Clay detail bar.

[K5JMP]

the claybar works like magic..
just remember to keep it wet, then knead and fold to get fresh surface area to work with.

you will be amazed.

 

[harbone66]

the claybar works like magic..
just remember to keep it wet, then knead and fold to get fresh surface area to work with.

you will be amazed.

^^^This!!^^^

I was scared as hell the first time I used one but once you get used to it the results are great! To actually feel the grit being lifted from the car is cool as heck!

 

[ProStreet383]

Well, it looks like I have some detailing to do.

Just be careful on black. Anything at all in the clay and it can causes scratches or spider webs. You want to really make that bad boy shine and look really deep with a lasting protection? Clay bar it, then use a porter cable and medium cutting foam pad along with Menzerna SIP polish then finish with Blackfire wet diamond

http://www.autogeek.net/menzerna-po83-si1500.html



Blackfire wet diamond is the best synthetic sealant on the market. Lots of good ones (none that you can buy over the counter at auto stores) but blackfire really rocks on dark colors and you can expect a solid 6+ months of protection.


http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-wet-diamond-sealant.html

 

[Krator]

Sweet I saw that stuff on a honda forum I was on. That Black Fire is the bomb. There was a detailer there would show pics of the cars he worked on. It was amazing to see the tranformation of the cars.

 

[Carinsulation.com]

I use Luber from Chemical Guys, that stuff works amazing!

 

[chknbone]

^^^This!!^^^

I was scared as hell the first time I used one but once you get used to it the results are great! To actually feel the grit being lifted from the car is cool as heck!

^^^^^ This This! ^^^^^
Once I broke down and tried it, it was the easiest thing in the world to work with and there is sooooo much satisfaction in seeing all the little stuff it pulls off of your paint.

You can save some money buy buying just the clay bar and using a good quality soap (Meguirs, Mothers, etc) as the lubricant. Sometimes you can get the bars big enough to just use half while storing the other half which makes a good emergency backup bar if you happen to drop the first one.

Basically just fill your soap bucket with the normal water to soap ratio. Wash and rinse a section of the car. The re-soap it and slide the clay bar over the entire section using the soap as the lubricant. Then re-wash and rinse again.

After claying each section, simply fold the clay bar into itself over and over and it will encapsulate all the grit it just pulled off of the paint and you're ready for the next section.

Just be aware that the claying process is also going to take off all of the wax and polish off of your paint as well. So it's good to plan enough time for you polish and wax afterwards (well polish is optional but you definitely should wax fairly soon after claying since that's the "protective" layer).

 

[Carinsulation.com]

^^^^^ This This! ^^^^^
Once I broke down and tried it, it was the easiest thing in the world to work with and there is sooooo much satisfaction in seeing all the little stuff it pulls off of your paint.

You can save some money buy buying just the clay bar and using a good quality soap (Meguirs, Mothers, etc) as the lubricant. Sometimes you can get the bars big enough to just use half while storing the other half which makes a good emergency backup bar if you happen to drop the first one.

Basically just fill your soap bucket with the normal water to soap ratio. Wash and rinse a section of the car. The re-soap it and slide the clay bar over the entire section using the soap as the lubricant. Then re-wash and rinse again.

After claying each section, simply fold the clay bar into itself over and over and it will encapsulate all the grit it just pulled off of the paint and you're ready for the next section.

Just be aware that the claying process is also going to take off all of the wax and polish off of your paint as well. So it's good to plan enough time for you polish and wax afterwards (well polish is optional but you definitely should wax fairly soon after claying since that's the "protective" layer).

When you refer to polish, are you talking about compound? If you are, there should be no compound on your paint before you claybar, you don't polish before you clay. You should have just got done washing your car and have a perfectly clean surface free of sealant and wax.

If you use the correct soap solution you will have no sealant or wax left on the surface just bare paint/clear coat. There are different washes, some remove wax and sealants and others will not. There are many options and can be confusing but it is very simple after you understand it all.

You want to clay bar your car after you cleaned it thoroughly. If your car needs a polish then you would proceed after you claybar it and then clean your entire car again afterwards. Then apply a sealant and then a wax.

Also, wax is more for shine factor, it is not that much of a protective layer and most only last 3 weeks at most. If you want a true protective layer then you use a sealant which most last 3-9 months and then you use a wax on top of your sealant.

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polish (if needed)
4. Wash (if you polished)
4. Sealant
5. Wax

If anyone has any questions on here on how to detail, please hit me up. I'm willing to educate anyone.

 

[chknbone]

When you refer to polish, are you talking about compound? If you are, there should be no compound on your paint before you claybar, you don't polish before you clay. You should have just got done washing your car and have a perfectly clean surface free of sealant and wax.

If you use the correct soap solution you will have no sealant or wax left on the surface just bare paint/clear coat. There are different washes, some remove wax and sealants and others will not. There are many options and can be confusing but it is very simple after you understand it all.

You want to clay bar your car after you cleaned it thoroughly. If your car needs a polish then you would proceed after you claybar it and then clean your entire car again afterwards. Then apply a sealant and then a wax.

Also, wax is more for shine factor, it is not that much of a protective layer and most only last 3 weeks at most. If you want a true protective layer then you use a sealant which most last 3-9 months and then you use a wax on top of your sealant.

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polish (if needed)
4. Wash (if you polished)
4. Sealant
5. Wax

If anyone has any questions on here on how to detail, please hit me up. I'm willing to educate anyone.

No not compound. I think it would be pretty pointless to put anything on there before you clay it because my understanding is that the claying process is just going to take it all right back off (if the soap/wash didn't already). I did NOT mean to imply that you should compound, polish, or wax before claying. DEFINITELY NOT.

That's interesting though, I've never heard of washing after polishing. I'll have to ask my buddy at work if he has. We both got into detailing pretty seriously about 9 years ago and drove both our families crazy. We used to spend WAY too much time on this one particular detailing forum that ended up combining with a supplier that we both used and it had some really great instructional videos.

Also, I always read that the polish was what you wanted to use to provide the "shine" and "depth" to the paint as opposed to the wax (I thought that was the point behind all the "oils" and "fillers" in the polishes that helped dull the light refraction on minor scratches, swirl marks, etc)

That's not to say that I think "I'm right and you're wrong". I'm old enough to know that you never stop learning and just because I learned something one way doesn't mean it stays that way.

The way we use to do a full-blown cleaning job was like this:

1. Wash
1a. Clay

2. Rubbing Compound or Paint Cleaner to "clean" the paint (for much, MUCH older cars it would be use to remove oxidation but for the most part they all have a decent layer of clear coat on them these days)

3. Polish to give the paint depth/shine.

4. Wax/Sealant to protect all the polish.

I also agree that a sealant was definitely better than way for longevity but most of the sealants I tried were harder to work with than wax (Meguiar's 26). I used to be able to make a wax job last a good 2 to 3 months by using a particular speed shine product that contained wax (and oddly enough, smelled GREAT) but was discontinued. And I had several friends that would wax over their sealant like you suggest (of course they all had their own favorite "stack" that they would swear by)

But again, I haven't detailed the truck in over 4 years now and most of the products I used to use have either been discontinued or renamed so I may be way off base at this point.

The important thing here is that members know "claying" is nothing to be intimidated by and that "protection" needs to be done after the claying.

 

[Jeep43]

I've used enamel reducer to remove overspray from fully cured paint without any issue.

 

[CamarosRus]

After the Clay Bar and any other Cleaners you use the paint will surely need polishing.
How many scratches, swirls, defects can YOU see in the clear coat.....

Ive found that using my Porter Cable 7424 Orbital with a Meguairs 6" Microfiber Cutting. (Harbor Freight has a Porter Cable knock off)
Pad and Meguairs 105 Polish does the trick for removing the majority of defects.
Follow this up with a White Foam Pad and Meg's 205 polish.....

If youre not willing to invest the money, buy equip and materials, then have it done
professionally. If youre not willing to invest the money in either, then you deserve what
end results you have

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