Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay - Most gentle clay? As gentle as Sonus SFX?

Radarryan

Radarryan

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I want to know if Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay is as gentle as Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay? The reason I ask is because just the OTC Meguiar's clay bar has marred by soft black Porsche paint.

I want the absolute MOST GENTLE clay bar. I don't care if I need to fifty more passes with the clay to remove the embedded particles, I just don't want the clay to mar the paint and force me to polish. Both clay bars (Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay) bill themselves as being maintenance clays that will not mar surfaces.

Both claim that they need to be used with their specific clay lubricants. While I have never seen this been the case with prior clays, do either of these need their respective lubes in order to produce a mar-free finish?

All in all, in the forum's opinion, which clay is the most gentle? I have it narrowed down to Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay. Which one of these (or another I am not thinking of) is the best for what I need?

Thanks and happy detailing!
 
I'd say if Megs clay marred the paint on your Porsche then probably rubbing any clay against the paint is going to mar it.

There's only so non-aggressive a product can be and after that it's all about the paint.

I just don't want you to be disappointed in any clay product because from what we've all read and experienced when working on soft paints is the stuff is scratched easily.

Me? If I'm going to clay a car with any clay I've already decided I'm also going to do at least one machine polishing step.

Just sayin...


:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I'd say if Megs clay marred the paint on your Porsche then probably rubbing any clay against the paint is going to mar it.

There's only so non-aggressive a product can be and after that it's all about the paint.

I just don't want you to be disappointed in any clay product because from what we've all read and experienced when working on soft paints is the stuff is scratched easily.

Me? If I'm going to clay a car with any clay I've already decided I'm also going to do at least one machine polishing step.

Just sayin...


:)
Click to expand...

Thanks, Mike! You're right, but what else is new! I think that if I am claying, I should finish up with a LC HT Crimson Pad and some Menzerna SF4500?

The kicker is... I have Opti-Coat 2.0 on my Porsche. If I am claying and then polishing, then that would remove the Opti-Coat, right? Maybe the Opti-Coat would allow me to clay without it marring? If it were you, and you had Opti-Coat on the car, would you still machine polish? If I do that, and still want the Opti-Coat 2.0 protection, then I would need to re-apply, correct?

Thanks for your input and continued help, Mike. You're the Greatest That Ever Lived (Ali ain't got nothing on you!)
 
The lightest graded clay available is fine. Brand does not matter because it is only made by one company in the US because of patent law. The clay is then packaged and sold retail to the customer. The colors don't matter because the retailer can request different colors. As long as you are buying a brand name and not the generic off of eBay it's all the same. So buy the biggest cheapest bars you can get. Just a quinky dink. I have only seen clay come packed one way. Clear plastic wrappers. They only thing different is the box if it comes with one.
 
Why are you claying your car when you have opti coat 2.0 on it? Im confused...
 
BlackHawk said:
Why are you claying your car when you have opti coat 2.0 on it? Im confused...
Click to expand...

I feel embedded contaminants in the paint. From what I've read, claying is still necessary with Opti-Coat 2.0. Is there another way to release the contaminants if a car has Opti-Coat on it?
 
Radarryan said:
I feel embedded contaminants in the paint. From what I've read, claying is still necessary with Opti-Coat 2.0. Is there another way to release the contaminants if a car has Opti-Coat on it?
Click to expand...
IronX?
 
af90 said:
IronX?
Click to expand...

Would iron-x be safer than a fine clay? Also, what if the contaminants are not all iron? I've never used iron-x but I assume it only works on metallic contaminants.
 
Radarryan said:
Would iron-x be safer than a fine clay? Also, what if the contaminants are not all iron? I've never used iron-x but I assume it only works on metallic contaminants.
Click to expand...

You are correct, ironx works on iron and does not remove other contaminants that may be bonded to the paint.
 
inDetail said:
The lightest graded clay available is fine. Brand does not matter because it is only made by one company in the US because of patent law. The clay is then packaged and sold retail to the customer. The colors don't matter because the retailer can request different colors. As long as you are buying a brand name and not the generic off of eBay it's all the same. So buy the biggest cheapest bars you can get. Just a quinky dink. I have only seen clay come packed one way. Clear plastic wrappers. They only thing different is the box if it comes with one.
Click to expand...

not true. clay magics patent has expired. the yellow clay is available again.
 
inDetail said:
The lightest graded clay available is fine. Brand does not matter because it is only made by one company in the US because of patent law. The clay is then packaged and sold retail to the customer. The colors don't matter because the retailer can request different colors. As long as you are buying a brand name and not the generic off of eBay it's all the same. So buy the biggest cheapest bars you can get. Just a quinky dink. I have only seen clay come packed one way. Clear plastic wrappers. They only thing different is the box if it comes with one.
Click to expand...

Griots garage has a different clay formula for sure though because it is nowhere near as good as the sonus ultra fine clay.
 
I've used Pinnacle UP Clay on several black Hondas with soft paint. Haven't had any issues with marring. For lube I've either used leftover Dawn wash or CG Citrus Wash or Blackfire Rinseless Wash diluted per instructions for clay lube in a spray bottle. Personally, I am going to polish anytime I clay, so I may not have been looking that closely. I do like the UP better than the Pinnacle speed clay.
 
Since my original post I went ahead and bought Sonus clay and clayed my soft black paint. The Sonus SFX did not mar the paint. I did, however, polish after to prepare the surface for a new coating.

While I don't have experience with the Pinnacle (I went with the Sonus based on price, as well as customer testimonials) I was happy with the SFX. It certainly felt different than any of the OTC clay that I had previously used (Mother's & Meguiar's), and my empirical results confirm that it is indeed more gentle. For lube I used Sonus Clay Lube as well as ONR diluted to lube strength and UWW+ (testing the three to see which I liked the best with this clay - really no meaningful difference to speak of - they're all high quality products).

I look forward to any questions or comments.

Happy detailing!
 
Just add...

I clayed the 1986 Porsche Slant Nose out in the garage last night. Took some pictures to show what the clay removed.

This Porsche has been repainted so it's NOT factory paint but it is soft as it corrects very easily.

I did not notice the Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay, which is an ultra fine clay marring or scratching the paint on this Porsche.


:)
 
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