Optimum Opti-Eraser review

Chris@Optimum said:
Ok. That's not strong enough to deteriorate the block. I saw the difference you showed, but I have received them new like that. I'm not sure how to explain that if you experienced a change from smooth to textured.
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I'll do my hood today and see if the flat side changes and update this thread.

I agree with the above post, thank you for the product support Chris :xyxthumbs:
 
Lol I have so much clay ill never get to try a clay alternative
Some good discussion in here
Nice review
 
mothers clay is awesome, its almost all I use (clay wise) its fine enough to never mar for me, however removes all of the contaminants that it's intended to
 
ihaveacamaro said:
I don't sorry. However, swanicyouth has the Chemical Guys version and he reviewed it, and as far as I remember, he did not note any grippyness. I believe that this feeling is unique to the Opti-Eraser. For whatever it means, apparently there is an acrylic resin doing the work instead of other alternatives where there is a rubber polymerized coating. Couldn't tell you what that means if you put a gun to my head though.
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The CG Clay Block doesn't "grip" or "drag" at all. It kind of glides like clay. But I put little downward pressure on it. You can feel every bump under it though. At first it felt like I was scratching the hood, but once it removed the contaminates it moved smooth. It may not be a big time saver over clay, but I was very pleased with the results, feel, and ease of use.
 
I just ordered the nanoskin fine and medium grade clay blocks from another vendor(AG doesn't carry these) to compare to the opti-eraser.
 
Once I started using the Speedy Prep towel (Fine) I have not looked back at tradional clay. I have used the same Prep towel well over 15 times and it still works as new. If you do buy the Speedy towel just be warned not to fold it up for storage when your done using it, dry it spread out otherwise it sticks together and you end up peeling it apart
 
What works for one won't work for the other. Is it a good product? Yes but the question that I always ask myself, is this a good product for me? I have used clay bars for years and I am not sure that I am ready to change just yet. It works everytime. No offense to the alternatives but all I see being it compared to is that if we drop the clay bar and the alternative one, the alternative is washable not the clay. So all in all, I will stick with the clay for now. Now I will be definitely giving this a try for my project cars, (Family) and see how it performs! Now I give you guys props, it never hurts to have new products, new innovations coming out for us detailers. Keep up the good work at Opt. Sorry if I misspelled something, English isn't my 1st language.
 
Francisco said:
What works for one won't work for the other. Is it a good product? Yes but the question that I always ask myself, is this a good product for me?... Now I give you guys props, it never hurts to have new products, new innovations coming out for us detailers. Keep up the good work at Opt. Sorry if I misspelled something, English isn't my 1st language.
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That is exactly how you should approach any product purchase...otherwise you would have shelves full of wasted money and stuff you'd never use. Or, if you're like me you always buy the "bulk" size to save money and are tired of the product before you're half way though.

One thing that may help is for me to tell you guys what we were trying to do when we brought Opti Eraser into development. I personally never clay unless I plan to polish simply because I know I will be adding some fine scratches. But, all my waxes and sealants naturally bond better, look better, and last longer if the paint is decontaminated. The chemical decon alternative is good, but expensive and they always work better if you remove the above surface (bulk) of the bonded contaminant first. S the challenge was to create a product that would remove above surface contaminant while inducing little-no marring or it's own. Opti Eraser does this very well when used properly.

It's not a direct exchange for clay, so there is some adjustment to the technique necessary. Proper lube and back/forth movement are the same, but because of the foam interface and perfectly flat surface you'll need a couple of adjustments.

First, there's very little need for downward pressure so you should grip the Opti Eraser on the sides with your thumb and fingertips without pressing down with your palm. You can also squeeze it slightly to give the working surface a slight convex shape that will lessen drag on long flat panels.​
Second, the foam interface and the nature of the polymer face (while allowing mar free decontamination) also reduces the tactile sensitivity when compared to actual clay. Simply wear some nitrile gloves so you can check you progress as you go. It is very similar to the feedback from the baggy test and is more accurate than the feedback from clay.​

I still use clay on the brutal stuff, but Opti Eraser is my every day pre wax prep tool. I can No Rinse a panel, Opti Erase it, and dry it in a fraction of the time of claying and there's no residue like I get from clay sometimes...which means I can go straight to wax or sealing with no further cleaning or polishing. My customers get a better looking finish with very little effort on my part. It may have a place in your process and it may not...but, if you need mar free decon you have nothing to loose with the satisfaction guarantee.
 
Thanks for the information Chris I think I am going to give the fine/mild grade Opti-Eraser a try while wearing some nitrile gloves. In what case do you find you would need the aggressive eraser over the fine/mild one? My parents cars are 10 years old and have only been clayed one or two times but they get washed and the paint is in pretty good shape. Would the fine/mild grade be ok for those or would I need to step up to aggressive?
 
Hey Chris, you are right, the flat side did NOT change texture. I apologize for the mistake in my review, I guess I had saw what looked like two flat sides, but did not look closely until after I had finished using the Eraser.
 
hate to bump a 2 week old thread (especially for my first post :bash:), so i apologize in advance.

Are these rated the same way as the other clay-alternatives? in other words, black cars should always stick with fine grade unless you plan on polishing?

Price aside, does this have any advantages over the nanoskin pad? I suppose if you wanted a square block to use by hand, you could just cut the nano pad into two sponge sized pieces and glue them back to back (i doubt many would bother to do that though). The nano pad also has the versatility to be put on a machine to do large flat panels in seconds. I am aware of the material differences, but I'm more concerned about real world differences.


Is this actually proven to mar less or perform better (by direct comparison, not just theory)? I haven't seen any direct comparisons, only complaints about how grabby it feels. i personally don't see any advantages other than being 50% cheaper in price. What do you guys think?

My nanoskin pad melted after a brief affair in direct sunlight and now destroys my paint at the slightest touch, so I'm looking to try a replacement if there's something better. Otherwise i'll just rebuy it and stick with what's tried and true.



Lastly, one suggestion to the guys at opti: instead of having two of the same sides, it would be more useful and innovative to have one sponge with both grades.


-Christopher
 
tofu- said:
hate to bump a 2 week old thread (especially for my first post :bash:), so i apologize in advance.

Are these rated the same way as the other clay-alternatives? in other words, black cars should always stick with fine grade unless you plan on polishing?

Price aside, does this have any advantages over the nanoskin pad? I suppose if you wanted a square block to use by hand, you could just cut the nano pad into two sponge sized pieces and glue them back to back (i doubt many would bother to do that though). The nano pad also has the versatility to be put on a machine to do large flat panels in seconds. I am aware of the material differences, but I'm more concerned about real world differences.


Is this actually proven to mar less or perform better (by direct comparison, not just theory)? I haven't seen any direct comparisons, only complaints about how grabby it feels. i personally don't see any advantages other than being 50% cheaper in price. What do you guys think?

My nanoskin pad melted after a brief affair in direct sunlight and now destroys my paint at the slightest touch, so I'm looking to try a replacement if there's something better. Otherwise i'll just rebuy it and stick with what's tried and true.



Lastly, one suggestion to the guys at opti: instead of having two of the same sides, it would be more useful and innovative to have one sponge with both grades.


-Christopher
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I think the grabby feel is easily fixed by adjusting the way you hold it like I've mentioned and the pressure we apply with clay isn't necessary...so, tweaking your technique will go along way to enjoying the Opti Eraser. I love it for sprucing up Opti Coat every few months.

The products may perform the same function but they do it with different materials. Likely, it will only come to personal choice. Find the one that works the way YOU want to decon.

We had thought to have both sides on a single block, but decided against it. I personally prefer having more surface to use before stopping to clean it and it would be rare to need different grades on the same vehicle.
 
Just used the fine grade for the first time today. I fixed most of the grabbyness buy holding the block at either side and slightly sqeezing so the face of the block curved. Chris had suggested this and it worked pretty well.
 
so grabby-ness and price aside, it is fair to say it is still a tossup between the 3-4 top clay alternatives? this doesn't bring anything new to the table in terms of real world performance?
 
I used the fine grade today for the first time on both cars and thought that it worked very well.

I also used PB's spray and wipe as a clay lube. There was some grabbyness but the paint was soooo smoth afterwards. A great product!
 
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