You can't win if you don't clay

"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
06/23/2016 at 10:31 • Filed to: detailing

I’ve been rolling out a clay+wax detailing project on the S2000, piecemeal because it takes so dang long. I did the rear quarter today, and was even more impressed than the last section. Things that I thought were chips and scratches pulled out, leaving slightly damaged paint behind. Things that were chips got smaller. And now, the panel is noticeably brighter than the adjacent ones. If you’ve been holding out on clay, dooo eeet!

DISCUSSION (21)

Tripper > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 10:37

+1 such a pain to use though

Rico > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 10:39

Easy way to tell if you’ve clayed enough or need to clay your car is the baggie test.

Take a sandwich baggie/ziplock and put your hand in it, lightly move your hand over a just cleaned panel and you will be able to feel the grabbing and the bonded contaminates as you move your hand across. If it feels grabby or you feel the roughness of contaminates you have to clay, if it feels smooth as glass you’ve removed the contaminates.

yitznewton > Tripper
06/23/2016 at 10:40

Yup... so worth it though.

Rico > Tripper
06/23/2016 at 10:40

Get a clay mitt, it is 100x easier, faster, better.

Tripper > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 10:41

It really is. Gotta keep that clay clean though. I went through almost 4 bars the first time that I did all of the E46.

yitznewton > Rico
06/23/2016 at 10:41

Innnnteresting... never seen that before. How long do they last? The one I just found on Autogeek was $40.

Tripper > Rico
06/23/2016 at 10:42

Whoa, hows that work? Clay in the mitt?

Newsboy > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 10:43

Better yet, get a Nanoskin block or circular pad. Same effect, but MUCH faster, and easier to use.

http://www.nanoskinusa.com/collections/au…

Rico > Tripper
06/23/2016 at 11:19

Rubber polymer on one side http://www.autogeek.net/cobra-clay-mit…

You can clean it off, just dump it in a bucket filled with high lubricity soap (I use Uber Rinseless) and clay away.

Rico > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 11:20

I’ve got the same Cobra mitt you saw for $40. They last like 25 cars or something like that. I have it for personal use and use it with Uber Rinseless as the clay lube both in a spray bottle and in a bucket to avoid marring. I’ve only used it once on my car and since I’m trading it in this month.

Rico > Tripper
06/23/2016 at 11:21

I still use actual clay on the wheels and exhaust though, don’t want to muck up with mitt with that stuff.

Rico > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 11:21

I still use Griot’s clay on wheels though and my exhaust tips.

yitznewton > Rico
06/23/2016 at 11:23

I’ll def be trying this out once my clay supply is finished.

Rico > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 11:24

I mean clay still has a purpose, especially for hard to reach areas, wheels, and exhausts. So do keep some at least

Stapleface > yitznewton
06/23/2016 at 11:29

You know, maybe I've done it wrong the few times I've done it, but it probably didn't take me more than 20 minutes or so to do an entire car every time I've clayed. You just rub the clay over the surface until it doesn't get caught and glides across, right? Then again, ever time I've clayed it's been on a vehicle newer than 2 years old. Maybe that's why?

yitznewton > Stapleface
06/23/2016 at 11:40

Between clay, wiping, and wax, I probably spent 15 minutes on my one rear quarter panel... this being a 13-year-old car that’s probably spent much of its life outdoors, and may well have never been detailed before.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Stapleface
06/23/2016 at 11:48

It depends on what is on the car, I had bits of road tar stuck to the fiesta and it was such a pain to get off.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Newsboy
06/23/2016 at 11:51

How long do those last?

Rico > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
06/23/2016 at 12:31

Get some Stoner’s Tarminator, it’s a godsend. If you are in a pinch use WD40 and watch the tar melt off.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Rico
06/23/2016 at 12:54

yeah I need to pick up something for tar, I just didn’t realize it was even there until I washed it.

Rico > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
06/23/2016 at 13:21

Same here, thought it was dirt at first.