Clay Pad causing Scratches!?!?!?!?!?!?

Derek Short

Derek Short

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Well the other day was claying a car with one of the clay pads I got from autogeek.
It was a black car and I noticed when claying the paint it looked as if it was putting scratches in the paint. I typically clay in straight lines and after doing a section the paint looked like I had put in some scratches.
Here is what I think may be going on....
It was in the early morning still cold out I think the clay pad had stiffened up a bit due to being cold out. Nothing crazy cold but here in san diego it was a bit cool... Around low-mind 60's. My thinking was the pad being a bit more firm than normal causing this...?

Or possibly soft paint?

I tested this theory out on a black 13' ford taurus the next day. I corrected a section on the truck tested it with a pad at normal temp. and then put the pad in the refrigerator for about 15-20 mins to cool it down and tested again... didn't see much if any scratches really... Thinking maybe the taurus had harder paint possibly?

Anyone with feedback on clay pads possibly causing scratches in paint would be much appreciated...
 
You can mar the paint during the claying process. Sometimes it is lack of lubrication, sometimes soft paint. Perhaps both. Being a black car didn't help out either, it is very unforgiving and shows 'everything'.

What car were you working on?
 
Sizzle Chest said:
You can mar the paint during the claying process. Sometimes it is lack of lubrication, sometimes soft paint. Perhaps both. Being a black car didn't help out either, it is very unforgiving and shows 'everything'.

What car were you working on?
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Was a 2015 Porsche Macan.

Used plenty of lube.

I know before I started working on it the owner mentioned they ran it threw the car wash twice. The drive threw car wash EEK!
 
Sizzle Chest said:
OK, Porsche's have notoriously soft paint.
Click to expand...

Good to know.

So how do you get around this issues when claying the paint on a porsche or any car with soft paint for that matter? On my Viper not the one in the pic but my 09' The paint is stupid soft on it. Have yet to try a clay pad on it but I know someday I will have to.
 
Quiksilver5882 said:
Did you break in the clay pad on the glass?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The clay pad has been used several times before this. It was not a new pad but it was however still in good shape.

And anytime I detail a car I clay the windows as well.
 
I just accept the fact that it is going to induce some marring and then do a polish afterwards to correct it. Only thing you can really do...

I have yet had a chance to work on a Viper, but if it's soft like you say you will run into the same issues.

Keep us posted!
 
Sizzle Chest said:
I just accept the fact that it is going to induce some marring and then do a polish afterwards to correct it. Only thing you can really do...

I have yet had a chance to work on a Viper, but if it's soft like you say you will run into the same issues.

Keep us posted!
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Thanks for the input but it was more than marring looked like scratches. But I will have to do a test on the Viper this next weekend and will report back. May even do a video on the issue....

On a side note you think I would have any better luck using the traditional clay bar?
 
Derek Short said:
On a side note you think I would have any better luck using the traditional clay bar?
Click to expand...

this is what i was going to post about...

i don't use any of the new school style clay pads, towels, mitts, etc.

but i do use a mild traditional clay (pinnacle) and both versions of Optimum's Opti-Eraser (mild, aggro)

so i'm curious if your particular tool is more aggressive than necessary? maybe a milder version or mild clay would be better suited to decon certain finishes such as the one that gave you trouble.
 
builthatch said:
this is what i was going to post about...

i don't use any of the new school style clay pads, towels, mitts, etc.

but i do use a mild traditional clay (pinnacle) and both versions of Optimum's Opti-Eraser (mild, aggro)

so i'm curious if your particular tool is more aggressive than necessary? maybe a milder version or mild clay would be better suited to decon certain finishes such as the one that gave you trouble.
Click to expand...


I do happen to have a clay towel I know is a bit less aggressive... So I may have to do a test with the both of those...

Just curious why you use only the traditional clay bars? Have you tried or tested out the new clay pads?
 
I use Pinnacle Ultra Poly clay on most vehicles and don't go more aggressive unless I need to. PUP is probably one of the least aggressive clays out there, and I almost always will get some marring on black Honda paint, which is soft. In my mind, if I am going to clay, I am going to polish, regardless of the paint hardness.
 
Derek Short said:
I do happen to have a clay towel I know is a bit less aggressive... So I may have to do a test with the both of those...

Just curious why you use only the traditional clay bars? Have you tried or tested out the new clay pads?
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i have not tried them, but i know they are popular. you mean like nanoskin pad and such, right?

one reason is that i like being able to see what's being removed. that is a big point for me. my clay bar is light blue and my Opti-Erasers are pink and white.

i like the tactile feedback of doing it by hand. you can generally tell when the surface is decontaminated just by feel.

claying its not terribly time consuming in my eyes other than the testing from least aggressive onward to find the right item that works for a given area of a vehicle. between the three things i've listed i have been able to handle it all. but if i were a pro or doing random cars often as a hobbyist, i'd definitely look into it since time is of the essence in those cases.

do you ever get worried something will get trapped between the pad and surface when using the machine pads? that's something i always think about when i see people using them.
 
builthatch said:
i have not tried them, but i know they are popular. you mean like nanoskin pad and such, right?

one reason is that i like being able to see what's being removed. that is a big point for me. my clay bar is light blue and my Opti-Erasers are pink and white.

i like the tactile feedback of doing it by hand. you can generally tell when the surface is decontaminated just by feel.

claying its not terribly time consuming in my eyes other than the testing from least aggressive onward to find the right item that works for a given area of a vehicle. between the three things i've listed i have been able to handle it all. but if i were a pro or doing random cars often as a hobbyist, i'd definitely look into it since time is of the essence in those cases.

do you ever get worried something will get trapped between the pad and surface when using the machine pads? that's something i always think about when i see people using them.
Click to expand...

Yes the nano skin pads I am talking about.
As far as something getting trapped between the pad and paint on the car I work
By hand with the pads like on you would with a traditional clay bar. However I am constantly checking the pad and cleaning the pad quite often threw out the claying process. Kinda like with a clay bar where you remold it back up after using it on a section.

Here is what I am currently thinking is using a clay towel or some synthetic material that not to aggressive for the softer paint types of cars. As I don't plan to polish a customers paint unless they are paying for it.
 
OK, so I had some time this evening to play around with my clay pad and clay towel...

First I tired the clay towel as it is for light contaminates. Sprayed pretty heavy with the clay lube to make sure the paint was well lubricated. After a few passes like I would normally be doing on a car I checked the paint and no obvious scratches. Grabbed my flex flash light and inspected the paint a bit more closely... noticed some light marring.

Next I decided to move onto the clay pad. Same thing sprayed plenty of lube on the paint as well as the pad. Went to work like I would normally be doing claying a car. Checked the results... Same thing... no scratches, and only light marring.

This was on my 09' Viper which has stupid soft paint. Going to be touching up the light RIDS this next weekend and prepare it for a coating. I am hoping the glass coating I use will take car of the issues I am having with being able to scratch the paint so easily.

Hope this feedback helps...

Sry I was running solo tonight and was not able to film the testing...
 
What type of clay sponge are you using? I use the Blue Nanoskin Sponge and I have worked on Black Cars with no issues. I worked on a 2014 Mercedes E350 Coupe and my 2013 Mustang GT and 2007 Shelby GT.

I live in Orange County CA not too far away from San Diego.

I have heard that some brands of sponge clays are not the best compared to Nanoskin.
I haven't use any other clay sponge as this one works best for me.
 
I've been using the fine grade mitt for over 2 years never problem as long as you use enough lube. If the cars are really bad I'll use clay. Most people get marring from not enough lube.
 
Derek,

Can you describe your processes prior to claying, ie washing and decononing (chemically)?


After washing, do you inspect the paint with a light prior to continuing on?
 
I have this happen all the time! I use nanoskin with a DA about 5 times a day. Every once in a while it will just destroy a black car. Its marring. I think it just picks up things and carries them with it, scratching the paint as it goes. Only thing I can think to do is clean the pad really well after each section and even that is difficult to do because the pad is so soft things become almost embedded in it. Not sure if anyone has any advice to avoid this or clean the pad better?

I'm seriously considering going back to clay bars because this can easily add 5 hours to one of the new car "details" I do at my dealership. Its a major win when it works, but ruins my day when it doesn't.
 
I have a special brush I use only for cleaning the clay pad and I use plenty of lube when doing so. When I typically clay a car I clean the pad around 3-6 times per car.

I also only clay pad by hand and yes I only use nano skin clay pads from auto geek.
 
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