I have a black 2010 Camaro and I tried to clay it for the second time and again I now have slight marring (i.e. lines in the paint). I know I'm using plenty of lube and I'm only applying enough pressure to keep the clay on the paint. I flatten it like a patty like the video shows. The first time I used DP clay and this evening I used Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay. I really don't think I'm doing anything wrong but I really don't know. Is it possible that my paint is just so soft that it's going to mar every time it gets clayed? Any suggestions? Thanks.
Claying...what am I doing wrong?
- Thread starter mcpp66
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Claying will slightly mar the paint.
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Well, when I say I clayed it twice I mean the first time I did the hood and then tonight I did the trunk. I didn't do the same areas twice yet. The reason I'm claying is because there are little specks of "polish dust" that are being real stubborn and are not coming off when spraying and wiping with a QD and MF towel.
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So it is normal then? So basically I should only clay if I intend to follow up with a polish?
JonMiles
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- Jan 28, 2010
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If you are using a clean clay and plenty of lube but still marring the paint, it may be the clay is too aggressiveness of the clay that is causing the marring. I have 2 types of clays that I use in my business, one is a clay magic red and the other is blue. I have never seen the blue mar the paint at all. I use ONR for lube.
What is your clay and lube combo? also how much pressure are you applying, because the clay should just be gliding across the surface with minimal pressure.
Mike Phillips
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Didn't you tell me you thought your paint was on the soft side?
If that's the case that's probably the problem.
I've clayed a zillion cars and marring on paint with a fine to medium clay is far an few between. Using an aggressive clay can lead to "Clay Haze", which is a really nice way of saying clay scratches, but that's why most retail companies market ultra fine, fine and medium grade clays and reserve the aggressive clays for the pro side.
If that's the case that's probably the problem.
I've clayed a zillion cars and marring on paint with a fine to medium clay is far an few between. Using an aggressive clay can lead to "Clay Haze", which is a really nice way of saying clay scratches, but that's why most retail companies market ultra fine, fine and medium grade clays and reserve the aggressive clays for the pro side.
Mike Phillips
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This is what I think the problem is.
I spoke with Richard Lin at Detail Fest and he said he recently worked on a 2010 Camaro and he considered the paint to be very soft relative to the average clear.
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Didn't you tell me you thought your paint was on the soft side?
If that's the case that's probably the problem.
I've clayed a zillion cars and marring on paint with a fine to medium clay is far an few between. Using an aggressive clay can lead to "Clay Haze", which is a really nice way of saying clay scratches, but that's why most retail companies market ultra fine, fine and medium grade clays and reserve the aggressive clays for the pro side.
Actually it was the other way around. That Saturday when you were trying to help me to eliminate the polish-induced marring I was getting you suggested that my paint may just be very soft. I told you what I was doing and you said it sounds like I'm doing everything right and therefore suggested I may just have soft paint. That has to be it..........I know I'm doing this right. I'm hardly applying any pressure, using plenty of lube, and flattening the clay into a patty and just gliding it over the paint. Maybe I should just not clay this car.
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Correct. No matter what others have said when you rub on the paint with something like clay you are going to mar the surface no matter how mild it is.
JonMiles
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You are going to need to clay it eventually, I would just reserve claying for times you wish to use a finishing polish afterwards to clean up the marring with.
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That makes sense. Hell, every time I just slightly brush up against the car with my jeans I'm having to polish it cause it's marred just from that. Because of this I've left standing orders in my household that no one is to go in the garage without my supervision. This car is making me insane. I'm starting to feel like Arnie Cunningham in Christine.
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That's what I'm going to do.
richy
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- Mar 27, 2007
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The new Camaros have notoriously soft paint. That is certainly not going to help your situation. You may not even need to clay it. If you feel some contamination on the surface, use a chemical decon kit like the Valu guard 3 step system. It rocks!!! Your paint will be unbelievably smooth after that. Their kit is the best decon kit there is IMO. You should see what it does to white cars...amazing.
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I googled that but didn't come up with anything. Is there a Web site you could direct me to?
richy
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I just wanted to make it clear that you were correct in saying that you were claying correctly, even tough others seem you were doing something wrong. Another option is to get some paint cleaner from Pinnacle or P21s.
Mike Phillips
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I guess our experiences are different because I've clayed zillions of cars and often times with huge crowds watching me and then inspecting the paint with swirl finders. One thing for sure, if paint were coming out scratched or marred and 20 to 50 people were all looking at it, pointing at it and then asking me to explain, I would not have kept claying all these years.
I probably clayed the paint on the Black Knight a hundred times under intense lights at Barrett-Jackson last weekend and it seemed like EVERYONE wanted to put their nose right down on the surface and inspect... but no scratches, and no marring.
At Detail Fest, I worked on a black Fiero, a black Corvette and a black BMW and I clayed all 3 of these cars in front of live crowds and had everyone inspect the paint and I can't speak for others but I didn't see any marring. The BMW is coming back, so we can look again.
Claying a black BMW
Owner of the Fiero inspecting his paint with a Swirl Finder Light
If you find you car has paint that is easily scratched, then that is actually very good advice.
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I guess a lot of people didn't know what to look for. I can do the same in front of people that have no idea what they are looking at and say the finish looks good. Sorry but if you clay paint you are going to get some type of marring.
I was there when you clayed, I guess I should have looked at the car to see the marring the clay left behind then.
I was there when you clayed, I guess I should have looked at the car to see the marring the clay left behind then.