Thanks for the video. Great information for newbies! clay bar used as part of a process will give you excellent results, never use clay bar as a stand alone action. In detailing world it is referred to as the 5 step detailing process: 1. Wash your car to remove most dirt 2. Clay your car to remove contamination, this will make polishing much easier 3. Use a compound to polish out the existing swirls and swirls made by claying 4. Nourish your paint by using a polish, this will give a deep shine 5. Protect your paint by waxing. You can additionally add a 6th step: use a quick detailer spray to give that last finish. But again: don’t use a clay bar without compounding afterwards. On the other other don’t wax your car without compounding first as it will trap dirt between wax and paint. Don’t compound without claying first because you will be rubbing the contamination into the paint.
Natural clay bars back in the day were gritty and marred but lot less now with synthetic clay. I use plumbers putty with zero marring and picks out contaminates
There's no reason to clay your car unless you intend on doing paint correction. It's just another tool in the toolbox. Clay barring is NOT a step in the process of cleaning your car - It's a step in the process of restoring depth and shine to your paint. At the very least clay barring should always be followed up with at least a polish.....and of course a wax or ceramic coating. Never clay bar your car as a routine in your cleaning process.
As a detailer I agree 100%. I always tell customers you never clay bar unless you're going to correct paint, meaning at least a polish. Doesn't HAVE to be a compound. That rule will save you. On the flip side, NEVER correct paint before you clay paint....or at least test the paint (hand in sandwich bag and rub easily across paint ).
So I’m a little confused… I have a fairly new vehicle (2020 Tacoma) and I take really good care of it. In a few months I’m planning on claying, (with a lite clay) then applying a ceramic coating afterwards. Then apply a glaze, then a wax. Should I not clay it ? My truck doesn’t have any scratches, I definitely don’t need paint correction. If you’re able to advise me, I’d appreciate it! Thanks!
@@pilgrim985 If you take care of your car regularly, the chance that you have imbedded contaminants are very small. Especially on a newer car. A glaze is technically a sort of paint correction, as it's intented to fill out and obscure small scratches or imperfections. Furthermore, a glaze is easily removed by any prolonged exposure to the elements. Which means it will break down over time. Instead I'll advise a claying, followed by a 1-step polish, and a professional ceramic coating (no name-dropping), with lifetime warranty. It's not cheap though, and I can understand why you wouldn't. But unles you intend on a polish before applying the glaze, I'd say you're wasting time by claying. And that's under the condition that you keep your paint clean, by hand-washing your car at least once a week. But if you insist, sure you can do it. One time is very unlikely to damage your paint. The thing you should really keep in mind, is that claying your car shouldn't be part of your regular routine.
@@mrawesomeDK I only clay my vehicle once a year and then apply a sealant of some sort followed by a glaze and then a wax. I really do appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Thank You!
The only time I claybarred a vehicle was an old white van I had. I sprayed so much of that lube stuff and put very little pressure on the clay bar and absolutely covered the entire vehicle in little surface scratches. I took it to a detailer to prevent any further damage and after they compounded and polished, the finish on the vehicle was incredibly smooth to the touch and all of the little fine abrasions were gone.
Anything you rub on your paint will scratch it to some degree. Whether it be a wash mitten, chamois or a microfiber cloth. I have used a clay bar with excellent results and will continue to do so in the future. Just make sure you keep your clay as clean as possible.
Very informative video. I absolutely agree. The "rubbing" action of one material against another will always cause scratches. Most simply cannot be seen with the naked eye. When you polish any material, you are removing a very small amount of the surface material. These are natural laws and there is no getting around it. However I think (when it comes to clay bars) more damage is done when it is not folded over properly or is over used. The removed material/contaminants already embedded in the bar will definately scratch. Thus I am quite liberal in my use of clay bars. Since we generally do not use clay bars on a weekly basis on the same car, I use 1 complete bar to do 1 vehicle. It minimizes the chance of severely scratching the paint to the point where these become obvious.
best ever is to use Bilt Hamber clay fr UK they have their own clay mine ! avail in S , M, H grades it is so pure they say and it is TRUE ! you can use just plain water ! try it let me know what you think ? and update your video w/an addendum ? thx Jack
Thanks for the video man. I Clayed my car in preparation for a polish and used optimum No rinse as a clay lube at the right proportions. I definitely scratched my paint up pretty good in some areas where the clay picked something up and dragged it. I felt like such an idiot afterwards like I did something wrong, but it turns out this is pretty much what happens.
Things just get taken to far these days. Waste of time. I paint my own cars. (Check my channel) after my new paint cures for 2 weeks. I use a regular old buffer going over the car with Mequires cleaner wax. After that a hand wax job using the standard old Turtle wax paste that's been around for 40 years. Done! I'll put my paint side by side with any car. There won't be a difference Wirth even mentioning. So, keep it simple and enjoy your car. Complicating a simple wax job takes the enjoyment out of your original goal. Pleasure and to be proud of your creation.
You forgot one of your other great quotes, “have realistic expectations” 😏. Great content as always. Now this could be why TurtleWax haven’t released a product line of clay bar kits 🤪😂
A good guide to know if your car needs a clay bar... get a micro thin plastic bag from the fruiterers and open it up, put your hand in and GENTLY run your hand over an area, it will feel like the rocky mountains! Then do a clay bar in that area and feel the difference. You will be shocked.
Thanks you! I’m a newbie to using clay - actually I’ll be doing for the first time -and you’ve made my fears about it’s possible impacts more rational. I better understand the “process” and what to expect.
@@williamsmarr9500 My question is , if you don´t clay and only wax it regularly, I use Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax every 6 months , wihat happen to your car paint ? I mean what damage is greater , claying it or only waxing it ? Are the contaminats damage your paint more than the clay bar ?
@@hb-ol9oc The "damage" from a clay bar is not really damage; it's called marring and looks like a scuff mark. Won't hurt anything but you can see it, especially in sunlight. On the other hand, if you wax it without claying it first, you're grinding in dirt and other contaminants on the paint. Clay barring is easy and pretty fast. You can even do it while washing car, using soap as lubricant, AFTER cleaning car first with a proper wash mitt. So, to answer your question, waxing without claying is more damage than claying. Hope that answers your question.
@@guppyspop Wax fills the light scratches.. Next time, before you wax, spray some alcohol on it and wipe off....you will see the actual status of the paint as a result of the clay bar.
You helped me alot I've been detailing for a yr now but was always skeptical on clay baring fearing that I would mess up a client's car. Hopefully you or I or someone can come up with a solution that removes over spray without rubbing it with
Have use clay bars for years... and I have black Lincoln Navigator....I found using the clay with spray on wax works very well... but without proper cleaning before using anything waxs..clay bar products will definitely scratch..but as far using compounds to clean your paint up in fact your put fine scratches in the paint then you apply wax the polish... but with any products you have to take care and use them correctly
Bought a brand new car this year. After looking at some ceramic coatings they all insisted on claying the car first saying there were contaminates in the paint. Having clayed a car years ago I thought they were nuts. I had a brand new car with not one swirl mark or scratch on it. No way was I going to risk screwing up the paint or reducing the thickness of the clear coat on a brand new car. I ceramic coated it with just a good wash and it came out fine. I continue to maintain it with liquid spray ceramic coatings as drying aids and the car looks great and still not one swirl mark or scratch after 8 months. I stopped listening to experts and using common sense years ago. Is it possible that my car might look a tad better if I followed instructions, possibly but not worth the risk.
Having years of experience help to form an informed opinion . I totally agree with your argument . Be careful people not to cause a bigger problem . In some cases using a high quality polish (not a wax or ceramic sealant -thats the last in the process) and carefully hand polishing , you should get a great "damaged less" finish . Love your content mate . Top work .
@@brandon-vz9bg I don't know if Ouzo uses dish soap or car wash soap. But from what I have seen in these videos and from friends in the detailing business. You should never us dish soap for washing/detailing your vehicle.
Dish soap should only be use on a car if you are washing to start sanding it for prep work or if washing to get ready to paint dish soap removes all protective on paint like wax polish and grease
One thing I do know if you polish it and then run your hand over it it will still have noticeable lumps and bumps for the contamination on the paint work. Where when you use the clay pads they eliminate that I guess that’s one advantage to the pad.
When a professional detailer chooses a white car, I know what colour my new car is going to be! Great video. I think I'll just stick to waxing my (black) car.
Yes does claying remove contsimanation of tree sap? I have a brand new Kia wit tree sap on roof looks like the night sky & on plastic moulds& sun roof 😤
I agree with most of what you said. The polish process is trading larger, fewer, more visible scratches with finer, more, less visible scratches. But I am no fan of clay bar unless I have no other choice because they WILL scratch your clear coat and scratch it rather deeply in some cases. We are not getting very much clear coat from car manufacturers anymore. We have to start being conservative with our paint correction practices and, even better, being more vigilant about taking care of well conditioned paint.
Environmental impact and cost. Automakers are lowering the amount of clear coat, year by year. It is wise to take care of your paint work on new vehicles and do whatever you can to prevent the necessity for polishing clear coat, as much as possible. Someone may have a different perspective to be that I'm open to hearing for sure though.
Great video, I noticed the CYA on all the products. I was wondering… If I haven’t washed my car for quite some time and all I wish to do is wash and wax it, would waxing without claying beforehand be worse for the paint than claying before waxing? In other words, will the act of waxing the car without claying it, end up scratching the paint worse, or will the contamination remain in place and not get spread around because it would hypothetically stay in place unless I needed clay to remove it? I’m sure I’m over thinking it, but I have a black vehicle though and I’m just worried about scratching up the paint. I don’t own a dual action polisher to follow up with but would like to take better care of my vehicle until I can save up for one. Thank you kindly and have a great day!
Quick to judge the clay bar process, but offered NADA about removing paint contaminates. If you are an auto detailing professional, where is the professional method, as you pointed out, on museum relics, and such? Used properly, and proper polish/seal/wax, clay bars process works. If anyone offers to do a full multi-stage clean/polish/seal/wax without a clay bar, I will ask them, "so did you grind all the paint contaminates deeper into the finish, then over coat it?" Thanks for the vid -- good info, but have to consider the big picture
Polish with a compound, prep the paint with IPA and put on wax or coating. Not good to clay without polishing after. If you keep up on it, you won't have to compound every time, usually 1 pass with polish and 1 pass with primer is fine. Then you don't need to worry about clear coat thickness
Totally agree. Just keeping your paint wet will alloy your clay bar to glide. Feeling resistance is very bad, not gliding. Resistance will scratch your paint. A very little detergent may help to remove grease. You will need to polish for a showroom finish
I noticed how great yout mirror looked. I have piano black trim around my car windows. It shows every fingerprint and scratch. Any suggestions? Clay bar? Polish?
perhaps the wording should be, it's not the Clay Bar scratching our Duco but it is the debris that the Bar picks-up that does the scratches. (& I've never used a clay bar) just surmising.
I am an automotive painter. Clay yes works. I personally use warm water with a few drops of dawn in it. Everything puts abrasions in it. Only time it is scratch free is free of the factory line before it is purchased. Short answer it works, but fancy lube no needed. Compound and polish after clay and scratch is not as noticeable
I once clay barred a Porsche and it left the deepest scratches that was not removable with any DA polisher. This was after using the same clay bar for a Tesla and GMC, which had no problem compounding after. Just be careful. Some paint are softer than others.
Not only will you be disturbed, you will be obsessed and your neighbors will think you're on drugs and civilly commit you to inpatient rehab because you're cleaning your car with q tips
21 years now I been telling my customers claying do some scratching and I polish the car after and remove the scratches before waxing. It's all good for me. Just some extra work I do.
Sheesh NEVER use water as a lubricant for your clay. As a general rule, clay the vehicle 1-2 times every 18 months. Will it affect paint, yes. Does it work and minimally affect paint, yes.
It all depends on what the clay bar is made of. If it has abrasive in the clay it can mark the paint, if the clay picks up contaminants or dirt the dirt can mark the paint. Anything can mark your paint if there is dirt on the paint.
Exactly my feeling, if the clay is loosening micro debris ie: tar spots and sliding that debris across the surface it's gonna scratch. I guess it's how well we polish out those after that really matters.
Clay bars are the best pre-polish prepping tools available. Unfortunately, won’t work with DA polishers, but the process is very quick. They are the best at removing contaminant's, just don’t drop that bar. After that grab a light, or heavier cut compound & a 10mm DA/orbital polisher using an orange 5.5” pad for removing scratches, swirls, or any colored marks left by rogue shopping carts. Lastly, wax/seal using the same 10mm polisher with a black buffing pad, & any non abrasive polish of your choice.
Claying in most cases is used if you are going to deep clean the surface of your car and I never had any issues with it scratching the surface. Back in the day we didn't have clay, we had to use compound to remove any surface imperfections, which lead to another process of polishing and glazing. With claying you still have to polish the surface after you are done, but you could probably use a less "aggressive" polish. Claying verses compounding the finish is a lot safer and less chance of leaving deep scratches. I would never suggest claying and then waxing a vehicle, I would always suggest using a polish to bring the shine out. Also some people use the entire clay bar. I would suggest breaking the bar in pieces and just using sections of it, so if you drop it you don't contaminant the entire bar and always keep it clean. Clay bars don't scratch the paint moving the dirt and grim that builds up on the surface of the bar does. Keep it clean is the secret. Similar to wet sanding ...keep a stream of water over the surface to wash away any particles left behind. Do the same with claying.
Before using clay, use a Decon spray to dissolve metals and brake dust from paintwork. Rinse. Now use tar/bug remover followed by a snow foam contactless wash. Follow with contact wash using Decon shampoo and 2 bucket method. Now use clay bar. There is nothing left on the car to embed into the clay bar, so the clay bar leaves no scratches. It does, however, prepare the paint for LSP. Rinse. Dry. Apply LSP. Sorted.
It can definately mark your paint, but I've also clayed cars with no markings created. The key is light pressure and continual remolding on the clay, I've seen those clay towels they do the most damage out of any clay steer clear of those.
Not trying to argue but that's not quite accurate on clay towels. It's generally recognized by those of us who do this for $ that clay alternatives or just as good as clay. They also can be significantly faster. The BIG advantage is if you drop a clay bar it CAN NOT be used any longer. Mitts and towels, rinse off and you're ready to go. Also, never clay unless you're going to compound or polish afterwards. That will remove any marring caused by claying. Make sure when you clay that you use a good clay lube. Also the grade of clay is important. Fine can be used in many cases; medium grade is more "powerful" but marrs more.
My detailer suggested clay bar. The result on my 2017 black Pius was flawless. He says that only needs to be done once a year or so. I have him wax two to three times a year. I also have a black Toyota Tacoma Pre-runner. Both are beautiful after he gets done with them. I'm sold on the clay bar.
I always use a spray wax with clay it’s what most manufacturers state it doesn’t scratch as bad as most polishes or microfiber clothes. Even checked with microscope on my own cars and customers cars if surface prep isn’t done right I could see you’re point but through extreme testing it’s just as bad for you’re paint as most other products
@@Velo1010 this works great and I’m about to do it tomorrow on my Mercedes’ e350 2008. The setup will be a normal contact wash and using the same car soap( chemicals guys pink) in a 8 water to 1 soap ratio in a spray bottle as a “clay lube“ then finally going to hand compound and polish it using meguiars ultimate compound and polish !:)
Well I wish you would added what you use to deep contaminate a car. Great piece on clay bars O can you please add what you use to decontaminate your car
I am with you 100%. I have been debating this for years. It only makes sense that if the clay bar lifts an embedded particle from the paint, then you are dragging that particle back and forth across the paint surface until you fold it into the clay and expose a fresh clay surface. Another angle- Car product manufacturers sell us "special" wash mits or sponges that supposedly lift the loose particles of contamination from the paint and bury them deep into the wash mit. Why? So these particles dont scratch the paint. Many recommend a 2 bucket wash process. Why? Because your wash mit lifts the contaminant particles and holds them in the mit. So the mit is then dipped in 2nd bucket to clear it of the contaminants. It's the same principle for a clay bar. And if the clay did not scratch the finish then they wouldn't be recommending polishing afterwards.
So in the "2 bucket" method; when rinsing the wash implement (mitt, sponge, microfiber pad, etc) what happens to the particles released in the 'clear' rinse water? Do the particles remain in suspension, only to RE-contaminate the mitt/pad? Do you avoid causing turbidity, if so - how? Some people use 2 buckets with those guard screens in the buckets. As to polishing after the 'controlled' scratching with the clay, the polish makes still smaller scratches. Body and paint work involves sanding or wet sanding with progressivity finer grit. I.e.: 1000 grit followed by 3000 etc. Same principle with clay then polish.
@@RichardFallstich The particles are generally heavy enough that they sink to the bottom. Of course nothing is perfect so there may be some floaters. But I never dip my wash brush toward the bottom of the bucket. Just enough to submerge it. Give it a few shakes and back out. I have the bucket guard but it is used to keep my wash brush off the bucket bottom when I am moving the bucket around, or relocating the water hose. Other than that the brush never dips down that far into ither bucket. As for turbidity, I actually pre-wash the vehicle by gently running one hand across the paint surface while the other hand is pointing a steady stream of water. Particles are instantly washed away and not ground in, and they dont remain on your clean hand. That alone removes most of the surface dirt. Then I go to the buckets. Both clay and polish will leave scratches. Theres a lot of variables with both. But clay-ing is most always followed by polishing, then a wax or sealcoat. Polishing can generally be followed by a sealant or wax.
Do not skip the clay bar. It removes 99% of contaminants. If you skip this process where do you think all those contaminants end up? You got it, right under your polisher and into your compound. Have fun with that! I noticed he failed to point this out. Not honest at all.
So we should use the clay bar, and expect scratches on dark cars. We should also polish and wax the vehicle afterwards to correct any issues. That's what I took away at least.
Do a test panel. Paint correct it to the point it has no scratches, leave it out in the open elements, than with time do a clay bar and see for yourself then if it scratches or not. You will see micro marring to the point that only if you focused real good and know wat your looking for. It's not gona scratch like if you were taking a piece of 600grit sand paper. But it will have micro marring.
I had to polish a black dodge challenger hellcat that was delivered right from the factory. It was delivered all scratched up I was still fairly new to polishing. So tall about anxiety lol.
Dont do it again. Just think mate. What the claybar does? It moves out the grits that stucked into the paint. Mostly iron piece that scratches the paint further as you go along. The removed grits rolling between the claybar and the paint like you a piece of sand. Wash your car, dry it. Spray it with iron remover, help to sitribute it evenly with a big soft paintbrush. Then rinse it, remove the tar and polish it. Clay bar is BS.
My clay with using lot of lube, scratched my car paint and left deep scratches (it is a black car). Completely brand new clay. I went ballistic when I saw that.
Hey Darren, I really find your videos very informative. I would like to know if after you clay bar if you have to give the paint an alcohol wipe and if so the ratio of alcohol to water. Thank you so much for all of your time and expertise, greatly appreciated. Rob
There will be many pseudo-experts that say you must or should. I disagree as it is simply a waste of time. With that said, I certainly would wipe up/off any liquid "mess" created by the claying process.
I heard regular plumbers putty works as well as clay bars. Also, technically aren’t you really only trying to improve the layers of clear coat on the surface and not the actual paint itself? Thoughts?
I use after fall out and tar spot removal. Before polish. I just foam the car again and have a soapy mitt to hand. Just slide left to right and fold. Best tip from me is cut the bar in small pieces and leave them in a cup of hot water. Becomes more malleable to work with. Wash your hands don't drop the clay.
I’m just wondering if it’s cool for me to use light clay on a brand new black car to remove the factory contaminants. I really don’t expect there to be much at all.
So glad I came across your video! As an amateur detailer, but a real fuss budget, I thought using a traditional "light" clay bar on my 2019 vehicle was the smart thing to do. You are right -- it will scratch! So now, prior to re-applying its biannual application of ceramic coating, I try to DECONTAMINATE, DECONTAMINATE, DECONTAMINATE as much as possible prior to the claying process. After doing the wheels, I foam up the entire vehicle with a cleansing car shampoo & power rinse. Next comes a decontaminate spray all over, foam up & power spray off again. Then comes the CLAY BLOCK with either a lubricant or a spray mixture of Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. I take a lot of time with the BLOCK and so small sections at a time because I am constantly rinsing it off throughout the process (a money saver versus throwing away pieces of clay bars). Finishing off with a 2-bucket manual wash and power rinse. Then it's ready for a new ceramic coat. Whew... lot of steps for this biannual process but the paint finish is as smooth as a baby's bottom afterwards and there are no longer any additional scratches. Thankfully, regular washings are much quicker and easier thanks to the ceramic coating. Any suggestions or comments for this newbie from experienced detailers about my process?
Imo the clay bar is a process which is followed by a machine polish, you can get away with white and silver cars with clay but colours and especially darker colours mark up pretty easily with the bar usage and you have to get the 3m and your polisher out to finish the job off. It’s just another stage In our efforts to find perfection!
You’re 100% correct. I have noticed this I have a modern day cleaner pad which they say is clear but it’s actually plastic of some sort on a white sponge type frame which fits in the hand a disk shape item works really well better than using the club had been so small and you can wash off any contaminants were with the clay it in bed its self in the clay. That also adds to scratching with the clay pad where the plastic ones not meant to but the plastic one you still get scuff marks I noticed. But thank you for opening the view is eyes to these fallacies fallacies
I should´ve watched your video before using the claybar on my mini cooper. However, you're right. Got some scratches...very small and I got angry at first...but paint got softer that a nun´s butt...and now I have to get rid off the marring...Anyways...ups and downs with the bar.
Don't let this guy Fear you into not doing it first time user here and it came out awesome twenty fourteen Camaro SS. Watch a bunch of videos And be gentle with it
So the clay bar doesn’t scratch it only the particles you pick up do? That’s the exact same as a microfibre towel or a sponge or a wash mit, if you use it properly it won’t do any damage
a car painters damaged the paint of my new car (3 months) with spray paint dots, yesterday i used a blue clay bar, and removed all the paint dots on the crystals, i also used on a few metallic parts for test, with no visible scratches and the thing removed the spray dots. Should i continue using it on the entire car? Greetings.
therefor cleaning your car is very important to remove the most dirt.but so fair videos on cleaning leather tyo polishing by machine and this clay bar is not to push pressure it to hard .i used a clay block and i went light over it its sometimes better to do other time to make it better than in one and push or pressure it to hard that you make scratches or too heavy
You’re right. I used a clay bar for the first time this weekend and, beginner that I am, I scratched my car despite using copious amounts of CG Clay Luber.
What am I missing regarding the statement about "metal in composition?" Definition of composition metal: a cast copper alloy containing usually more than 80 percent copper together with tin, lead, and zinc." Those elements: (copper tin lead zinc) are typically not ferrous. Ferrous metal is usually iron, and all steel alloys may use iron blended with small amounts of elements such as carbon, chromium, nickel, manganese, manganese, or various others. [I had classes in metallurgy/material sciences.] How does this composition (whatever it is) affect the use of the clay bars for surface decontamination?
Don't overanalyze it with percentages of this or that. I believe he was stating that one type of contamination is "composed" of metal. And then he immediately referred to brake dust as an example, which is mostly ferrous in composition. So to answer your question, a clay bar will cause more scratching when it picks up brake dust versus picking up pollen or bird droppings.
@@steadyeddie7453 Don't overanalyze it?!?!? This guy presents an 11+ minute diatribe with a lot of vague terminology and misinformation. THAT'S overanalyzing. He claims to be a "professional detailer." What exactly is that? He does not seem to know the trade of auto painting.
I leave my car dirty that way you can't see any scratches. Works every time lol
Valid strategy. I think 90% of the people in my area of the world are using the same strategy!!
@@autofetishdetail of course I do love a freshly detailed car but with work and family it's hard to find the time to keep it clean all the time.
@@martinp.9853 Its true its a challenge
It’s called patina 😆
My wife scratches and dints our car then we don’t have to worry about detailing
Thanks for the video. Great information for newbies! clay bar used as part of a process will give you excellent results, never use clay bar as a stand alone action. In detailing world it is referred to as the 5 step detailing process: 1. Wash your car to remove most dirt 2. Clay your car to remove contamination, this will make polishing much easier 3. Use a compound to polish out the existing swirls and swirls made by claying 4. Nourish your paint by using a polish, this will give a deep shine 5. Protect your paint by waxing. You can additionally add a 6th step: use a quick detailer spray to give that last finish. But again: don’t use a clay bar without compounding afterwards. On the other other don’t wax your car without compounding first as it will trap dirt between wax and paint. Don’t compound without claying first because you will be rubbing the contamination into the paint.
I was trained that you always have to polish a vehicle after claying. Keep checking the clay for small particles that will scratch the surface.
Use a compound with no grit. Like something designed for swirl mark removal
True ;-) and often work in small areas and knead the claybar often enough to get the dirt away.
Natural clay bars back in the day were gritty and marred but lot less now with synthetic clay. I use plumbers putty with zero marring and picks out contaminates
Play at 1.5x speed to make this bearable!
There's no reason to clay your car unless you intend on doing paint correction.
It's just another tool in the toolbox.
Clay barring is NOT a step in the process of cleaning your car - It's a step in the process of restoring depth and shine to your paint.
At the very least clay barring should always be followed up with at least a polish.....and of course a wax or ceramic coating.
Never clay bar your car as a routine in your cleaning process.
As a detailer I agree 100%. I always tell customers you never clay bar unless you're going to correct paint, meaning at least a polish. Doesn't HAVE to be a compound. That rule will save you. On the flip side, NEVER correct paint before you clay paint....or at least test the paint (hand in sandwich bag and rub easily across paint ).
So I’m a little confused… I have a fairly new vehicle (2020 Tacoma) and I take really good care of it. In a few months I’m planning on claying, (with a lite clay) then applying a ceramic coating afterwards. Then apply a glaze, then a wax. Should I not clay it ?
My truck doesn’t have any scratches, I definitely don’t need paint correction. If you’re able to advise me, I’d appreciate it!
Thanks!
@@pilgrim985 If you take care of your car regularly, the chance that you have imbedded contaminants are very small.
Especially on a newer car.
A glaze is technically a sort of paint correction, as it's intented to fill out and obscure small scratches or imperfections.
Furthermore, a glaze is easily removed by any prolonged exposure to the elements.
Which means it will break down over time.
Instead I'll advise a claying, followed by a 1-step polish, and a professional ceramic coating (no name-dropping), with lifetime warranty.
It's not cheap though, and I can understand why you wouldn't.
But unles you intend on a polish before applying the glaze, I'd say you're wasting time by claying.
And that's under the condition that you keep your paint clean, by hand-washing your car at least once a week.
But if you insist, sure you can do it.
One time is very unlikely to damage your paint.
The thing you should really keep in mind, is that claying your car shouldn't be part of your regular routine.
@@mrawesomeDK
I only clay my vehicle once a year and then apply a sealant of some sort followed by a glaze and then a wax.
I really do appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
Thank You!
Is it ok to clay bar the windshield? Will it leave the scratches ?
The only time I claybarred a vehicle was an old white van I had. I sprayed so much of that lube stuff and put very little pressure on the clay bar and absolutely covered the entire vehicle in little surface scratches. I took it to a detailer to prevent any further damage and after they compounded and polished, the finish on the vehicle was incredibly smooth to the touch and all of the little fine abrasions were gone.
I'm about to detail my vehicle for the 1st time in about 9 hours. And I have a black Durango. 🤦🏾♂️ I'm glad I came across your video.
Anything you rub on your paint will scratch it to some degree. Whether it be a wash mitten, chamois or a microfiber cloth. I have used a clay bar with excellent results and will continue to do so in the future. Just make sure you keep your clay as clean as possible.
Very informative video. I absolutely agree. The "rubbing" action of one material against another will always cause scratches. Most simply cannot be seen with the naked eye. When you polish any material, you are removing a very small amount of the surface material. These are natural laws and there is no getting around it. However I think (when it comes to clay bars) more damage is done when it is not folded over properly or is over used. The removed material/contaminants already embedded in the bar will definately scratch. Thus I am quite liberal in my use of clay bars. Since we generally do not use clay bars on a weekly basis on the same car, I use 1 complete bar to do 1 vehicle. It minimizes the chance of severely scratching the paint to the point where these become obvious.
best ever is to use Bilt Hamber clay fr UK they have their own clay mine ! avail in S , M, H grades it is so pure they say and it is TRUE ! you can use just plain water ! try it let me know what you think ? and update your video w/an addendum ? thx Jack
The industry doesn’t say anything cause it’s another product they can sell
Another two products! The bar AND the "lube".
Thank you so much! Your honest, no-bs style of delivery de-mystified a lot of this stuff for me.
Thanks for the video man. I Clayed my car in preparation for a polish and used optimum No rinse as a clay lube at the right proportions. I definitely scratched my paint up pretty good in some areas where the clay picked something up and dragged it. I felt like such an idiot afterwards like I did something wrong, but it turns out this is pretty much what happens.
Things just get taken to far these days. Waste of time. I paint my own cars. (Check my channel) after my new paint cures for 2 weeks. I use a regular old buffer going over the car with Mequires cleaner wax. After that a hand wax job using the standard old Turtle wax paste that's been around for 40 years. Done! I'll put my paint side by side with any car. There won't be a difference Wirth even mentioning. So, keep it simple and enjoy your car. Complicating a simple wax job takes the enjoyment out of your original goal. Pleasure and to be proud of your creation.
You forgot one of your other great quotes, “have realistic expectations” 😏. Great content as always. Now this could be why TurtleWax haven’t released a product line of clay bar kits 🤪😂
I wanted so badly to say "Darren you are wrong" but you are not.
A good guide to know if your car needs a clay bar... get a micro thin plastic bag from the fruiterers and open it up, put your hand in and GENTLY run your hand over an area, it will feel like the rocky mountains! Then do a clay bar in that area and feel the difference. You will be shocked.
Thanks you! I’m a newbie to using clay - actually I’ll be doing for the first time -and you’ve made my fears about it’s possible impacts more rational. I better understand the “process” and what to expect.
Just one rule.... never clay unless you intend to compound or at least polish afterwards. That will remove the marring. :-)
@@williamsmarr9500 My question is , if you don´t clay and only wax it regularly, I use Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax every 6 months , wihat happen to your car paint ? I mean what damage is greater , claying it or only waxing it ? Are the contaminats damage your paint more than the clay bar ?
@@hb-ol9oc The "damage" from a clay bar is not really damage; it's called marring and looks like a scuff mark. Won't hurt anything but you can see it, especially in sunlight. On the other hand, if you wax it without claying it first, you're grinding in dirt and other contaminants on the paint. Clay barring is easy and pretty fast. You can even do it while washing car, using soap as lubricant, AFTER cleaning car first with a proper wash mitt. So, to answer your question, waxing without claying is more damage than claying. Hope that answers your question.
@@williamsmarr9500 Yes, thanks a lot.
I just used Meguire's Clay Bar kit on a Black ML500 . . .and it came out AWESOME!!
I'm the same man. Car looks great..
Yep! I used the same on my Infiniti , left it smooth like it’s a new paint job!👍🏽
Didnt leave any scratches or did u polish after?
@@heatfan1502 you wax it afterwards. . .no scratches and looks and feels like new car again.
@@guppyspop Wax fills the light scratches..
Next time, before you wax, spray some alcohol on it and wipe off....you will see the actual status of the paint as a result of the clay bar.
You helped me alot I've been detailing for a yr now but was always skeptical on clay baring fearing that I would mess up a client's car. Hopefully you or I or someone can come up with a solution that removes over spray without rubbing it with
Have use clay bars for years... and I have black Lincoln Navigator....I found using the clay with spray on wax works very well... but without proper cleaning before using anything waxs..clay bar products will definitely scratch..but as far using compounds to clean your paint up in fact your put fine scratches in the paint then you apply wax the polish... but with any products you have to take care and use them correctly
I have a better tip, do not clay ur car... like someone is going to look so close at the paint anyways...
Bought a brand new car this year. After looking at some ceramic coatings they all insisted on claying the car first saying there were contaminates in the paint. Having clayed a car years ago I thought they were nuts. I had a brand new car with not one swirl mark or scratch on it. No way was I going to risk screwing up the paint or reducing the thickness of the clear coat on a brand new car. I ceramic coated it with just a good wash and it came out fine. I continue to maintain it with liquid spray ceramic coatings as drying aids and the car looks great and still not one swirl mark or scratch after 8 months. I stopped listening to experts and using common sense years ago.
Is it possible that my car might look a tad better if I followed instructions, possibly but not worth the risk.
Best voice of reason in the industry.
Having years of experience help to form an informed opinion . I totally agree with your argument . Be careful people not to cause a bigger problem . In some cases using a high quality polish (not a wax or ceramic sealant -thats the last in the process) and carefully hand polishing , you should get a great "damaged less" finish . Love your content mate . Top work .
Soap and water works great for a clay lube. And if you want to use a detail spray make your own with a Rinseless wash product.
would that be a regular car soap or dish soap?
@@brandon-vz9bg I don't know if Ouzo uses dish soap or car wash soap. But from what I have seen in these videos and from friends in the detailing business. You should never us dish soap for washing/detailing your vehicle.
@@brucel7794 Dish soap is way too harsh for an auto finish. It strips it of protectants.
Dish soap should only be use on a car if you are washing to start sanding it for prep work or if washing to get ready to paint dish soap removes all protective on paint like wax polish and grease
@@brucel7794 I only use dish soap to help strip an wax or sealant.
One thing I do know if you polish it and then run your hand over it it will still have noticeable lumps and bumps for the contamination on the paint work. Where when you use the clay pads they eliminate that I guess that’s one advantage to the pad.
Lookin BUILT Darren! Your workout regimen does you justice! Props on hard work
Forget the clay bar, your body is hot! 😝
Thanks for the education! Appreciate your candor and telling as it is.....
When a professional detailer chooses a white car, I know what colour my new car is going to be! Great video. I think I'll just stick to waxing my (black) car.
What about sap from trees? We hit the trails with our Jeep. We have experienced a lot of rubbing from branches and tree sap
Yes does claying remove contsimanation of tree sap? I have a brand new Kia wit tree sap on roof looks like the night sky & on plastic moulds& sun roof 😤
I agree with most of what you said. The polish process is trading larger, fewer, more visible scratches with finer, more, less visible scratches. But I am no fan of clay bar unless I have no other choice because they WILL scratch your clear coat and scratch it rather deeply in some cases. We are not getting very much clear coat from car manufacturers anymore. We have to start being conservative with our paint correction practices and, even better, being more vigilant about taking care of well conditioned paint.
Why is there less clear coat now; fashion or technical?
Environmental impact and cost. Automakers are lowering the amount of clear coat, year by year. It is wise to take care of your paint work on new vehicles and do whatever you can to prevent the necessity for polishing clear coat, as much as possible. Someone may have a different perspective to be that I'm open to hearing for sure though.
Back and forth minor scratches are better than trapping them in applicator and putting circular scratches on entire car
Great video, I noticed the CYA on all the products. I was wondering… If I haven’t washed my car for quite some time and all I wish to do is wash and wax it, would waxing without claying beforehand be worse for the paint than claying before waxing? In other words, will the act of waxing the car without claying it, end up scratching the paint worse, or will the contamination remain in place and not get spread around because it would hypothetically stay in place unless I needed clay to remove it?
I’m sure I’m over thinking it, but I have a black vehicle though and I’m just worried about scratching up the paint. I don’t own a dual action polisher to follow up with but would like to take better care of my vehicle until I can save up for one. Thank you kindly and have a great day!
Quick to judge the clay bar process, but offered NADA about removing paint contaminates. If you are an auto detailing professional, where is the professional method, as you pointed out, on museum relics, and such? Used properly, and proper polish/seal/wax, clay bars process works.
If anyone offers to do a full multi-stage clean/polish/seal/wax without a clay bar, I will ask them, "so did you grind all the paint contaminates deeper into the finish, then over coat it?" Thanks for the vid -- good info, but have to consider the big picture
Polish with a compound, prep the paint with IPA and put on wax or coating. Not good to clay without polishing after. If you keep up on it, you won't have to compound every time, usually 1 pass with polish and 1 pass with primer is fine. Then you don't need to worry about clear coat thickness
Ha! Shows what you know! I repaint my car every week!
Totally agree. Just keeping your paint wet will alloy your clay bar to glide. Feeling resistance is very bad, not gliding. Resistance will scratch your paint. A very little detergent may help to remove grease. You will need to polish for a showroom finish
It’s hard to take anyone’s advice, that wears dangly bracelets 😂
"Claybar, biggest lie in the auto industry"
Volkswagon: Hold. My. Beer.
I noticed how great yout mirror looked. I have piano black trim around my car windows. It shows every fingerprint and scratch. Any suggestions? Clay bar? Polish?
perhaps the wording should be, it's not the Clay Bar scratching our Duco but it is the debris that the Bar picks-up that does the scratches. (& I've never used a clay bar) just surmising.
I am an automotive painter. Clay yes works. I personally use warm water with a few drops of dawn in it. Everything puts abrasions in it. Only time it is scratch free is free of the factory line before it is purchased. Short answer it works, but fancy lube no needed. Compound and polish after clay and scratch is not as noticeable
Yes, you are absolutely right, clay bar scratches the paint, but it is a normal part of the detailing process as long as the car needs it.
I once clay barred a Porsche and it left the deepest scratches that was not removable with any DA polisher. This was after using the same clay bar for a Tesla and GMC, which had no problem compounding after. Just be careful. Some paint are softer than others.
Finally someone that knows and tells the truth. I have been doing body/ paint work since the 70's. Your video is right on the mark.
Can it be a high earning career for someone in mid 30s. I paid $725 for a “detail” with clay bar. I’m thinking I should be the one charging $725.
Not only will you be disturbed, you will be obsessed and your neighbors will think you're on drugs and civilly commit you to inpatient rehab because you're cleaning your car with q tips
21 years now I been telling my customers claying do some scratching and I polish the car after and remove the scratches before waxing. It's all good for me. Just some extra work I do.
Clay bar is well worth as not to use harsh chemicals ! Then just 2 step polish and finish with sealer ! of your choice !!!
Sheesh
NEVER use water as a lubricant for your clay.
As a general rule, clay the vehicle 1-2 times every 18 months.
Will it affect paint, yes. Does it work and minimally affect paint, yes.
It all depends on what the clay bar is made of. If it has abrasive in the clay it can mark the paint, if the clay picks up contaminants or dirt the dirt can mark the paint. Anything can mark your paint if there is dirt on the paint.
Exactly my feeling, if the clay is loosening micro debris ie: tar spots and sliding that debris across the surface it's gonna scratch. I guess it's how well we polish out those after that really matters.
Clay bar is one of the first steps, if i polish and wax afterwards it still looks great
Do you have to clay bar and wax before you ceramic coat
Clay bars are the best pre-polish prepping tools available. Unfortunately, won’t work with DA polishers, but the process is very quick. They are the best at removing contaminant's, just don’t drop that bar. After that grab a light, or heavier cut compound & a 10mm DA/orbital polisher using an orange 5.5” pad for removing scratches, swirls, or any colored marks left by rogue shopping carts. Lastly, wax/seal using the same 10mm polisher with a black buffing pad, & any non abrasive polish of your choice.
Claying in most cases is used if you are going to deep clean the surface of your car and I never had any issues with it scratching the surface. Back in the day we didn't have clay, we had to use compound to remove any surface imperfections, which lead to another process of polishing and glazing. With claying you still have to polish the surface after you are done, but you could probably use a less "aggressive" polish. Claying verses compounding the finish is a lot safer and less chance of leaving deep scratches. I would never suggest claying and then waxing a vehicle, I would always suggest using a polish to bring the shine out. Also some people use the entire clay bar. I would suggest breaking the bar in pieces and just using sections of it, so if you drop it you don't contaminant the entire bar and always keep it clean. Clay bars don't scratch the paint moving the dirt and grim that builds up on the surface of the bar does. Keep it clean is the secret. Similar to wet sanding ...keep a stream of water over the surface to wash away any particles left behind. Do the same with claying.
Before using clay, use a Decon spray to dissolve metals and brake dust from paintwork. Rinse. Now use tar/bug remover followed by a snow foam contactless wash. Follow with contact wash using Decon shampoo and 2 bucket method. Now use clay bar. There is nothing left on the car to embed into the clay bar, so the clay bar leaves no scratches. It does, however, prepare the paint for LSP. Rinse. Dry. Apply LSP. Sorted.
Incorrect
Dude, finally!! Been looking for this information forever. I appreciate your work and info.
Glad to help!
It can definately mark your paint, but I've also clayed cars with no markings created. The key is light pressure and continual remolding on the clay, I've seen those clay towels they do the most damage out of any clay steer clear of those.
Not trying to argue but that's not quite accurate on clay towels. It's generally recognized by those of us who do this for $ that clay alternatives or just as good as clay. They also can be significantly faster. The BIG advantage is if you drop a clay bar it CAN NOT be used any longer. Mitts and towels, rinse off and you're ready to go. Also, never clay unless you're going to compound or polish afterwards. That will remove any marring caused by claying. Make sure when you clay that you use a good clay lube. Also the grade of clay is important. Fine can be used in many cases; medium grade is more "powerful" but marrs more.
If u wash your car with warm water and plenty of wash & wax then hose it down no need for clay baring fact
My detailer suggested clay bar. The result on my 2017 black Pius was flawless. He says that only needs to be done once a year or so. I have him wax two to three times a year. I also have a black Toyota Tacoma Pre-runner. Both are beautiful after he gets done with them. I'm sold on the clay bar.
I always use a spray wax with clay it’s what most manufacturers state it doesn’t scratch as bad as most polishes or microfiber clothes. Even checked with microscope on my own cars and customers cars if surface prep isn’t done right I could see you’re point but through extreme testing it’s just as bad for you’re paint as most other products
That is an excellent idea. I thought about using some good car wash soap mixed with water in a spray bottle.
@@Velo1010 this works great and I’m about to do it tomorrow on my Mercedes’ e350 2008. The setup will be a normal contact wash and using the same car soap( chemicals guys pink) in a 8 water to 1 soap ratio in a spray bottle as a “clay lube“ then finally going to hand compound and polish it using meguiars ultimate compound and polish !:)
Well I wish you would added what you use to deep contaminate a car. Great piece on clay bars O can you please add what you use to decontaminate your car
I am with you 100%. I have been debating this for years. It only makes sense that if the clay bar lifts an embedded particle from the paint, then you are dragging that particle back and forth across the paint surface until you fold it into the clay and expose a fresh clay surface. Another angle- Car product manufacturers sell us "special" wash mits or sponges that supposedly lift the loose particles of contamination from the paint and bury them deep into the wash mit. Why? So these particles dont scratch the paint. Many recommend a 2 bucket wash process. Why? Because your wash mit lifts the contaminant particles and holds them in the mit. So the mit is then dipped in 2nd bucket to clear it of the contaminants. It's the same principle for a clay bar. And if the clay did not scratch the finish then they wouldn't be recommending polishing afterwards.
So in the "2 bucket" method; when rinsing the wash implement (mitt, sponge, microfiber pad, etc) what happens to the particles released in the 'clear' rinse water? Do the particles remain in suspension, only to RE-contaminate the mitt/pad? Do you avoid causing turbidity, if so - how? Some people use 2 buckets with those guard screens in the buckets.
As to polishing after the 'controlled' scratching with the clay, the polish makes still smaller scratches. Body and paint work involves sanding or wet sanding with progressivity finer grit. I.e.: 1000 grit followed by 3000 etc. Same principle with clay then polish.
@@RichardFallstich The particles are generally heavy enough that they sink to the bottom. Of course nothing is perfect so there may be some floaters. But I never dip my wash brush toward the bottom of the bucket. Just enough to submerge it. Give it a few shakes and back out. I have the bucket guard but it is used to keep my wash brush off the bucket bottom when I am moving the bucket around, or relocating the water hose. Other than that the brush never dips down that far into ither bucket. As for turbidity, I actually pre-wash the vehicle by gently running one hand across the paint surface while the other hand is pointing a steady stream of water. Particles are instantly washed away and not ground in, and they dont remain on your clean hand. That alone removes most of the surface dirt. Then I go to the buckets.
Both clay and polish will leave scratches. Theres a lot of variables with both. But clay-ing is most always followed by polishing, then a wax or sealcoat. Polishing can generally be followed by a sealant or wax.
Do not skip the clay bar. It removes 99% of contaminants. If you skip this process where do you think all those contaminants end up? You got it, right under your polisher and into your compound. Have fun with that! I noticed he failed to point this out. Not honest at all.
So we should use the clay bar, and expect scratches on dark cars. We should also polish and wax the vehicle afterwards to correct any issues. That's what I took away at least.
Same haha
Optimum Clay/Towel or Mitt w/Car Wax Lube I haven't really seen any marring with it. Been using it for months
Do a test panel. Paint correct it to the point it has no scratches, leave it out in the open elements, than with time do a clay bar and see for yourself then if it scratches or not. You will see micro marring to the point that only if you focused real good and know wat your looking for. It's not gona scratch like if you were taking a piece of 600grit sand paper. But it will have micro marring.
A whole lot of words and I am not sure the verdict. If it is don't use a clay bar then what is the best choice to clean paint?
I had to polish a black dodge challenger hellcat that was delivered right from the factory. It was delivered all scratched up I was still fairly new to polishing. So tall about anxiety lol.
I clay barred my car and waxed afterwards and it looks awesome. I was very careful to use plenty of lube so I don’t think polishing was needed.
Dont do it again. Just think mate. What the claybar does? It moves out the grits that stucked into the paint. Mostly iron piece that scratches the paint further as you go along. The removed grits rolling between the claybar and the paint like you a piece of sand. Wash your car, dry it. Spray it with iron remover, help to sitribute it evenly with a big soft paintbrush. Then rinse it, remove the tar and polish it. Clay bar is BS.
Lol… man jewelry slapping against the car? No wonder the car has scratches!
My clay with using lot of lube, scratched my car paint and left deep scratches (it is a black car). Completely brand new clay. I went ballistic when I saw that.
Hey Darren, I really find your videos very informative. I would like to know if after you clay bar if you have to give the paint an alcohol wipe and if so the ratio of alcohol to water. Thank you so much for all of your time and expertise, greatly appreciated. Rob
There will be many pseudo-experts that say you must or should. I disagree as it is simply a waste of time. With that said, I certainly would wipe up/off any liquid "mess" created by the claying process.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer. Rob
I heard regular plumbers putty works as well as clay bars. Also, technically aren’t you really only trying to improve the layers of clear coat on the surface and not the actual paint itself? Thoughts?
Geez… all i wanted to know is can a clay bar be cleaned?
Not all this.
I use after fall out and tar spot removal. Before polish. I just foam the car again and have a soapy mitt to hand. Just slide left to right and fold. Best tip from me is cut the bar in small pieces and leave them in a cup of hot water. Becomes more malleable to work with. Wash your hands don't drop the clay.
I’m just wondering if it’s cool for me to use light clay on a brand new black car to remove the factory contaminants. I really don’t expect there to be much at all.
That’s why you buff & polish after it, even says on the box to buff/wax/polish after use.
So glad I came across your video! As an amateur detailer, but a real fuss budget, I thought using a traditional "light" clay bar on my 2019 vehicle was the smart thing to do. You are right -- it will scratch! So now, prior to re-applying its biannual application of ceramic coating, I try to DECONTAMINATE, DECONTAMINATE, DECONTAMINATE as much as possible prior to the claying process. After doing the wheels, I foam up the entire vehicle with a cleansing car shampoo & power rinse. Next comes a decontaminate spray all over, foam up & power spray off again. Then comes the CLAY BLOCK with either a lubricant or a spray mixture of Chemical Guys Mr. Pink. I take a lot of time with the BLOCK and so small sections at a time because I am constantly rinsing it off throughout the process (a money saver versus throwing away pieces of clay bars). Finishing off with a 2-bucket manual wash and power rinse. Then it's ready for a new ceramic coat. Whew... lot of steps for this biannual process but the paint finish is as smooth as a baby's bottom afterwards and there are no longer any additional scratches. Thankfully, regular washings are much quicker and easier thanks to the ceramic coating. Any suggestions or comments for this newbie from experienced detailers about my process?
What specifically do you use to decontaminate before claying?
Imo the clay bar is a process which is followed by a machine polish, you can get away with white and silver cars with clay but colours and especially darker colours mark up pretty easily with the bar usage and you have to get the 3m and your polisher out to finish the job off. It’s just another stage In our efforts to find perfection!
You’re 100% correct. I have noticed this I have a modern day cleaner pad which they say is clear but it’s actually plastic of some sort on a white sponge type frame which fits in the hand a disk shape item works really well better than using the club had been so small and you can wash off any contaminants were with the clay it in bed its self in the clay. That also adds to scratching with the clay pad where the plastic ones not meant to but the plastic one you still get scuff marks I noticed. But thank you for opening the view is eyes to these fallacies fallacies
I should´ve watched your video before using the claybar on my mini cooper. However, you're right. Got some scratches...very small and I got angry at first...but paint got softer that a nun´s butt...and now I have to get rid off the marring...Anyways...ups and downs with the bar.
Darren you said after claybar to follow up with wax, why do most professional detailers say to polish afterwards?
Don't let this guy Fear you into not doing it first time user here and it came out awesome twenty fourteen Camaro SS. Watch a bunch of videos And be gentle with it
I recommend if you use the Claybar polish the car then wax afterwards to remove any black marks from the clay pad.
So the clay bar doesn’t scratch it only the particles you pick up do? That’s the exact same as a microfibre towel or a sponge or a wash mit, if you use it properly it won’t do any damage
If I haven't touched the car before I don't want to apply any protective products after just a quick hand wash. I have to clay.
Good information however more direction on how to use a clay bar would be great
It will scratch your clear-coat to be exact. There should be no exposed paint.
What's the difference between clay bar, and poster tack clay?
a car painters damaged the paint of my new car (3 months) with spray paint dots, yesterday i used a blue clay bar, and removed all the paint dots on the crystals, i also used on a few metallic parts for test, with no visible scratches and the thing removed the spray dots. Should i continue using it on the entire car?
Greetings.
Darren can I also use a rubbing compound and apply by hand to remove those microscopic marring and scratches caused by claybar or mitting?
I'm about to do ppf is clay bar need it any help
“I’ve tested so many clay lubes” ... and my guy was raw after each use
Lmao.....
therefor cleaning your car is very important to remove the most dirt.but so fair videos on cleaning leather tyo polishing by machine and this clay bar is not to push pressure it to hard .i used a clay block and i went light over it its sometimes better to do other time to make it better than in one and push or pressure it to hard that you make scratches or too heavy
Should you use clay bar after paint job yes or no.
Darren you have to make a shirt "NOTHING IS CREATED EQUAL!" I think it would sell.
Clay will always scratch, no matter what type you use.
You’re right. I used a clay bar for the first time this weekend and, beginner that I am, I scratched my car despite using copious amounts of CG Clay Luber.
Oh crap I’m claying my Ford F-150 for the first time next week. Ruby Red Clearcoat paint! Got all the CG hype to do it HEEELLLLPPPPP
Clayed my s class coupe. Stunning. 2 layers of autoglym resin polish and it looks new.
The red one is good ?? i need the name and how to use it for a job
Your so Honest that I have to Subscribe to you no matter what , truth and pure truth with honesty is all I admire
What am I missing regarding the statement about "metal in composition?" Definition of composition metal: a cast copper alloy containing usually more than 80 percent copper together with tin, lead, and zinc." Those elements: (copper tin lead zinc) are typically not ferrous. Ferrous metal is usually iron, and all steel alloys may use iron blended with small amounts of elements such as carbon, chromium, nickel, manganese, manganese, or various others. [I had classes in metallurgy/material sciences.]
How does this composition (whatever it is) affect the use of the clay bars for surface decontamination?
Don't overanalyze it with percentages of this or that. I believe he was stating that one type of contamination is "composed" of metal. And then he immediately referred to brake dust as an example, which is mostly ferrous in composition. So to answer your question, a clay bar will cause more scratching when it picks up brake dust versus picking up pollen or bird droppings.
@@steadyeddie7453 Don't overanalyze it?!?!? This guy presents an 11+ minute diatribe with a lot of vague terminology and misinformation. THAT'S overanalyzing. He claims to be a "professional detailer." What exactly is that? He does not seem to know the trade of auto painting.