Dropped clay.

depending on the drop it can be an immediate throw out.

OR if i drop only a certain spot and i catch it before it rolls, i pinch that entire side off. Because ive found that for me, most clay is dropped when rolling it. Then to be sure i downgrade that clay for either door jambs or rims...
 
I'm sorry, as I read over this thread about "dropping the clay", I keep thinking about the old joke about jail and "dropping the soap"
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Point taken, but OTOH, the "rule" that if you drop it, it's garbage, removes any common sense, subjectivity, or inspection from the equation. If I have a garage floor like an airplane hangar, and I just mopped it before my detailing session, and I look at my clay, decide it's clean, rinse it off for good measure, what is my risk?

I think the same logic can be applied in reverse (sort of). If you drop your clay substitute on the ground, which is made of very soft rubber, and you just rinse it off and continue using it, are you absolutely sure there is no grit that has embedded itself in the rubber and didn't rinse off? (Disclaimer: I haven't used any of the clay substitues). Do you do a thorough inspection?

As I mentioned before, we've all clayed cars that have tons of tar, with pieces of aggregate, and that junk all gets stuck in the clay. Personally I rub the clay with my finger in my rinse bucket, and pick off any large particles, before I knead the clay in those circumstances. Am I removing 100% of the grit? No. Does that stop me from kneading the clay and continuing? No. What about you guys?

I don't see that as being hugely different from dropping the clay on the ground. You've got to use your best judgment (and I understand that newbs may be reading this without the experience to make that judgment).

Who's going to start the Garry Dean Clay Method (GDCM) where as soon as the clay gets dirty you throw it out instead of kneading it?
Click to expand...
Great points Mike. I do agree with it too. I personally have a separate piece of clay that I use for the lower area of vehicles that I'm suspect of having such grit.

When I get a car that has a tar problem, the tar is first dissolved off of the paint with a tar remover before claying begins so really the claying of tar for the most part is a non-issue. Of course there is the possibility of picking up some grit from the rockers etc. But like someone else mentioned, I think it pales in comparison to what could be picked up off the common garage floor.

If you have a garage like a clean room and walk out to the roach coach for a sandwich or in the house to grab more water or something then return to you job at hand, you could only assume that you haven't dragged dirt onto your floor around the car where the clay would fall.

I've picked the clay up off the floor, inspected it and then wiped off the surface and reused it. Done it many times in fact, but a few times it got me with deep scratches in the paint. For me, clay is too cheap to take the risk.
 
tuscarora dave said:
I've picked the clay up off the floor, inspected it and then wiped off the surface and reused it. Done it many times in fact, but a few times it got me with deep scratches in the paint. For me, clay is too cheap to take the risk.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. It all depends. I guess this topic irks me sometimes because it takes any subjectivity or common sense out of things, but I can say that about a lot of things in today's world.
 
Being a very green novice myself, I'd like to inject my .02 Most any hobby/profession/industry has techniques and procedurews that are cxonsidered best practices. In the detailing industry, it is considered a best practice to toss the clay if it hits the ground. It doesn't mean that one has to follow this princiule if one so chooses no to, it is just a recomendation.

I value and respect the opinions and advice of the pros and veterans on this forum, but at the end od the day, I'm going to make my own choices and act accordingly
 
FUNX725 said:
You're not supposed to be using the entire clay-bar at one time to clay a vehicle...
just a piece of it, at any given time, that's been properly formed/shaped...will suffice.
That way, it would seem, the entire amount of the clay-bar would not be compromised if one were to "drop the clay".

Also:
There are some folks that say the benefits of using auto-clay on a vehicle are, in and of themselves: GROSSLY over-exaggerated.

I strongly disagree with these folks, as I do your above premise.

:)

Bob
Click to expand...

I rip the bar in half or in thirds.

I hear you; maybe I'll take my assessment/opinion down from grossly exaggerated to just exaggerated. :laughing:

If you could magically take all of the "scratch able" contaminants out of your clay bar, I'm pretty sure there would be lots in it, whether it was ever dropped or not.



----- And for whatever it's worth, I really don't like the Sonus bar. It was much more difficult to form than the Meguiar's OTC bars I've bought in the past and it took more passes to pick contaminants up. Granted I did buy the ultra fine.
 
tuscarora dave said:
Piece of clay=$5 (if you're breaking it in 4 pieces)

Let's say for the sake of using common sense that there is a grain of sand that you're not aware of, it finds it's way to the surface of your clay while you're claying and it causes deeper scratches all over the hood. The extra time, products and loss of paint to repair such a debacle, converted to money would probably buy you a case of clay bars.

What you're doing is engaging in a high stakes gamble where someone else pays the price for your losing the game, should that grain of sand reveal itself in the middle of claying a customer's car.

If you practice this on a regular basis, eventually you'll understand when you're digging deep into your pockets to pay the body shop to repaint a panel that couldn't be saved because the claying scratches were too deep to buff out.
Click to expand...

I understand the risks and possibilities. My goal is to try to quantify or measure those risks as accurately as possible (which seems difficult, haha!) The only dropped piece of clay I've ever used were on my buddies (who dropped the clay himself) and I think I've done it when claying my own car in the past. He dropped the clay, I told him most experts would say to throw it out. I offered my opinion after rinsing the clay (it felt smooth). I don't run a business. Judging from your response and most others, if I ever do start a business, I will take your (and others) advice and just toss it.

That said, I still feel that it's probably unnecessary and generally speaking I'm a big worry-wort.
 
tuscarora dave said:
Yeah it was his buddy's new Ford Fuzion.

I think people will grossly over exaggerate things to make a point. Regardless of who's car it is or how likely it is that deeper scratches could possibly be instilled, It's still quite possible. It's a matter of very basic risk prevention, good operating practices, common consideration of someone else's belongings.

I feel that those of us here on this forum that have been around for a while, and been there done that, learned it the hard way have a responsibility to uphold a certain standard, and guide newer members in the direction of great success.

In my mind, this stuff I am writing is not about me or you, or about the OP because he's clearly OK with taking the risk. It's about a world full of aspiring detailers who come here to learn the basics of auto detailing. If we are to drop the ball on the most basic of principles, (throwing out the piece of clay that hits the ground) why type anything at all?
Click to expand...


golliger said:
So don't toss it. Sounds like your mind is made up. If you are claying a freshly washed car then whatever the clay is picking up pales in comparison to what it will pick up from the floor.
Click to expand...

Setec Astronomy said:
Point taken, but OTOH, the "rule" that if you drop it, it's garbage, removes any common sense, subjectivity, or inspection from the equation. If I have a garage floor like an airplane hangar, and I just mopped it before my detailing session, and I look at my clay, decide it's clean, rinse it off for good measure, what is my risk?

I think the same logic can be applied in reverse (sort of). If you drop your clay substitute on the ground, which is made of very soft rubber, and you just rinse it off and continue using it, are you absolutely sure there is no grit that has embedded itself in the rubber and didn't rinse off? (Disclaimer: I haven't used any of the clay substitues). Do you do a thorough inspection?

As I mentioned before, we've all clayed cars that have tons of tar, with pieces of aggregate, and that junk all gets stuck in the clay. Personally I rub the clay with my finger in my rinse bucket, and pick off any large particles, before I knead the clay in those circumstances. Am I removing 100% of the grit? No. Does that stop me from kneading the clay and continuing? No. What about you guys?

I don't see that as being hugely different from dropping the clay on the ground. You've got to use your best judgment (and I understand that newbs may be reading this without the experience to make that judgment).

Who's going to start the Garry Dean Clay Method (GDCM) where as soon as the clay gets dirty you throw it out instead of kneading it?
Click to expand...
LOL

tuscarora dave said:
Great points Mike. I do agree with it too. I personally have a separate piece of clay that I use for the lower area of vehicles that I'm suspect of having such grit.

When I get a car that has a tar problem, the tar is first dissolved off of the paint with a tar remover before claying begins so really the claying of tar for the most part is a non-issue. Of course there is the possibility of picking up some grit from the rockers etc. But like someone else mentioned, I think it pales in comparison to what could be picked up off the common garage floor.

If you have a garage like a clean room and walk out to the roach coach for a sandwich or in the house to grab more water or something then return to you job at hand, you could only assume that you haven't dragged dirt onto your floor around the car where the clay would fall.

I've picked the clay up off the floor, inspected it and then wiped off the surface and reused it. Done it many times in fact, but a few times it got me with deep scratches in the paint. For me, clay is too cheap to take the risk.
Click to expand...

These are the types of responses I was trying to generate. Dave-
After all of that you say that you've dropped clay and reused it yourself many times. Do you still do it sometimes? I'm not harping on you. FWIW I'm sure you're much more experienced than I. I'm sorry if some of my posts seemed slightly aggressive--they weren't directed towards you. Mike articulated my thoughts better than I did.

Cheers.
 
StuDLei said:
LOL



These are the types of responses I was trying to generate. Dave-
After all of that you say that you've dropped clay and reused it yourself many times. Do you still do it sometimes? I'm not harping on you. FWIW I'm sure you're much more experienced than I. I'm sorry if some of my posts seemed slightly aggressive--they weren't directed towards you. Mike articulated my thoughts better than I did.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

I think this is a great discussion, and that's what forums are all about.

Yes I did at one time think it trivial to fuss about dropped clay. Against what the majoity said I did go ahead and reuse the clay after cleaning it back off. I do run a business so lots of cars have been clayed over the years so I've experienced my share of deeper scratches from practicing this.

Sometimes I have to learn things the hard way. For me this practice of dropping clay and reusing it thinking all is well has cost me too much time over the years, and the customer shouldn't have to pay with his/her clear coat for a decision that I make to not do what's best.


I made lots of mistakes over the time I've been doing this work. i'd gladly share the mistakes I've learned from to help others avoid them.

As long as these discussions don't lead to trolling, flaming and personal attacks, I'm all about contributing to them.
 
tuscarora dave said:
I think this is a great discussion, and that's what forums are all about.....

I made lots of mistakes over the time I've been doing this work. i'd gladly share the mistakes I've learned from to help others avoid them.

As long as these discussions don't lead to trolling, flaming and personal attacks, I'm all about contributing to them.
Click to expand...

Very well stated and quite similar how i see these forums and the PRECISE reason i tend to lean towrd this worm over others.. less nonsense more Auto talk

:applause: to everyone for that!! :dblthumb2:
 
THROW IT AWAY! I made the same mistake and have spent MANY hours getting scratches out of the paint on my Mustang. I mistakenly thought my garage floor was pretty clean and I could just fold the clay over after I dropped it. It made me physically ill to see the damage I did to my pristine paint. It doesn't matter what clay costs, it is just not worth it.
 
tuscarora dave said:
I think this is a great discussion, and that's what forums are all about.

Yes I did at one time think it trivial to fuss about dropped clay. Against what the majoity said I did go ahead and reuse the clay after cleaning it back off. I do run a business so lots of cars have been clayed over the years so I've experienced my share of deeper scratches from practicing this.

Sometimes I have to learn things the hard way. For me this practice of dropping clay and reusing it thinking all is well has cost me too much time over the years, and the customer shouldn't have to pay with his/her clear coat for a decision that I make to not do what's best.


I made lots of mistakes over the time I've been doing this work. i'd gladly share the mistakes I've learned from to help others avoid them.

As long as these discussions don't lead to trolling, flaming and personal attacks, I'm all about contributing to them.
Click to expand...


Okay, we're on the same page then. I will definitely keep your advice in mind in the future.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Who's going to start the Garry Dean Clay Method (GDCM) where as soon as the clay gets dirty you throw it out instead of kneading it?
Click to expand...

That's Mike Phillips rule too btw. (perhaps you've heard of him?)

At any rate- I do see what you are getting at to an extent. Although I do not agree the paint your claying AFTER you wash it is as dirty as the ground. OTH- if it's on a floor that's in a clean environment I can see the logic of just cutting that side off, tossing it and carrying on from there.
 
Mach1USMC said:
That's Mike Phillips rule too btw. (perhaps you've heard of him?)

At any rate- I do see what you are getting at to an extent. Although I do not agree the paint your claying AFTER you wash it is as dirty as the ground. OTH- if it's on a floor that's in a clean environment I can see the logic of just cutting that side off, tossing it and carrying on from there.
Click to expand...


I don't agree with that either, but that's not what I said. (I'm assuming you were referring to something you thought I said).

Just to be clear.
 
StuDLei said:
I don't agree with that either, but that's not what I said. (I'm assuming you were referring to something you thought I said).

Just to be clear.
Click to expand...

My reply wasn't directed at you per se. Not to be comical, but what is it you think, that I think you said? :confused:
 
I use CG clay. Big bars for the money. I cut them in quarters. If a piece happens to get dropped it gets kicked to clay for bad rims and really bad lower panels of hard paint, that I know I'm going to put a bunch of correction on. Either way I always have full back up bars. However I will be looking at clay alternates for the future.
So use small pieces and you will be good.
 
.... and the reason I use rubber.
Don't ever use clay that has dropped on the ground!
You now have dirt in it! ROCKS!
If you use this on paint your going to scratch the paint!
 
i still use the same clay i bought in 2001. sometimes i roll it in the sand and use it as sand paper. Then just spray it off and clean my Ferrari with it.

Just Kidding!!! I dont have a Ferrari :( LOL

I am leaning towards the OP's views though.
Lets just say you are in a pretty clean driveway, you have one panel left and you are on your last piece of clay. You drop it, do you throw it and dont finish the car? I feel if its folded to a clean side it could at least be used for maybe one more panel at least, no need to throw it immediately.
Then again, im ready to get nanoskin on my next purchase.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top