A question of claying and working backwards?

[Dr Oldz]

Going back to the OP question. I do use clay alternatives. They can definitely leave marring behind in some cases. The clay lube you choose is critical in reducing this. Now if I am working something well maintained that Still has some bonded contamination, I typically use Pinnacle Clay. It isn’t very aggressive but it is one clay that if used properly that will leave no to very minimal marring. It isn’t good for serious contamination but does work really for lighter duty work.

That being said, I typically polish after claying but the very few instances I want to clay and just apply a LSP... Pinnacle is the best clay for that option. This is only my opinion and personal findings.

 

[JustJesus]

Call me crazy, but I find that all vehicles have the least amount of contaminants below the belt line and absolutely no contaminants ever on the wheels.
...
I’ll stick to my guns. Lower portions of vehicles always have the least amount of contaminants

I think that's a benefit of living in So Cal, Eldo. I see the same thing with regards to less contaminants below the belt line.

... But have Sonüs Ultra Fine Detailing Clay too. Which is a very gentle clay bar. If you have a lot of contaminants it can be to gentle. It's so gentle it claims not be remove your LSP. That I don't know of but it's very gentle compared to the regualar clay bars.

Sonus is pretty soft. I used it gently on a lightly contaminated hood on JustWife's Kia. There was no marring, and the FK1000p looked to be intact after the claying.

It's also important to knead the clay bar to a fresh side and also not use it to much before you toss it. Also the clay alternatives is important to clean very often.

Indeed. The kneading sucks for me and takes too much time, so I switched to clay alternatives for most jobs. And I do clean them quite frequently. Still takes time, but much faster than regular clay kneading. I use a pad brush and lots of clay lube to clean the alternatives. I've also used towels to wipe the surface of the alternatives regularly. Recently started using clay mitts, and I'm sort of doing the grit guard dunking in a bucket often to clean the mitt.

Any of these synthetic clay mitts, towels, real clay bars ect marr the living heck out of your paint. Is this really worth doing when your car is in great shape. All it does is make your paint worse. Is this not working backwards?

I know it's very superficial and comes out easy but still. I've use the finest bars and sponges. They still cause a great deal of marring. Especially if u do it quick after the decon wash.

They don't always. And I think if you're doing it "quick" then that may have something to do with it. You also said...

I was polishing anyway, I think I just need to be more gentle, I'm pretty strong so I tend to do most things with power that's not necessary. Especially if I'm not thinking about it.

...and this might be the issue. If you are doing this quick, and are using a bit of "power" to clay, then you might really be doing it too quickly and too roughly. Gentle is key.

I, for the most part, am on the camp of polishing after claying. But I didn't polish on my most recent job. I did chemical decon, and followed by claying, prior to laying down the LSP. I zoomed in on a few pics to show the result. Here's the link to that.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/121478-review-blackfire-clay-mitt.html?highlight=

 

[SWETM]

If your car is not very scratch sensitive and soft clearcoat. The quick and power could be the problem.

Is the paint in a very great condition swirls and scratches wise. It can be that you clay of some filling from the LSP you are useing. So it seems to be the claying that marring. But the marring was there to begin with. Just thought. I would test to slow down the speed you are claying at. And ease on the pressure.

The kneading is a PITA. I got bruises in my palm last time I used a clay bar. The temperature was a little too low LOL. And it was like a brick to knead LOL. Don't be doing that again

 

[Brandon Wetch]

I’ve noticed any marring left by clay is usually out in one step with a light polish. I didn’t even know that t marred until I did a black car that was in good shape.


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