Using a clay bar got a Q

[SpectorV]

I just want to strip down the paint to no protection and clay bar the whole thing and then put stuff back on it, I know black = feather scratches like crazy as far as showing up and will a clay bar remove these?

I have 2 clay bars a car brite given to me and a mothers clay bar i purchassed, I am going to use dawn detergent to clean the car off before i clay bar, should i use rubbing compound first? or will the clay bar remove some swirl marks? is mothers a good brand in clay bars?

thanks for any tips/help

[kaper232]

All a clay bar does is remove paint contamination. Are you actually trying to get rid of swirls in the paint? Also, dawn and other household soaps arent recommended for using on your car.

Compound - Polish - Finish = 3 Step procedure for removing scratches and swirls

If you are wanting to remove scratches, a compound such as Menzerna Intensive Polish, Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner or 3M Fine Cut Compound should work. Compounding is normally done with a circular polisher or dual-action polisher.

Now to polishing.. Since compounding can leave the clearcoat a bit hazed. A polish such as Menzerna Final Polish, Meguiar's No. 9 Swirl Remover or 3M Perfect-It Swirl Mark Remover will work in this step.

For Finishing.. Use your favorite wax or sealer.

There are plenty of brands out there, I just named a few that will work.

Anymore questions, I will try to help...

[SpectorV]

well i have light feather scratches that every car has its just part of it they are barly noticable but having a black car.... you have to take extra care to keep them in check. I know dawn will remove all protection on the car thats why i am using it, it is the best at cutting off the wax/protection from the paint so you can get down to the paint with out having to go though the wax/protectant layers to clean the paint, I am stripping it all the way down to remove all protection then clay baring it to clean the paint, I was just wondering if the clay bar removed feather scratches or only cleaned the paint, i feel it only cleans the paint.

I will probably wash it with dawn to clean the car good/strip it down then rubbing compound it 1-2 good times with 3m perfect it II clear coat safe (the BEST compound out there does wonders, i have part number but not near bottle) then after that clay bar it really good and go back with my waterless car wash to protect it i would never wash the car with dawn or any kind of detergent like that and leave it thats just a bad idea. I hate washing cars in general with water, more hassel than its worth to many hard water spots... EVIL hard water spots lol, i have used the 3 step as you mentioned but i get better results with my dwg so i just use it, i may go over with the swirl remover but its probbaly not gonna be needed. Plus this will be out side for some parts... black is HORRIBLE in the sun... you can not wash a black car with normal tap water out side with no shade unless you really take your time.... the mr clean thing works good im sure since mineral deposits are what leaves the spots to begin with but i dont feel like buying one when i dont need it but maybe once every 3 years.

the car has never been waxed and is in mint shape its just 3 years old and i wanted to strip it down and take some time to remove swirl marks and clean the paint especially since i didnt when i got it new and rail dust and all that probably got on it. regardless of what you do feater scratches are gonna happen.... just have to keep them in check.

so mainly just wondering if the clay bar will remove swirl marks/feather scratches

[kaper232]

OK, I am better understanding you now... You are correct, the clay bar isnt for removing swirls, blemishes, old wax etc... Just merely to clean the topcoat of contaminants.

[SpectorV]

ah ok, well thats good news and bad news.... good news is just that its not gonna be really abrasive... bad news is i have to spend more time on the car now my friend is gonna help me .... its still gonna take all day lol maybe we can start tonight and get to the compounding~ if i have enough left..... lol

[STEVE]

dont use the dawn the clay bar will do all that by its self dawn will eat your clear coat.

just use alot of elbow grease with the clay bar, if you want to remove the feather scratches you can color sand with a wet 2000 grit sand paper but since the car is so new i would not reccomend it. just use the clay bar throw on 3m rubbing compound 3m glaze and your favorite wax but make sure you do all this in the shade.

[SpectorV]

I cleaned the car off with dawn then compounded it then clay bared it (which seemed to do nothing... the car was smooth and the bar just slide around didnt pick up much... i guess my paint doesnt have much on it .... then i washed it again and finished up with my dwg and a oribtal buffer i have another coat of dwg and im done its looking great so far.

[kaper232]

Cool, show pics when its finished!!

[SpectorV]

no digital camera but i did finish it today and it came out pretty good, it was hard to improve upon before... the clay bar didnt do jack squat maybe smoothed it a tad but it didnt pick up anything. ill try to get some pics. the little 20 buck buffer i got worked really nicly.

[STEVE]

first you use the claybar then throw on the compound

[SpectorV]

K ill remember that next time i just figured the compound may leave residue behind that the bar would remove, ill do it reverse next time but i dont think the car can get much slicker lol.

[STEVE]

did you use glaze before the wax?

[SpectorV]

I didnt wax

[Warfire80]

go to www.zainobros.com, has all the info you need

[Warfire80]

some nice work from zaino....

[WhiteStang99]

where did that drool smilie go!!!



we used to have one.

[Fishers Stang]

dang it i missed this, hahaha I detail 10-12 cars a day.. i dont think you should use dish soad, BUT if thats all you have that will clean it really good, then use a small bit. Clay bar will only get out "tree sap, over spray, light tar, some fall out, fresh bird dropings, road film" this time of the year is when i start using it a lot do to the trees, and area I work/ live. when you look at your paint, here>

Quote: 2. What is the best way to restore gloss to a dulled painted surface? Lack of gloss on a painted surface results from three factors: Oxidation of the exterior paint layer Scratches in the exterior paint layer Lack of a protective coating on the exterior paint layer Oxidation is the dulling of the painted surface that occurs when the sun’s ultraviolet rays deplete the paint’s natural oils and resins. Scratches prevent light from reflecting uniformly from the painted surface, which limits gloss. In order to restore gloss, oxidation and scratches must be removed. Once the surface is free of oxidation and scratches (see Question #3) and any swirl marks caused during buffing are removed (see Question #4), a wax or paint sealant should be applied to protect the surface against further oxidation, and to intensify gloss.

and

Quote: 3. How do I safely remove scratches and oxidation from a painted surface? To remove medium to heavy scratches and oxidation, you must buff the surface with a high speed buffer, cutting pad and buffing compound (For a complete listing of Car Brite compounds, See theCompounds section of the Products page of this website). If only light scratches and oxidation are present, buffing with a mildly abrasive polish and polishing pad is recommended (See Question #4 for more information on polishing). If the scratches and oxidation are sufficient, the compound used should be aggressive enough to correct the imperfections present but appropriate for the vehicle’s paint system (conventional or basecoat/clearcoat). To identify your vehicle’s paint system, use an applicator pad to hand apply a medium-duty compound to an inconspicuous spot on your rear bumper. If color comes off on the pad, you’re working with a conventional system. If not, you have a basecoat/clearcoat system. The thickness of the exterior paint layer of conventional systems is 3 - 4 mils (1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch), while the thickness of the clearcoat layer is 1 - 1.5 mils. Therefore, you can use a much more aggressive product on a conventional finish than on a basecoat/clearcoat finish. When compounding, the buffer should be run at no higher than 1800 - 2000 rpm, and either a wool or foam cutting pad may be used. Wool cutting pads tend to generate more heat than foam pads - increasing the amount of cut - and often leave more swirl marks. If a paint thickness gauge is available, measure the total thickness of the surface you plan to buff. Then measure the thickness periodically as you buff, ensuring that you don’t remove more than .5 mils of paint (especially from a clearcoat layer). Select your compound accordingly, and buff the vehicle’s painted surfaces per the following guidelines: Ensure painted surface is cool before buffing Apply a moderate amount of product to surface, and don’t allow the product to dry on surface Don’t mix buffing products Moisten pad before buffing (especially foam pads) Buff slowly in shoulder width area, moving buffer side-to-side, length-wise with panel Spur pad regularly with pad spur (either a wool or foam pad spur - never a screwdriver!) Keep pad flat on surface, applying light even pressure Bring buffer off painted surface before stopping Wipe off residue with clean, soft cloth This process is illustrated in greater detail in the Removing Scratches, Oxidation and Swirl Markssection of this website. 4. What are swirl marks, and how do I remove them? Swirl marks are light, circular scratches in the painted surface often caused by buffing with a compound. As the compound cuts away the oxidized paint layer and reduces the depth of deep scratches by abrading away their "ridges", light scratches usually remain, especially on dark colors. Fear not, for swirl marks can be safely and effectively buffed out with a high speed buffer, polishing pad and a polish (as can light scratches and oxidation not severe enough to warrant compounding). For a complete listing of Car Brite polishes, See thePolishes section of the Products page of this website. A polish is a lotion containing mild abrasives and resins (usually silicone) that can be applied with a buffer or by hand. The abrasives remove swirl marks by abrading away their "ridges" in a manner similar to compounding, but with much less paint being removed. The polish’s resins fill any indentation in the paint too deep to be abraded out, and bond to the surface. By removing the "ridges" and filling any remaining indentations, the painted surface is leveled, which restores its gloss. The newly level surface reflects light in a uniform manner causing the eye to perceive a deep, rich shine. In addition to providing "fill", the resins deflect the sun’s ultraviolet rays (minimizing further oxidation) and magnify the gloss created by the newly level surface. The durability of the bond between the resin and the painted surface will vary depending on the number and type of resins used. Silicone is the most common resin, and certain chemically-bonding silicones can last up to six months. Glycerin and mineral oil are also used, but aren’t nearly as durable. When polishing, buff at 2400 - 2800 rpm (the resins provide added lubrication which allow for higher buffer speeds), and utilize a lambswool, blended wool or foam polishing pad. Also, follow the buffing guidelines listed in Question #3. This process is illustrated in greater detail in the Removing Scratches, Oxidation and Swirl Markssection of this website. 5. How often should I wax my vehicle, and what is the best method? Waxing frequency depends on the type of wax or paint sealant you use, the climate you live in and the soap you use to wash your vehicle. Before discussing these variables, we should review the terms "wax" and "paint sealant". Historically, a "wax" was a final finish product which contained natural waxes such as carnauba, while a "paint sealant" was a final finish product containing synthetic polymers such as silicone, glycerin and mineral oil. Waxes tended to bring out more shine, while paint sealants tended to last longer. Today, however, the distinction between these products is not as pronounced. Many "waxes" contain synthetic polymers, while many "paint sealants" contain natural wax. It’s best to review the product label to determine shine and durability (For a complete listing of Car Brite waxes and paint sealants, See theWaxes and Paint Sealant section of the Products page of this website) . Like polishes, waxes and paint sealants contain resins which bond to the painted surface forming a protective layer against sunlight and the elements. The strength of the bond will vary depending on the number and type of resins present and the condition of the painted surface. Chemically-bonding silicones can last up to six months, while physically- bonding silicones, mineral oil, glycerin and natural or synthetic waxes last one to four months. It is critical to ensure that the paint is free of dirt, tar, grease, and other surface contaminants before applying your final finish product. Neither wax nor paint sealant will adhere to a dirty surface. Climate affects the durability of waxes and paint sealants, as well. Harsh weather conditions such as rain, wind, snow (and the accompanying road salts) will break the bond between the resin and the painted surface much more quickly than will dry, mild conditions. Constant exposure to bright sunlight will also accelerate wax and sealant deterioration. When washing a freshly-waxed surface, be sure to use a pH neutral car soap instead of a highly alkaline dish soap or household cleaner. The alkalis will strip the resins from the painted surface, lessening gloss and exposing the surface to the elements. Car Brite’s recommended procedure for applying a final finish product can be found in the Applying Wax or Paint Sealant section of this website. 6. How can I quickly remove surface contaminants without buffing? Paint overspray, bugs, tree sap and other light surface contaminants can be quickly and easily removed with Car Brite’s Brite Stik Gray (B080) and Brite Stik Purple (B081) Clay Bar. 7. What is a clay bar, and how is it used? The Brite Stik (B080) and Brite Stik (B081) Clay Baris a blend of synthetic rubbers containing mild abrasives that removes light surface contaminants such as paint overspray, bugs and tree sap from painted, glass and chrome surfaces. Car Brite’s recommended procedure for using the clay bar is illustrated in the Surface Contaminant Removalsection of this website.

that was from a company that I use, but if you dont havea high speed buffer, then you can try with hand the rubbing compound, then any kind of wax. if ya need anything else hit me up on aim, ill try to find somemore info. here > me and dads stangs,