Clean & Extend Life of Detailing Clay w/Blackfire

AutopiaTech

AutopiaTech

Moderator
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One of the most frequent questions people have regarding detailing clay is how often can you use it? Quite a few factors come in to play, such as vehicle condition, size of clay bar, etc. If you clay a vehicle that's been sitting outside for fifteen years and has never been clayed, you can count on using at least one 50-100 gram clay bar. That's if you want to ensure you don't reintroduce any embedded contaminants in the clay back onto the paint, possibly scratching or marring the finish. If you're claying your vehicle, you're on the right track to silky smooth paint and the last thing you want to do is not work smart and damage the finish that you're trying to inject some life in to.

I'm a big fan of Pinnacle's XMT Speed Clay because it's large (over 200 grams!) and very easy to use. For the size and the quality of the bar, it's a heck of a bargain at 20 bucks. The XMT Speed Clay is large enough to break into three or four smaller pieces so you can store the rest for later. This enables you to maximize your investment and get the most out of your clay bar. But what if you want to take it a step farther? We all like to get the most out of our detailing supplies and thanks to one product in particular, this is certainly possible with your detailing clay.



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Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender takes working clean to the next level. Even after you fold and re knead a clay bar several times, there is still a good chance you will re-introduce embedded contaminants in the clay bar back onto the vehicle's finish. With Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender, you can now clean the majority of the contaminants in your clay bar to ensure you don't scratch or mar the finish in the future.

First you want to make sure you're working over a bucket or sink. Spray the clay bar with the Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender.



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Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender features special surfactants that will effectively clean the clay bar, but will not dry it out. Rub your fingers over the clay bar. This will help loosen any contaminants in the bar.



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Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender starts working immediately. Now can you imagine having all that dirt and gunk trapped in the clay bar before storing it for future use?



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Rinse the bar with stream of water after agitating it with your fingers. Another option is to place the clay in a bucket of water.



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Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender leaves detailing clay looking new and ready for the next job!



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As you normally would, spray the clay bar with the proper lubricant before storing it for future use.



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Whether you're a professional detailer with pounds of detailing in your arsenal or just an enthusiast that likes to get the most out of your products, Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender takes detailing clay to next level.


Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender


:autopia:
 
If you are a consumer who is still regularly using clay instead of the ultima elastrofoam paint cleaning system, this is pretty good stuff.

This is one of the few Blackfire products that I have actually tried and I must say, it works very well. It does extend the life of your clay bar, but it also prolongs the time it takes to get the vehicle free of contaminants.

From a professional perspective, It will clean the bar very well, but all of that extra time cleaning is a waste imo.

For the consumer who doesn't want to buy a clay new clay bar every couple of years I say go for it.
 
What differentiates this product from a normal all purpose cleaner for this task? Aside from a go 'round the marketing department, that is....
 
AutopiaTech said:
It doesn't dry or damage the clay and is easy on your skin. :bigups
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Why does APC dry/damage the clay while this doesn't?

Like I said, I'm looking for more than the marketing department talking points... convince me what this product has in it that properly diluted APC doesn't (or, what properly diluted APC has in it that is bad for clay).

:inspector:
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
Why does APC dry/damage the clay while this doesn't?

Like I said, I'm looking for more than the marketing department talking points... convince me what this product has in it that properly diluted APC doesn't (or, what properly diluted APC has in it that is bad for clay).

:inspector:
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I'm not a chemist, I just go by what works, and this product performed exceptionally well for its intended use. Order a bottle with your next order and do your own comparison. Then you can draw your own conclusion and feel satisfied with the results. :bigups
 
AutopiaTech said:
I'm not a chemist, I just go by what works, and this product performed exceptionally well for its intended use.
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Well if we're going to "just go by what works," then I see no reason to buy a fairly expensive bottle of product ($0.31/oz. on the cheap end, $0.56/oz. on the high end) that is sold as 'dedicated to a specific task' and may actually be little more than a pre-diluted "RTU" all purpose cleaner anyway, if I can get a gallon of a full strength APC like Optimum Power Clean (which is one of the most expensive APCs on the market) for $0.28/oz. and dilute it myself to make it even cheaper yet.

I've used OPC to clean clay using a similar method to what you outlined in this thread for quite some time and I've never had problems with it damaging the clay or my hands.

Order a bottle with your next order and do your own comparison. Then you can draw your own conclusion and feel satisfied with the results. :bigups
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If you had seized the opportunity and convinced me that this product has something special about it perhaps I would have. I don't make purchase decisions based on "I just go by what works," especially when I'm willing to bet this is a high margin product as compared to the cheaper alternatives you also sell (which of course explains why you're pushing it here).

No one is asking you to be a chemist, but if you're going to market a product and say things like "Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender features special surfactants that will effectively clean the clay bar, but will not dry it out." you should at least be able to tell me what makes these surfactants "special" as compared to the ones found in other surfactant-based cleaners when used for this task (or maybe the thing that makes this product special isn't even the surfactants, but rather some other ingredient and you misspoke?)

I don't think I'm asking anything too unreasonable here, am I?
 
Excellent points taken, Charlie. Sounds like it struck a raw nerve though :(

I'm new to OPC and I'll be experimenting with cleaning clay as you described.

Special product or not, I never even thought about cleaning clay with APC or whatever product. I think such products should be shared with the community to some degree during the concept stage more before they are released and advertised, that way the community can provide feedback if they truly have a need for them, and in turn they will feel less "pushed to" when (if) the product comes out.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
Well if we're going to "just go by what works," then I see no reason to buy a fairly expensive bottle of product ($0.31/oz. on the cheap end, $0.56/oz. on the high end) that is sold as 'dedicated to a specific task' and may actually be little more than a pre-diluted "RTU" all purpose cleaner anyway, if I can get a gallon of a full strength APC like Optimum Power Clean (which is one of the most expensive APCs on the market) for $0.28/oz. and dilute it myself to make it even cheaper yet.

I've used OPC to clean clay using a similar method to what you outlined in this thread for quite some time and I've never had problems with it damaging the clay or my hands.



If you had seized the opportunity and convinced me that this product has something special about it perhaps I would have. I don't make purchase decisions based on "I just go by what works," especially when I'm willing to bet this is a high margin product as compared to the cheaper alternatives you also sell (which of course explains why you're pushing it here).

No one is asking you to be a chemist, but if you're going to market a product and say things like "Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender features special surfactants that will effectively clean the clay bar, but will not dry it out." you should at least be able to tell me what makes these surfactants "special" as compared to the ones found in other surfactant-based cleaners when used for this task (or maybe the thing that makes this product special isn't even the surfactants, but rather some other ingredient and you misspoke?)

I don't think I'm asking anything too unreasonable here, am I?
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Find something that works for you, and stick with it. :bigups
 
Bill D said:
LOL! I have that same utility sink in my garage! :bigups Cool, innovative product!
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I have the same sink but with a goose neck spout, great for tall buckets.

Nice write up though I question the "value" (cost/performance/time) of the product compared to just throwing clay out when it's dirty. Kind of silly because as I'm typing this the thought went through my mind that I could say the very same thing about just throwing buffing pads out and of course I wouldn't consider that. ;)
 
Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender was developed specifically for cleaning modern polybutene clays, not for cleaning carpets, interior parts, etc. When the chemist was working on the formula it was only tested on various grades of clay, nothing else. All of Blackfire's products are hand made in small batches to exacting standards, and it is a lower volume, high quality line.

Buetyl and buetyl ether are common ingredients in cleaners and it is my understanding that both of these products will eat through and dry polybutene based clays. Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender uses polymers and surfactants that were carefully chosen in development to have no ill-effects on clay. It is a very focused product.

Ultimately what makes AutopiaForums so unique is we truly have no product bias and it is an open forum. If any forum member has had a great experience using a different product then I would encourage them to share that knowledge with the forum members by creating a how to thread and posting their experience there.

I showed David Fermani how to use a OPC to clean clay two years ago, before I ever tried Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender, which (Blackfire)is my current preference. The entire Optimum line is amazing and we are proud to carry it at Autopia-CarCare.com and I would love to read about other's positive experience with it in a separate and educational thread that would benefit all. :bigups
 
GearHead_1 said:
I have the same sink but with a goose neck spout, great for tall buckets.

Nice write up though I question the "value" (cost/performance/time) of the product compared to just throwing clay out when it's dirty. Kind of silly because as I'm typing this the thought went through my mind that I could say the very same thing about just throwing buffing pads out and of course I wouldn't consider that. ;)
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Clay is 19-29 dollars. I have personally extended the life of clay at least 3 fold by using less than 1/4 of a bottle of Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender. On a cost basis, it is a HUGE savings to use it. :bigups
 
Todd Helme said:
Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender was developed specifically for cleaning modern polybutene clays, not for cleaning carpets, interior parts, etc. When the chemist was working on the formula it was only tested on various grades of clay, nothing else. All of Blackfire's products are hand made in small batches to exacting standards, and it is a lower volume, high quality line.

Buetyl and buetyl ether are common ingredients in cleaners and it is my understanding that both of these products will eat through and dry polybutene based clays. Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender uses polymers and surfactants that were carefully chosen in development to have no ill-effects on clay. It is a very focused product.
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See, THAT is the kind of information I was looking for. Thanks, Todd!

I showed David Fermani how to use a OPC to clean clay two years ago, before I ever tried Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender, which is my current preference. The entire Optimum line is amazing and we are proud to carry it at Autopia-CarCare.com and I would love to read about other's positive experience with it in a separate and educational thread that would benefit all. :bigups
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And David was the one I first heard about cleaning clay from. :bigups
 
Todd Helme said:
Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender was developed specifically for cleaning modern polybutene clays, not for cleaning carpets, interior parts, etc. When the chemist was working on the formula it was only tested on various grades of clay, nothing else. All of Blackfire's products are hand made in small batches to exacting standards, and it is a lower volume, high quality line.

Buetyl and buetyl ether are common ingredients in cleaners and it is my understanding that both of these products will eat through and dry polybutene based clays. Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender uses polymers and surfactants that were carefully chosen in development to have no ill-effects on clay. It is a very focused product.

Ultimately what makes AutopiaForums so unique is we truly have no product bias and it is an open forum. If any forum member has had a great experience using a different product then I would encourage them to share that knowledge with the forum members by creating a how to thread and posting their experience there.

I showed David Fermani how to use a OPC to clean clay two years ago, before I ever tried Blackfire Clay Cleaner and Extender, which is my current preference. The entire Optimum line is amazing and we are proud to carry it at Autopia-CarCare.com and I would love to read about other's positive experience with it in a separate and educational thread that would benefit all. :bigups
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Excellent Todd, thanks for the information. :bigups I knew from using the product first hand that Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender works great, and now I know why it works so well. Your technical analysis of the product really shed some light on what differentiates it from any regular, run-of-the-mill all purpose cleaner or degreaser. It's always refreshing to have a product available from any manufacturer that excels at its intended use.

:yourrock
 
Why not just buy new clay when you need it? Seems like trying to artificially lengthen the life of a piece of detailing clay is somewhat "against the grain" of our normal thought processes. It's not like clay is all that expensive. Maybe I am missing the big picture here.
 
JaredPointer said:
Why not just buy new clay when you need it? Seems like trying to artificially lengthen the life of a piece of detailing clay is somewhat "against the grain" of our normal thought processes. It's not like clay is all that expensive. Maybe I am missing the big picture here.
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The Blackfire Clay Cleaner & Extender is highly concentrated so it doesn't take a lot to clean the pads, and if you only have one or two clay bars this allows you to get the most out of them before having to order more.
 
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