What's the best Clay bar?

Toxix said:
I know, I know, but there are towels, scrubs, pads, you name it.
I'm trying to find out what people are using in terms real experience.
I probably should have included that in my post though..

So...

The Foam Pad?
The Towel?
The SpeedyPrep Sponge?
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My unscientific memory recalls that most use the towel, followed by the mitt. The sponge is probably good for difficult sections and such, and its low price is a bonus, but the towel is probably better overall just because it is larger. I dunno...I haven't used any of them yet. I have put them in my cart many times, but the last time I bought some cheap clay on eBay instead. :laughing:
 
trekkeruss said:
Dude, AG sells it! Is it not difficult to find! :laughing:
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trekkeruss said:
My unscientific memory recalls that most use the towel, followed by the mitt. The sponge is probably good for difficult sections and such, and its low price is a bonus, but the towel is probably better overall just because it is larger. I dunno...I haven't used any of them yet. I have put them in my cart many times, but the last time I bought some cheap clay on eBay instead. :laughing:
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Same thing here, added to the cart and all...claybars are just less expensive come check-out time.
Then I think about long term usage and how many uses people get out of the towel, I think I'll pick it up. The towel, thanks for your help!
 
I use the CG Clay Block, which is the same as or close to the Magna Sponge and the Ultima Decon Thingee. I think it was like $19 around 2 years ago. It works well for me. I've dropped it on the ground like 20 times.
 
Toxix said:
Same thing here, added to the cart and all...claybars are just less expensive come check-out time.
Then I think about long term usage and how many uses people get out of the towel
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For me it came down to the fact that I only have one car, and I don't need a towel that lasts 50+ times; it's not like I am running a detailing business and decontaminating every day or even week. So the cheap price won out. Maybe I will get the towel when I have more disposable cash, but not now.
 
With the US patent going bye bye for only a few months now you really do not know what you are getting. Before the patent ended it did not matter what brand you bought it was all made by the same company in the US. The only difference was color. No special formulations or compound changes. It was pick light/medium/heavy and your color. I always went for the biggest bar for the cheapest $ and I never noticed any difference in how they worked or felt. CG, Mother's, Meg's, BF all felt the same.
Other then Ricc you really do not know what your getting because the market is now flooded with "New Clay". I would not be surprised that Ricc is making most of the "New Clay" on the market at this point. Good for them they make a good clay product and it's about time they can sell it in the US.
 
Anyone try the Nanoskin speedy prep sponge? I have the pad already. I picked this up with the sale last weekend thinking that it would be convenient to use in really tight areas.
 
inDetail said:
With the US patent going bye bye for only a few months now you really do not know what you are getting. Before the patent ended it did not matter what brand you bought it was all made by the same company in the US. The only difference was color. No special formulations or compound changes. It was pick light/medium/heavy and your color.
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I've heard people say this so many times and I just shake my head.

There's been a ton of different clay bars going around for years before that patent expired. A lot of different formulations, some real sticky, some not so tacky, some softer, some really hard, some that would turn to snot when in contact with car wash concentrate, some that did well with car wash water as a lube.

There were a lot of differences other than just color.

I would not be surprised that Ricc is making most of the "New Clay" on the market at this point. Good for them they make a good clay product and it's about time they can sell it in the US.
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I hope this turns out to be true. Their Clay was nice. A great guy at the Poorboy's World detailing weekend gave me a few bars of the Riccardo yellow and blue clay, I actually still have it after a few years now.

Steve at Poorboys shared a bar of his private stock "Erazer Clay" with me. That's the same thing just one of the alias names of it as they tried to get around patent law suits etc. that they got themselves involved in.

I don't know the entire story behind Riccardo/Erazer clay but I know there were several law suits between them and AutoMagic over their manufacturing of clay when AM had the patent.
 
brehkop said:
I am looking for the best and easiest Clay bar to use. Any suggestions my fellow car enthusiast?
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Riccardo clays are the best hands down. Try them if you don't believe me. Wolfgang and Uber (yellow) are also nice :xyxthumbs:
 
TundraPower said:
Riccardo clays are the best hands down. Try them if you don't believe me. Wolfgang and Uber (yellow) are also nice :xyxthumbs:
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I just got some Riccardo to use for the first time in the spring. Bought it based in part due to your comments on it in various threads! Looking forward to using it.

BTW- love B-ham. I have family down there right outside the Hoover/Inverness area. I really love it down there!
 
GreatAvalon said:
I just got some Riccardo to use for the first time in the spring. Bought it based in part due to your comments on it in various threads! Looking forward to using it. BTW- love B-ham. I have family down there right outside the Hoover/Inverness area. I really love it down there!
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Riccardo clays really are wonderful...stretch like salt water taffy...almost zero break up. BHM is nice but we've had a really bad winter...be glad you were not here...utter chaos.
 
TundraPower said:
Riccardo clays really are wonderful...stretch like salt water taffy...almost zero break up. BHM is nice but we've had a really bad winter...be glad you were not here...utter chaos.
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I know it was a pain for me to break the bar up into 4 squares lol

Oh yes I heard about! People aren't used to it down there and the support structure just isnt there from what I understand!
 
Have any of you tried using regular clay after using the towel or sponge? I have the Medium towel that I thought would be good for those cars with heavy defects that were getting a 2/3 step polish and marring wasn't going to be a concern. After using it on few cars, one day I decided to re-clay a few panels with regular mild clay and the clay picked up more dirt. Not as much as on panels that did not get the towel treatment, but it clearly was picking up more dirt. I had been planning on getting the fine towel also at that time but have decided not to since then. I do not consider them equal as far as their ability to decontaminate the paint. Ease of use and speed of course go to the towels/sponges. I could seeing using the pads on the DA as being more aggressive and provide a more thorough cleaning, but I have no desire to use the DA outside while I'm washing with water around and such. This would be another good use for a decent cordless DA.
 
Car-Pron Polyshave blocks. (They make a pad to put on your DA too) MUCH cheaper then Nanoskin products and easier then clay. I keep a clay bar on hand just for tight spaces.
 
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