and fold/knead often oh and did I say lubrication is very important?

JonM

[MelHal74]

yeah I also learned this leason the hard way. I put a nice lil clear coat scatch on my car when I clayed it. I`ll probably still use this bar for spot claying, but if i do it again I`m buying a new bar.. Just make sure to keep re working the clay and be very careful

[182blue]

i recently bought some clay and when you rub against the paint you can easily see the marks it leaves, but using the pc they are very easily removed