does clay scratch the paint?

Claybar it self is a very slight abrasive. Even if you open a brand new clay bar and rub it against the finish the wrong way it will marr and dull the finish. Deeper scratching can occur when you get a sharp particle stuck in it like from dropping it on the ground and it picking up a few pieces of sand. Just use lots of lube and little to no pressure and you should have no worries.
 
Clay itself is abrasive, which is why we use it to abrade away surface contaminants. However, if you use it properly by keeping the surface lubricated and refrain from applying excessive pressure, you won't need to worry about any marring or scratching.



Give it a shot...it's really easy to learn and do, and you'd be amazed how effective clay bars are.
 
there is no wrong way to rub clay on the paint....either way up/down, or left/right or circles its going to marr if its aggressive enough....
 
Be ready for the possibility of needing to polish after claying. I did my hood and it looked like someone rubbed a bathroom scrubbing sponge on my paint. I think it was possibly a bad batch.
 
either a bad batch, or too aggressive for your paint and what you needed....but i dont usually clay cars that I am not going to polish up anyway, so I cant comment on the lighter grades of clay....I know some use the sonus green every wash....and still only polish every year lightly
 
toyotaguy said:
either a bad batch, or too aggressive for your paint and what you needed....but i dont usually clay cars that I am not going to polish up anyway, so I cant comment on the lighter grades of clay....I know some use the sonus green every wash....and still only polish every year lightly
Click to expand...



I would still recommend claying a car before polishing. Sometimes polishing wont remove some contaminants and if some of the contaminants catches in the pads, you are gonna rub those into the finish. Just a suggestion. :)
 
Im with 01bluecls here, i clay every car i detail, because every car i have detailed has felt like the sandy beaches of the tropics . . . . it is true that some clay will indeed mar the finish . . like automagic red clay, but ultra fine clay when used properly will make that finish suepr smooth and not add any more swirlies. I always clay before polishing . . . besides, if your gonna polish . . . what have you to loose by claying, since any marring caused by clay will be removed (when done correctly) by your polish, along with the rest of the unsightly marring ans swirils . . .
 
oops.....i wrote that wrong....



I dont clay cars that I am not going to polish.....usually if I am going to polish, then I will clay because I am not worried about micromarring it with the clay because it will get "cleaned up" via polishing....



there, thats better
 
toyotaguy said:
....I know some use the sonus green every wash....and still only polish every year lightly
Click to expand...



I'm in the spot-clay-at-every-wash group (and I often clay the whole thing before refreshing my LSP) and I don't even polish that often. It's all in using the right clay for the job and using it with the right technique.



01bluecls brought up a very important point about the clay picking up some abrasive contamination. If you pick up a spec of abrasive contamination from the first inch you clay, and then keep moving the clay for another two inches, you'll quite likely end up with a 2" long scratch. As with most things, claying properly takes a fair bit of thought and care ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top