Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24

Thread: clay bars

  1. #1
    instalher's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    33
    Post Thanks / Like

    clay bars

    is there a good better best brand of clay bars?? I need to replace my old ones and was looking at simonize at Canadian Tire, that was the cheapest brand, Megs was 50% more money, as was Autoglym and Mothers... Can someone with experience point me in the right direction, I will go through 4 bars a yr. so I don`t use them very often...but I noticed some problem issues on my cars paint the other day and a clay bar bath is scheduled for this sunday..

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    288
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Look into clay pads. Griots Garage, Nanoskin to name two

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    PRND[S]'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    315
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    I second that recommendation. I have a Nanoskin Autoscrub Medium Grade Mitt, as well as a Fine Grade Mitt. I use the Medium a lot more and would recommend that as a starting point for solving contamination problems. I`ve probably used it on about a dozen entire cars, and it still has a good bit of life left in it, making it a very good value.

    Just keep it and similar products away from products like IronX and APCs. Thoroughly rinse the vehicle before you let the polymer come into contact with the car.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Noting that I won`t touch my car with a Decontamination Pad/Towel....

    What brands of clay are available in Canada? I simply don`t know...

    What about the Ricardo/Smart Clay? What about Sonus SFX? Those are the two I like best but they`re not sold everywhere.

    Somebody else probably sells the Smart Clay under a different name, no idea whom though.

    instalher- I wouldn`t buy clay that I didn`t have good feedback about. The Mothers isn`t bad and IME when I compared them (things change..) was very similar to the Griot`s Garage clay.

    I`ve never used the Meguiar`s because so many people used to post negative comments about it. But again, things change.

    I wouldn`t buy Simoniz unless I knew who was making it for them and how it compares to others.

    AutoGlym makes some good stuff, but a lot of Good Stuff Making Companies have sold clay that disappointed people.

    So I wouldn`t buy anything you don`t have a lot of positive feedback on.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    380
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Not sure whether you can buy it in Canada, but I`ve been using Pinnacle clay for a few years now without having issues.
    For clay lube, ONR/distilled works well, mixed a bit "stronger" than the instructions on the bottle suggest.

  6. #6
    EdLancer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Montreal, Canada
    Posts
    1,057
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    You`re in Canada. We have the best clay bars in North America !
    The stuff at Crappy Tire is expensive and second rate, they mostly have Mothers and Meguiars clay bars at $25-$30/ounce in those silly kits.
    The Ricardo Yellow clay bars are the most sought after clay bars by American detailers which they cannot buy in the US.
    Four bars a year ...Jesus what are you claying ? I use a bar in about 3-4 years for my own car !

  7. #7
    Dellinger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    410
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Meg`s Professional Mild/ Aggressive are the best quality I have found yet. (Never tried the Ricardo.)

    Mother`s used to be a nice choice for OTC but they have recently changed the product and the bar is now more grabby and I don`t recommend it at this point.

    Forget clay substitutes (nanoskin pads and every other version out there) if you have a dark base color.
    Former Pro, Now Enthusiast

  8. #8
    PRND[S]'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    315
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Quote Originally Posted by Dellinger View Post
    Forget clay substitutes (nanoskin pads and every other version out there) if you have a dark base color.
    Why?
    Thanks Mary B, JWShine thanked for this post

  9. #9
    Wax Waster Ronkh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    SwFL
    Posts
    27,090
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Quote Originally Posted by EdLancer View Post
    You`re in Canada. We have the best clay bars in North America !
    The stuff at Crappy Tire is expensive and second rate, they mostly have Mothers and Meguiars clay bars at $25-$30/ounce in those silly kits.
    The Ricardo Yellow clay bars are the most sought after clay bars by American detailers which they cannot buy in the US.
    Four bars a year ...Jesus what are you claying ? I use a bar in about 3-4 years for my own car !

    As of a couple of years ago, Ricardo was made available in the US. Autogeek did carry it for a while.
    Formerly the "Best Detailer", now just Super Wax Waster Man. Not necessarily tactful, but normally right. It`s good to be da King !!!
    Likes EdLancer liked this post

  10. #10
    NLove's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts
    143
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    I am curious to hear peoples opinions of why they don`t care for clay alternatives? As a rule of thumb its recommended to do a correction step after you use clay or a clay alternative since you can get marring, even if some of the marring is unseen by the naked eye. I have both clay and clay alternatives. The fine speedy prep towel IMO has served me well, even when using it on the soft black trim that is notorious for scratching around my panoramic roof (similar to the pillars around windows). Now my clay towel hasn`t been put through the ringer so as the towel collects more contaminants I am guessing more marring will occur. For the amount of time it saves me, I will just replace it when needed.

    Let`s throw a real world example out there. Say you are going to correct a vehicle and you use a medium grade clay alternative that leaves you with some marring. If you know you are going to correct a vehicle and the clay alternative is going to save you a ton of time IMO the trade off is worth it. The marring is going to be corrected with a light polish, so it`s not like you would take a more aggressive approach, which in turn you are not removing any additional paint.

    I have had one black car that I worked on that I got marring on with a fine grade towel. If I was not going to correct it, I would have switched over to clay to see if I got different results.

    With all that being said do a test panel and see what works and what doesn`t work for you. Inspect the panel before and after, also try different clay lube. All of these options is part of what makes life great.
    Likes PRND[S], VitreousHumor liked this post
    Thanks Mary B, VitreousHumor thanked for this post

  11. #11
    Wax Waster Ronkh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    SwFL
    Posts
    27,090
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Just my personal

    I get a better "feel" from using clay.
    Formerly the "Best Detailer", now just Super Wax Waster Man. Not necessarily tactful, but normally right. It`s good to be da King !!!
    Likes The Guz liked this post
    Thanks NLove thanked for this post

  12. #12
    Long Time Member GearHead_1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    10,695
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronkh View Post
    Just my personal

    I get a better "feel" from using clay.
    Yup.
    A society willing to trade liberty for temporary security deserves neither and will lose both
    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
    Likes Ronkh liked this post
    Thanks NLove thanked for this post

  13. #13
    EdLancer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Montreal, Canada
    Posts
    1,057
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Clay for lengthy details, oven cleaner for quick and cheap details professional detailers use Easy-Off for those $50-$75 jobs !
    I have used it even on new Caddy CTS ! ...LoL
    Thanks NLove thanked for this post

  14. #14
    Mary B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Lakeville Mn.
    Posts
    1,508
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Quote Originally Posted by EdLancer View Post
    Clay for lengthy details, oven cleaner for quick and cheap details professional detailers use Easy-Off for those $50-$75 jobs !
    I have used it even on new Caddy CTS ! ...LoL
    WOW gotta research that one !


  15. #15

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    86,975
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: clay bars

    Quote Originally Posted by NLove
    I am curious to hear peoples opinions of why they don`t care for clay alternatives?
    I consider marring far more likely with the Decontamination Towels. If I mar paint with the clays I use I`m *SORELY* disappointed with myself! I basically don`t correct my vehicles any more, at least not on a regular basis and I never need to do a whole-vehicle correction, but I bet I *would* have to do that should I use a Nanoskin/etc. (OR...the wrong clay/claying technique).

    I knead/replace my clay after doing a *VERY* small area..might be only a few inches, sometimes not even that much. Once it gets contaminated I consider it "sandpaper" and I don`t want to rub my paint with it. And that`s despite using *LOTS* of lube and a very gentle touch. I really do strive to affect the "glide-and-shear" approach to claying; if I even compromise the LSP I label it a FAIL.

    The Decontamination Towels...I simply cannot see how one would avoid marring with them. AFAIK, their instructions even say to *NOT* use them on flat/matte/satin paints because of the likelihood of abrasion. I simply will not instill any unnecessary, additional damage to a vehicle. I only have so much paint to work with before it`s (five-figure) Repaint Time, and I prefer OE paint anyhow.

    (Aggressive "detailing" by others has simply ruined two of my vehicles...no need for it to have happened IMO, zero way to fix to my satisfaction, all I can do is try to not let it bother me. Some damage is forever, especially when originality matters.)

    NOW...heh heh...where`s the discussion of Chemical Decontamination? Something (literally) foolproof like ValuGard`s ABC system...just do a series of washes and the job`s done with basically no risk of damage. That stuff`s geared towards, uhm... a certain type of employee who`s likely to not take due care (to put it nicely). IF you`re redoing a whole vehicle that can do the job in place of mechanical approaches like clay/decon. towels. I`ve done great on new-to-me vehicles in *HIDEOUS* condition with the Chemical approach, easy as could be too.

    EdLancer- Is the Easy-Off safe for all auto surfaces? I thought it needed to be kept off certain things, but then I guess there are a few different versions to choose from. Wonder how it`d stack up against something nasty-but-effective like FK1119 (which might even be off the market now).
    Thanks NLove thanked for this post

 

 
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. "Easy Clay" brand clay bars on Amazon - experience? Opinions?
    By someidiot in forum Car Detailing Product Discussion
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 01-03-2011, 05:27 PM
  2. Megs Quick Clay -clay bars, QD & sponges
    By icu812 in forum Good Deals
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 01-05-2007, 10:18 PM
  3. Where to buy clay bars alone?
    By White95Max in forum Car Detailing
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-18-2004, 08:01 AM
  4. clay bars
    By skatana600 in forum Car Detailing
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 01-01-2003, 01:53 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •