ALWAYS clay before wax?

[IXLRS]

Rookie question...

Do you always clay before you wax OR only when needed?

Do you do the baggie wipe test for imperfections first and if you feel any you clay, if not you don`t?

The clay I have is not super aggressive (Griots G), but from what I`ve read all Clay has some abrasives in it that MIGHT mare the surface.

Some say that you should only clay when you plan on some sort of polish (one step light correction polish or otherwise) afterwards so it corrects any marring left from the clay process.

In my case since my car is parked indoors it doesn`t get much fallout or contamination (but still some from driving around).

Are there some clay`s that are more forgiving?

thanks!

[LEDetailng]

You got the process down. I only clay when it fails the baggie test. I’ve only ever used a few brands of clay and have never seen noticeable marring, however I think the marring has a lot to do with how sensitive or soft your paint is.

[Poorboy]

I like to use the side of my hand to test if the paint needs claying. I`ve seen baggies scratch !

The type of wax you are using will also make a difference .. are you using a wax with cleaners? these waxes have polishing powders which will also clean the paint.

To play it safe ... clay at least once a year and as needed if you are in industrial areas or near railroads ...

You keep your car garaged at night so you are well ahead of someone parking outdoors 24/7

You also seem to understand the basics .. just use good lubrication when claying and the clay will not mar..

[Accumulator]

More of my Autopian Heresy- IIRC, I`ve never done the Baggie Test and I seldom clay before reLSPing and I get away with it. But that`s just me, YMMV (and almost certainly will), and I hesitate to even post this because it`s better safe than sorry.

It`s all situational; maybe you can do it the way I do, maybe you need to follow the rules..

IF it doesn`t get too dirty and you keep the FK1000P refreshed it might shed contamination as well as mine does...but maybe not.

I do spot-clay as needed at most every wash. I use Sonus SFX clay and their Glyde Lube, and *if I do it correctly* I can "clay my LSP clean" without compromising it much less marring the paint. But I work inch-by-inch and I`m *so* gentle about it...

GG clay is far more aggressive than the Sonus SFX, kinda doubt you`ll get away with it 100%, and FWIW I utterly LOATH using SpeedShine as a clay lube. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT for that and do NOT like it on FK1000P period (just in case you were gonna use it). I do like it on waxes though, and went through gallons and gallons of it over the years so I`m not really flaming the product.

FWIW, for a QD on FK1000P I`d use either FK425 or QD-strength IUDJ (sure I`ve posted that a million times before ). Some people also like IUDJ as a clay lube but I prefer something that doesn`t leave much of anything behind (the Glyde is kinda "soapy" so I do a quick rinse after using it).

Ideally, the clay glides across the panels on a film of lube, never actually touching the paint. But that`s the theory and the practice doesn`t always work out that way. (Aggressive clays are so abrasive that they mar paint no matter how you use `em.) Eh, I suspect I`m simply off the scale when it comes to gentle claying..and people wonder why it can take me forever to do a small portion of a panel

[Desertnate]

I too have never done a baggie test. There...it`s out in the open, I feel so much better.

I typically clay once a year or whenever I am going to do a full detail that includes polishing. Usually after 12~18 months, my daily driven vehicles are in need of clay. The clay doesn`t appear to be overly grimy when I do it, but the paint does feel noticeably smoother to my naked, non-baggied, hand. The worst areas tend to be the back hatch and lower door panels.

[RandyinTN]

I just run my hand over a washed panel. If it feels rough then I will clay the car. if it doesnt, wax on wax off.

[Merlin]

IMHO - Short Answer = no

Clay is an abrasive.

...test if the paint needs claying. I`ve seen baggies scratch !

I only clay if it needs it.

[SWETM]

More of my Autopian Heresy- IIRC, I`ve never done the Baggie Test and I seldom clay before reLSPing and I get away with it. But that`s just me, YMMV (and almost certainly will), and I hesitate to even post this because it`s better safe than sorry.

It`s all situational; maybe you can do it the way I do, maybe you need to follow the rules..

IF it doesn`t get too dirty and you keep the FK1000P refreshed it might shed contamination as well as mine does...but maybe not.

I do spot-clay as needed at most every wash. I use Sonus SFX clay and their Glyde Lube, and *if I do it correctly* I can "clay my LSP clean" without compromising it much less marring the paint. But I work inch-by-inch and I`m *so* gentle about it...

GG clay is far more aggressive than the Sonus SFX, kinda doubt you`ll get away with it 100%, and FWIW I utterly LOATH using SpeedShine as a clay lube. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT for that and do NOT like it on FK1000P period (just in case you were gonna use it). I do like it on waxes though, and went through gallons and gallons of it over the years so I`m not really flaming the product.

FWIW, for a QD on FK1000P I`d use either FK425 or QD-strength IUDJ (sure I`ve posted that a million times before ). Some people also like IUDJ as a clay lube but I prefer something that doesn`t leave much of anything behind (the Glyde is kinda "soapy" so I do a quick rinse after using it).

Ideally, the clay glides across the panels on a film of lube, never actually touching the paint. But that`s the theory and the practice doesn`t always work out that way. (Aggressive clays are so abrasive that they mar paint no matter how you use `em.) Eh, I suspect I`m simply off the scale when it comes to gentle claying..and people wonder why it can take me forever to do a small portion of a panel

I have wonder about what clay you use since you maybe don`t always write it. Looking forward to test it out as I got a kit at home. But have been saving it to use on a lsp when needed. Glad to hear that it seems to work as claimed. Is it 22ple that has came out with a clay like that. I have used Bilt Hamber clay that I liked. They claim that you only need water as lube but I got dedicated claylube so used that anyway. As you I like to use a dedicated claylube than a QD. A couple of brands that have done a good one is dodo juice born to be slippy and carpro immolube. Dodo you can get in a concentrate version and immolube is versitale as you can use it when wet sanding and compound and polish if you want to. The gentle aproach I also agree to have when doing claying.

A thing I do to hold off the bonded contaminants is to use a dedicated prewash foam or a alkaline based degreaser all year round. And a tar degreaser in the winter months when the road salt is loosen up tar and other contaminants from the road. As long as you respect the chemicals and how it`s used and use a lsp that is chemical resistant to them you are fine. So if I would be apply a lsp touching the paint I would be doing a complete decon wash. And if the paint still feels rough I would clay it before the lsp.

[Accumulator]

The Sonus SFX is so gentle that it doesn`t really do a real decontamination, just gets mild stuff off. For a vehicle that`s "gee, this needs decontaminated" you`d need something more aggressive.

[IXLRS]

More of my Autopian Heresy- IIRC, I`ve never done the Baggie Test and I seldom clay before reLSPing and I get away with it. But that`s just me, YMMV (and almost certainly will), and I hesitate to even post this because it`s better safe than sorry.

It`s all situational; maybe you can do it the way I do, maybe you need to follow the rules..

IF it doesn`t get too dirty and you keep the FK1000P refreshed it might shed contamination as well as mine does...but maybe not.

I do spot-clay as needed at most every wash. I use Sonus SFX clay and their Glyde Lube, and *if I do it correctly* I can "clay my LSP clean" without compromising it much less marring the paint. But I work inch-by-inch and I`m *so* gentle about it...

GG clay is far more aggressive than the Sonus SFX, kinda doubt you`ll get away with it 100%, and FWIW I utterly LOATH using SpeedShine as a clay lube. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT for that and do NOT like it on FK1000P period (just in case you were gonna use it). I do like it on waxes though, and went through gallons and gallons of it over the years so I`m not really flaming the product.

FWIW, for a QD on FK1000P I`d use either FK425 or QD-strength IUDJ (sure I`ve posted that a million times before ). Some people also like IUDJ as a clay lube but I prefer something that doesn`t leave much of anything behind (the Glyde is kinda "soapy" so I do a quick rinse after using it).

Ideally, the clay glides across the panels on a film of lube, never actually touching the paint. But that`s the theory and the practice doesn`t always work out that way. (Aggressive clays are so abrasive that they mar paint no matter how you use `em.) Eh, I suspect I`m simply off the scale when it comes to gentle claying..and people wonder why it can take me forever to do a small portion of a panel

Hi- what does "QD-strength IUDJ" stand for?

Looks like the approach to take is to only clay when needed. Otherwise you`re potentially making things worse.

[Stokdgs]

]I like to use the side of my hand to test if the paint needs claying. I`ve seen baggies scratch ![/U]

The type of wax you are using will also make a difference .. are you using a wax with cleaners? these waxes have polishing powders which will also clean the paint.

To play it safe ... clay at least once a year and as needed if you are in industrial areas or near railroads ...

You keep your car garaged at night so you are well ahead of someone parking outdoors 24/7

You also seem to understand the basics .. just use good lubrication when claying and the clay will not mar..

PoorBoys is exactly spot on !!!!

In all the decades I have checked primered work, painted work, hundreds of vehicles for embedded dirt and defects with my clean, dry, bare hand and fingertips and had excellent results, I have always wondered who invented using a piece of plastic over your hand, etc., to do this in the first place???

It certainly was not anyone who works in an auto body paint shop, or even in the body shop of that place..
We all use our hands and fingertips, which are much more sensitive without a piece of plastic over it..

To me, it`s like taking a shower with a raincoat on - why would you do that ?

I remember being taught at a very early age, to run my hand and fingers over the panel with eyes closed - first - mentally marking where I felt defects, and then going back over adding visual, and always finding those exact places again..

Have always advised anyone who asks to run your clean dry hand over a clean dry panel, eyes closed, and find the embedded dirt, defects, high spots, low spots, etc... and that has always been the most accurate way to really know what is going on, on that spot...

You get better at it as your brain adjusts to a more sensitive tactile search, and it never fools you like your eyes and certain angles and lights sometimes can do..

I always check all panels of all vehicles after washing carefully and drying for embedded dirt with the "touch test" and almost always unless it`s a brand new perfectly detailed, or a vehicle that lived its entire light in a controlled indoor environment, It is going to be clayed before anything else..

Once that is out of the way, the usual visual check for the worst places that have paint defects, swirls, etc.., and then know what I will do to correct it..

My work for my Clients includes giving them the most longevity of whatever LSP I put on their vehicle each time I see it, and unless I know the condition of the paintwork and control it, I cannot assure them of this..
Dan F

[Accumulator]

Hi- what does "QD-strength IUDJ" stand for?

Sorry, didn`t mean to be inscrutable

QD-strength IUDJ = Garry Dean`s Infinite Use Detail Juice ("IUDJ") mixed to a nearly Quick Detailer strength (~2oz IUDJ + 128oz water). The recommended dilution for that is more like 2.50oz plus a gallon of water but I don`t seem to need it that potent.

Looks like the approach to take is to only clay when needed. Otherwise you`re potentially making things worse.

Noting that you`re about to play with the new polisher I apply that dictum to pretty much every aspect of this stuff, only doing Detailing stuff as genuinely necessary. Heh heh, more of my Autopian Heresy there too!