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The power of Clay


fergyguy

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Having been researching what was best buffer and compound for giving my new to me Boat it’s ( it’s mine spruce up) I came across the option of using Clay as used by many high end car valeting companies and classic car show guys. Now I’ve known about the use of Clay but always dismissed it as a fad but today I decided to give one of my two wedding cars the Clay treatment and must say if your paintwork is looking dull and you want it looking like new then invest in a bar of finishing Clay it will cost approx £10 and depending on size of boat and how ingrained grime is you will not use a whole bar. It’s easy to use simple break off a chunk mould it in your hand for a few mins then light spray of water on the area your doing (just do a small patch to get the hang of it) wipe the Clay over the area and you will feel the grime lifting as to start with it sounds slightly gravely but it’s not scratching your paint then you will feel the Clay slipping across the area as it gives a glass like finish... I must say no need to rub like crazy and your not rubbing paint away. The finish is fantastic and ready for a good quality wax. Now I know some boaters will prefer the weathered look but it is something to try for sure. 

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1 minute ago, Sea Dog said:

Google "clay bar" Athy - it removes surface contaminants from vehicle paintwork.  I'd be really interested to see if it restores dull narrowboat paintwork though.

I guess I could have "googled" it, but if we all did that, we would lose part of the discussion element of the forum!

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9 minutes ago, Athy said:

I guess I could have "googled" it, but if we all did that, we would lose part of the discussion element of the forum!

I believe the main problem as I heard it is that if you put the word Google into the internet it breaks it.

I was thinking of Googling that first but didn't want to risk it.

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7 minutes ago, fergyguy said:

Yep commercial Clay. The car I have done today was well grimed but the Clay lifted it off with ease just spray a little water first and rub the Clay on the paintwork if your in doubt I’d be happy to send you a bit to try

Not all clay bars work well with water. Most require the use of a detailing spray as opposed to water. The packaging will tell you which to use. 

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25 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I'd be really interested to see if it restores dull narrowboat paintwork though.

After claying you still have to polish and then wax. Clay only removes the contaminants, it doesn’t polish the paint. 

 

Snow Foam, wash, clay bar, wash again, polish, wax...

996972A0-3022-4806-81A9-0BA277F9C813.jpeg.680375b9183ca0d5ecdcba42ac569f66.jpeg

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Your very right when you say it’s not a wax or polish but you need the paint surface to be clean before applying a good quality wax/polish... I intend claying my boat to ensure my wax will be going onto a very clean surface as I’m not intending doing this again for a long while so for me claying will be well worth doing. Halfords sell a kit for £20 which isn’t bad considering it’s a once in a long time task.

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The clay gently lifts the grime with no abrasive or chemicals so I feel sure boat paint in general will be ok but as with all first time usage do a small out of obvious sight test area. The boat I’m buying was painted using a 2pac paint as the owner specifically wanted that finish.

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I clay barred my boat in 2013. The shine was amazing after a polish and wax, and no damage. It's dull again now, but will be painted over the next 12 months or so.

 

When I have done car or boat, very little pressure is needed on the clay. It just slides across the wetted area, and picks up stuff you wouldn't even know was there.

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The clay gently lifts the grime with no abrasive or chemicals so I feel sure boat paint in general will be ok but as with all first time usage do a small out of obvious sight test area. The boat I’m buying was painted using a 2pac paint as the owner specifically wanted that finish.

I reckon it’s much easier and definitely less aggressive than using cutting compounds and chemicals. 

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1 hour ago, fergyguy said:

The clay gently lifts the grime with no abrasive or chemicals so I feel sure boat paint in general will be ok but as with all first time usage do a small out of obvious sight test area. The boat I’m buying was painted using a 2pac paint as the owner specifically wanted that finish.

I reckon it’s much easier and definitely less aggressive than using cutting compounds and chemicals. 

 

Clay will be less abrasive then cutting compounds, but it's still abrasive. If it wasn't it wouldn't work.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay

 

Edited by blackrose
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23 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Clay will be less abrasive then cutting compounds, but it's still abrasive. If it wasn't it wouldn't work.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay

 

Except that a ‘Clay Bar’ contains no clay. It’s an engineered resin. 

 

Used on car paintwork it won’t wear it at all - it pulls the contamination particles out of the paint, leaving microscopic holes in the finish where it’s removed them, and that’s why it’s essential to follow up claying with wax. 

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20 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Except that a ‘Clay Bar’ contains no clay. It’s an engineered resin. 

 

 

 

Ok, I thought they still used natural clay like they used to. If it's a synthetic resin then I can't help thinking it's been misnamed.

 

Anyway, each to their own but I'm never going to use a detailing product to clean the paintwork on my boat or wax it. I'm really not that precious about it. Life's too short.

Edited by blackrose
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42 minutes ago, blackrose said:

each to their own but I'm never going to use a detailing product to clean the paintwork on my boat or wax it. I'm really not that precious about it. Life's too short.

I’m with you there. I painted the mushrooms and the boat was lucky if it got washed twice a year 

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6 hours ago, WotEver said:

After claying you still have to polish and then wax. Clay only removes the contaminants, it doesn’t polish the paint. 

 

Snow Foam, wash, clay bar, wash again, polish, wax...

996972A0-3022-4806-81A9-0BA277F9C813.jpeg.680375b9183ca0d5ecdcba42ac569f66.jpeg

 

Terrified if I use clay bar on my bote it will turn mine into a Jagular too......

 

 

 

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21 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There is a way that you could see if it works …………………………...

I've used it on cars Alan. I was trying to say, as gently as possible, that it won't restore dull narrowboat paintwork which has usually faded or become chalky through UV and loss of oils as you know.  In truth, I think the use of a clay bar overkill for even the shiniest of shiny boats. :)

 

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