Medium or Mild Detailing Clay

[Bert]

Noob here.



I have just recently been reading autopia and wanted to purchase some clay. My car is a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse that has never been clayed. Because the car is almost 8 years old (manufactured in 1999) and has never been clayed, do I need to go more aggressive than mild clay and use medium clay at the risk of micro marring the surface? Or should a pass or two with mild clay be fine?

 

[DantheMan]

Mild if you dont plan on machine polishing..



If you are polishing, the medium will be faster than the mild for removing contaminants, and you don't have to worry about any marring since you will be getting rid of it shortly thereafter..

 

[PTRon]

Do you plan on polishing after claying? I'd go with the medium clay or maybe a paint decontamination "system" like this - Finish Kare FK1 Professional Detailing Products - or this - ABC Car Wash System - Prep and Reconditioning Products - Automotive International

 

[danforz]

Personally, I wouldn't eve really advocate mild clay. Its primary purpose (I think) is to allow true OCD detailers to remove contaminants between details, while leaving their LSPs intact. Personally, I don't know how effective a clay could be that doesn't remove LSP in the first place, so I never really endorsed that concept.



Which leaves medium or aggressive... I'd recommend the medium. As mentionted above, if your going to polish you can clay VERY fast with out a problem with marring (since it'll be polished out). But with that said, I've used medium grade clays and rarely had an issue with marring unless I was totally absent minded as to how I clayed. If you take your time, don't push to hard, and keep the clay fresh (re rolling it or just using a new lump of clay) I don't think marring is a problem.

 

[David Fermani]

I'd buy some Auto Magic Blue Clay Magic. It won't damage the paint, won't remove your protection and it removes 99% of clayable contamination. I use it with regular maintence washings and also to remove heavy overspray. I very rarely (if not ever) step up to more aggressive clay.

 

[danforz]

I'd buy some Auto Magic Blue Clay Magic. It won't damage the paint, won't remove your protection and it removes 99% of clayable contamination. I use it with regular maintence washings and also to remove heavy overspray. I very rarely (if not ever) step up to more aggressive clay.

So you agree with this stuff not removing LSP? It seems a bit hard to swallow doesn't it?

 

[optimusp517]

I'd get one of each. You never know which area of the vehicle will need a mild or a medium clay. It's always to have both and start with a lighter grade clay and then if it doesn't work go ahead and bump it up to the next grade.

 

[imported_Denzil]

Stick with a mild clay if you have no intentions of polishing it afterwards. Keep in mind that some mild clays can/will induce micromarring. Good luck.

 

[David Fermani]

So you agree with this stuff not removing LSP? It seems a bit hard to swallow doesn't it?

I've done paint corrections on black cars and have spot clayed them afterwards and it has never affected the finish which leads me to believe that the protection barrier hasn't deminished. I also clay my car during regular washings and works out great. Plus the manufacturer endorses it too. Have you ever caught a glimpse of the Sonus ad here about their clay not removing LSP? I think it all depends on what clay you're using.

 

[Accumulator]

Danforz- I've posted about clay/LSP experiments before. Won't rehash it all here but it might be worth a search (or maybe not...I oughta type it up as a separate thread some time). It's pretty easy to see for yourself what clay does/doesn't do to LSPs and once you've proved it to yourself first-hand, well, then you can be pretty confident about this stuff. So, that said:

..[regarding clay removing LSP and/or marring paint].. I think it all depends on what clay you're using.

Yeah, and how you use it.



I've experimented with Sonus green Ultra-fine and it takes a *LOT* of doing to cut through LSP with it. Even took a while to cut through Meg's #5 (!) so that stuff is *MILD*. On a never-clayed car that's a few years old, IMO it'll be *too* mild. Even if you use it aggressively, it'll only do so much. And if you try to get too aggressive it just doesn't work right.



Medium clays (and that's a pretty broad category) *can* be used gently enough that they don't cut through LSP; I did it for years (since ~1990) before the Sonus green came out. These can also be used more aggressively and will then remove contamination pretty well. With the KEL clay off the market, I'd take David Fermani's advice on the ClayMagic as the others of this type I've tried (e.g., Griot's and Mother's) seem a bit too mild.



Oh, and I do like the AutoInt "ABC", and I clay while the "B" is dwelling. Clay dissolves very fast when I do this though, so have plenty on hand if you want to try it.



bert31- Welcome to Autopia!



Hope something in the above was helpful. When claying, I suggest you pull the clay apart into small blobs so that if (I oughta just say "when" ) you drop it you don't have to throw away the whole (contaminated) bar.

 

[Bert]

Medium clays (and that's a pretty broad category) *can* be used gently enough that they don't cut through LSP

I am not worried about cutting through the LSP, I am planning to reapply a sealant when I am done. I am more concerned about paint marring since I wasn't planning on polishing besides using a AIO before the LSP. It is my understanding (from reading on this board) that an AIO will not remove swirl marks and other paint marring, only "improve" them. Well, I guess I better change my plans and plan to polish my car to remove the paint marring if I am going to use medium clay. Again from reading on the boards, it sounds like polishing a car w/o a dual action polisher is quite chore and right now it is 95 degrees with 95% humidity in Louisville, KY - can't wait!! Maybe I will be lazy and put this off till September.

bert31- Welcome to Autopia!

Thanks!!

Hope something in the above was helpful. When claying, I suggest you pull the clay apart into small blobs so that if (I oughta just say "when" ) you drop it you don't have to throw away the whole (contaminated) bar.

Thanks for the advice. I will probably buy two bars and cut each of them in half or thirds because with my butter fingers, I sure a few will hit the ground.

 

[danforz]

Interesting points gentlemen

 

[ZoranC]

I am more concerned about paint marring since I wasn't planning on polishing besides using a AIO before the LSP.

From my very limited experience I have found ClayMagic's blue is quite a good compromise. It did not mar anything to me while it was still reasonably efficient in removal of contamination.

 

[es350]

^^^^ I agree!

 

[Bert]

From my very limited experience I have found ClayMagic's blue is quite a good compromise. It did not mar anything to me while it was still reasonably efficient in removal of contamination.

So if I am hearing you correct, in terms of abrasiveness, ClayMagic's Blue would lie somewhere between Sonus's Ultra Fine Green Detailing Clay and Sonus's Block Grey Detailing Clay? If so, that may be the compromise I need unless I decide to polish the paint marring out by hand.



On a side note, Sonus's website mentioned recommended temperature range of 40 to 100 degrees F when claying. The temperature does not consider the heat index correct? I ask because the temp has been in the mid 90's lately but with the high humidity, the heat index has surpassed 100 each day. I assume humidity has no bearing on claying but wanted to ask regardless.

 

[ZoranC]

So if I am hearing you correct, in terms of abrasiveness, ClayMagic's Blue would lie somewhere between Sonus's Ultra Fine Green Detailing Clay and Sonus's Block Grey Detailing Clay?

That is how I feel. I do not have enough experience with Green to say how much more abrasive Blue is, if any, but Blue is definitely not nearly abrasive as Gray.

 

[SpoiledMan]

Have you ever caught a glimpse of the Sonus ad here about their clay not removing LSP? I think it all depends on what clay you're using.

If it causes marring would we assume that it's removing the LSP as well? I've seen Sonus green mar paint with very little pressure.

 

[ZoranC]

I've seen Sonus green mar paint with very little pressure.

Whoa! Whole marketing behind Sonus Ultra Fine is "Sonus SFX Ultra Fine Detailing Clay is so fine that it will not leave microscopic scratches." and "Removes the dirt, not your wax!" etc etc. You are definitely somebody that knows what he is doing, have enough experience and reputation. So when you say you saw it mar then I take that as rock solid which means your field experience completely negates advertising (which makes me unhappy because I've purchased Green Ultra Fine based on claims of being very gentle).



So, if that is not the case what is most gentle clay out there in your experience?

 

[SpoiledMan]

Don't get excited. This was some of that stupid soft BMW paint. I was barely applying any pressure at all. It made the surface very hazy though. *I* just don't buy the "doesn't remove you LSP" stuff. What would make the clay selective?

 

[David Fermani]

If it causes marring would we assume that it's removing the LSP as well? I've seen Sonus green mar paint with very little pressure.

That's interesting. I've never tried any Sonus stuff. I guess that's another reason for me to keep sticking with Auto Magic Blue Clay Magic.