Take a minute and vote

[DogRescuer]

Just need votes on which clay product you prefer and why, product meaning
the original clay bars or clothes mitts blocks etc.

Steve

 

[jamesboyy]

My vote would go towards Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge the reason why is cause its easy to use,hold and if you drop the clay sponge you can just rinse it and go back to claying lastly your clay barring time is cut in half

 

[mcochris]

Nanoskin sponge - fast and easy

 

[DogRescuer]

My vote would go towards Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge the reason why is cause its easy to use,hold and if you drop the clay sponge you can just rinse it and go back to claying lastly your clay barring time is cut in half

Nanoskin sponge - fast and easy

Thanks guys but some say that you still cant beat a clay bar they absolutely are more time consuming but they do a better job so I don't know

 

[jamesboyy]

Thanks guys but some say that you still cant beat a clay bar they absolutely are more time consuming but they do a better job so I don't know

Traditional clay bar will always have a place in our hearts and shelves thought it works a bit better than the sponge and one of the reasons why we believe that is cause we can see the contamination we are shaving off

 

[DogRescuer]

Traditional clay bar will always have a place in our hearts and shelves thought it works a bit better than the sponge and one of the reasons why we believe that is cause we can see the contamination we are shaving off

I have the yellow mitt but I find it always pulling of my hand

 

[jamesboyy]

I have the yellow mitt but I find it always pulling of my hand

I see what your saying seems like you need the right size hands for the mitt to stay on, you could fold it in half, and hold it in your hand too

 

[brondondolon]

I notice a lot of you are saying nanoskin sponge. My opinion on the nanoskin is the ease of use is unrivalled. It is very comfortable to use. However I feel as though clay works better. Maybe it's because I have the (fine) nanoskin sponge but after using it today I found embedded contaminates in the paint. There were only a few but I've never had that issue with clay. Just my .02 again though it could be due to me having the fine grade sponge.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AG Online

 

[DogRescuer]

I see what your saying seems like you need the right size hands for the mitt to stay on, you could fold it in half, and hold it in your hand too

Thanks maybe my hands r to girly but Ill try your suggestion

I notice a lot of you are saying nanoskin sponge. My opinion on the nanoskin is the ease of use is unrivalled. It is very comfortable to use. However I feel as though clay works better. Maybe it's because I have the (fine) nanoskin sponge but after using it today I found embedded contaminates in the paint. There were only a few but I've never had that issue with clay. Just my .02 again though it could be due to me having the fine grade sponge.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AG Online

To bad you cant buy a light2medium sponge that I have seen in, yes clay.

 

[Photecs]

I had a simlar question when doing my detailing homework... then did my first order two weeks ago, and got around to doing some work on my car this past weekend.
After much reading, I also went with the nanoskin sponge (fine)... for a couple reasons.
Ease of use. No kneading, folding.. hoping it doesn't slip out of your hands. Also, clay is good for 2-3 cars, nanoskin, about 20 cars.
I did manage to drop it a couple times while working away, and just put it into a bucket of water, rubbed it down... and right back at it.

I have to say, when using it on my hood there was a night and day difference from the side I had just done with it, and the side I hadn't... both visually and feel of the paint. It worked quite well.

 

[Tato]

--- Excuse me, I want to quote an answer I've gave on another thread, if you are not willing to read everything at least there are some pictures that may work as a guide for nanoskin use ---

---Message Start:

Why do I use soap with nanoskin? Who said that? lol

Kidding apart, soap for nanoskin came with trial and 'error'. When I first got a clay on my hands (Perfect-it, from 3M), I've read on the label (something like that):

'use water + some drops of neutral soap as lube'.

I went through this route. Water, neutral soap, and although worked, I was not happy enough with this method. Searching the web I've found that quick detailing spray would work better, even some ONR, etc.

As soon as I could, I've got some detailer (meg's #34, quick detailer, etc) and found that for claying, they worked way better than the soap directions at 3M clay label. It's also easier and cleaner to wipe off quick detailer than soap when claying a dry car.

I was happy using detailing spray until nanoskin showed up. Ordered nanoskin, and this time I've started the opposite way, I mean, using detailing spray I was adapted to.

Again, although worked, I was not entirely happy with the method. That I could see with increased surface marring (but that was very easy to remove with fine polishing).

I've tried many combinations, until finding which would work best for me.

Just to advance, if I am about to clay an already washed and DRIED car, I'll lean towards detailing spray because that's easier than 'washing the car again'. It still works!

How I generally clay just after washing, I've played with plain water (works but not optimal), then with soap. In my opinion, the soap method for nanoskin works way better.

What is good to have in mind is that 'conventional clay' is tacky, and works 'adhering' the above surface contaminants, then you need to fold it often to expose a clean site. A detailing spray 'combines' with clay tackiness and method of use.

Nanoskin works differently, it's somewhat tacky, but works just like you are 'shaving' contaminants. Soap foam and lubrication 'combines' with nanoskin methods of use. I tend to rinse area often, and rinse my mitt often as well.

I've already tried to add some detailing spray to clay soap but that haven't improved from using only soap.

That said, I've also played with many kind of soaps... Ironically, I've found that Wash and Wax shampoo works wonders with nanoskin, since they look like a 'mix' of detailing spray (many are based on wax) and the foamy of soap. This added to the slickness of wax and soap, which for me is a win/win scenario.

Just like 'shaving', you have to 'GLIDE' it over surface. Use straight movements, not circular. Try to distribute the force EVEN over nanoskin, not making pressure with the tip of your fingers, in example (that's for claying also). To distribute pressure even, I like to put my hand OVER nanoskin instead of inside of it (I use the mitts).

Take a look (some pictures of different cars and soaps):


Combination that works great for me as nanoskin lube:


'Pre-Soak' my claying devices:

Foam the section to be clayed:

Use hand over to distribute force evenly:

Example of straight line movement I'm talking about (you may go back and forth the same region until feeling smooth):

This is how the surface may look after my process (clean and reflexive):

Taking a closer look, we see that I just removed above surface contaminants (picture above), while not leaving any marring on surface. Defects (horrendous swirls) in this case were still there, and was solved with polishing afterwards.


This picture is from the same car of last pictures when it arrived, still dirty, already swirled:

You can notice that claying alone improved the look of the car to a very reflective shine.

I always try to not add additional damage to what's already on car. I'm preparing the surface to have an EASIER time polishing, not harder.

I tell this because many may think 'if I'll polish anyway', I can instill swirls and scratches freely for later removal. Don't do this. Generally cars we detail already have enough damage. Use the same care (like 2 buckets, grit guards, clean towels and mitts, etc).


It's tempting to use pressure and scrub the nanoskin, although it will work anyway, I've seen more harm than good doing this.

Scrubbing with pressure may leave you with more marring than needed, also may scratch surface. You should use just ENOUGH pressure to maintain device plain to glide over surface. I've found that the more marring I leave, more work polishing afterwards and I don't want that happening.

Also, be even more gentle on places you'll not be able to polish adequately, since if you leave any marring there, it'll stay there. To solve it, polish trick areas you've clayed by hand.

Gliding will leave a slight marring (if any), that will go away easy with any pass of a polisher.

So, in conclusion, I've found that nanoskin with soap (IF claying just after washing, car still wet) works best for me. Not that it'll not work with other lubes (even with plain water), but I tend to stick with what works better in my situation.

If I'll not polish the car afterwards (or use an AIO), I tend to use nanoskin even lighter (just have to do more passes), and use a slick soap but not wash and wax.

If I'm going to polish and / or use a paint cleansing polish, there no problem with wash and wax, and that's what I generally use.

Hope that helps,

Please, let me know if you need additional info.

Kind Regards.

--- Message End


Bottom line: If I want something 'picky' on contaminants, I still go for conventional clay.


Kind Regards.

 

[FUNX650]

Old school.

^^^Staying true to form:^^^

My vote goes to...(And):
I'll stick with the patented auto-clays!

Bob

 

[BobbyG]

I use detailing clay. I've used it successfully for years and have 5 or 6 new containers on the shelf so before I try something else I'll need to use these up...

I will try Nanoskin at some point but there's no guarantee I'll go in that direction...

 

[Tato]

I would stick with conventional clay only if I not working for 'peanuts' at the end of the day... maybe for walnuts, thorough claying is good, but also time consuming... no?!

if we want to really go further on this discussion, I'm sure at the end conventional clay would be the winner against nanoskin, being it's disadvantages just the 'folding and don't drop' stuff...

Also, my 'guidelines' above (I wanted to share those pics with OP) are just an example of how to use nanoskin, not a 'just use nanoskin' reply.

I just can't see a way to disagree nanoskin is much FASTER than clay, yet, still very effective.

Claying by hand is something I use on more expensive packages, also because customer get what paid for. A car damped in quick detailer fully clayed looks slightly better than nanoskin at the end of process.

Nanoskin will leave (at some level) it's marks, it's evolution, it cleans with some devastation ahhaha

while claying can be such 'artesanal' method that one can artistically thoroughly clean the paint. I like that, and that's being 'old school' ,

I just try to be both school if I can...

Bobby, if you haven't got ANY nanoskin until now, I can recommend with no regret you to take a sponge or even the small towel (with some coupon you can get great offer on them).

I doubt nanoskin will give you (or anyone) any deception, and you will always find an use for it.

Just difficult to recommend only 'small devices' (being the price / benefit favorable), for you to like it enough and trying to clay an entire car with the sponge...

I've done that lots of times, but happiness just arrived together with my both mitts, fine and medium grade.

They have great size to get some advantage while claying entire cars, fast.

Clay towel is 'top seller' in my country, but I never tried one because I have many nanoskin working already that more would be an excess. Just one more thing to consider.

The other devices (6" pad which I also have and use with quick detailer), I avoid doing the foam party while machine claying.

To use soap with nanoskin, just while using with a wet vehicle being rinsed all the time, please, do not use soap and nanoskin spraying on dry vehicle because soap residue is a pain in the head to wipe off, needs to be rinsed.

Hope this made things clear,


*A Joke, please: Sell a container of clay to buy some nanoskin!

Kind Regards.