Sonus clay causing major scratches!!

**Wes Man** · 02-05-2007, 01:48 AM

i used my sonus clay today for the first time. i used a plenty of clay lube and used a fresh side often but it absolutely scratched the crap out of the paint, almost like sandpaper. i quit using it instantly. i would be in some serious trouble if i didnt know how to correct my mistakes!!! any advice??

**imported_Grouse** · 02-05-2007, 01:49 AM

Is this the grey abrasive clay or green.

did you drop it?

**chutney** · 02-05-2007, 01:58 AM

I never had that problem with the green Sonus clay. I use soapy water using Megs NXT Car Wash. Did you see the scratches or did you feel like scatching? If your car is very contaminated it`s normal to have a lot of resistance in the beginning.

**imported_Grouse** · 02-05-2007, 02:04 AM

from the pics of in his thread (click and brag) it is the sonus Grey clay. which is abrasive and should only be used sparingly.

**BobD** · 02-05-2007, 07:31 AM

That is weird. The gray clay is a medium clay and you shouldn`t have a problem like that with it.

I have a couple of questions to try and help you out.

1) What type of vehicle and does it have factory paint? If it is a repaint when was it repainted.

2) What are you using as a clay lubricant?

**a.k.a. Patrick** · 02-05-2007, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Wes Man

i used my sonus clay today for the first time. i used a plenty of clay lube and used a fresh side often but it absolutely scratched the crap out of the paint, almost like sandpaper. i quit using it instantly. i would be in some serious trouble if i didnt know how to correct my mistakes!!! any advice??

I dont get it

..........So it marred it. Finish it up, and polish it out. Light marring should be expected. It would be the day I clayed, sealed, and walked away.

**velobard** · 02-05-2007, 08:32 AM

:showpics

So just how bad is it? And as others have already been asking, which version of the clay?

**gmblack3** · 02-05-2007, 09:23 AM

Sounds like claybar marring. It will polish out with ease.

**Kenney** · 02-05-2007, 10:31 AM

Sonus grey always gives me marring as well.

**Accumulator** · 02-05-2007, 01:42 PM

Apologies to those who`ve heard all this from me before, but it sounds like it might bear repeating:

I`ve clayed extensively since (mild) detailing clays came out around 1990, and I never had a problem with marring until I tried the *current version* of Sonus gray. It`s simply more aggressive than I`m used to using. I`ve played around with it and on some paints it simply does mar, even with plenty of proper lube (I use Glyde) and with appropriate/minimal pressure. NO, it`s not like an overspray clay, but it`s not all that mild either.

Note that, having used Sonus "gray color" clays for quite a while, at first I didn`t believe it would cause marring if used correctly. RAG sold me his Sonus gray because it marred for him and he knew I was a big fan of Sonus clays. I was

when I used it on my M3 and *really* marred it up. I was so amazed that I contacted DavidB to find out if it might`ve been from a defective batch! No, it`s not defective and no, I didn`t misuse it- it`s just a more aggressive formulation than the previous Sonus Block/gray clay.

The previous two versions of Sonus gray did *not* mar unless you misused them. I don`t know just when the formula switched. The green Sonus Ultra-fine clay won`t mar unless you *seriously* misuse it.

The marring from the current Sonus gray does polish out rather easily, but I don`t like this marring and thus I reserve it for use on stuff like the back sides of wheels (worked great for that just yesterday), or really nasty contamination. In these cases I know I`ll have to polish anyway.

There are other clays that are quite effective and *do not* mar if used correctly. Of these, my favorite is the expensive (and out of production, so buy it while you can) SmartWax clay. It`s the same as the *first* version of the Sonus gray (other than the color) and it`s wonderful stuff, as well it should be for twenty-some bucks a bar. Others can suggest less expensive alternatives.

For light claying the Sonus green is great and it won`t strip a healthy coat of LSP.

**imported_Grouse** · 02-05-2007, 02:07 PM

That mirriors my experiences.

**Changeling** · 02-05-2007, 02:31 PM

"There are other clays that are quite effective and *do not* mar if used correctly. Of these, my favorite is the expensive (and out of production, so buy it while you can) SmartWax clay. It`s the same as the *first* version of the Sonus gray (other than the color) and it`s wonderful stuff, as well it should be for twenty-some bucks a bar. Others can suggest less expensive alternatives."

For me to spend "twenty-some bucks" on a bar of clay, Jessica Simpson will have to be leaning against my truck, adjusting her Thong and grumbling about me hurrying up so we can go back in the house.

Changeling

**BigHonu** · 02-05-2007, 02:54 PM

I have similar experiences as Accumulator with the Sonus Gray clay. Just got the green, and it is on the opposite end of the spectrum and a pleasure to use.

**Smashraj84** · 02-05-2007, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by BigHonu

I have similar experiences as Accumulator with the Sonus Gray clay. Just got the green, and it is on the opposite end of the spectrum and a pleasure to use.

I`m planning on green claying my car as soon as the weather warms up a bit, so I`m glad to hear some good things about it.

**BigHonu** · 02-05-2007, 03:30 PM

The green is an excellent compliment to a good medium grade clay IMHO. Use the medium for clean up, then the green when you want to spruce up the finish a little without having to reapply the LSP everytime.