Droped my clay?

[DjbuddyPL]

I droped my clay bar, i took of what i could, is it trash or is there a way to save it?

[Setec Astronomy]

Most will tell you to toss it, I'll be a heretic and say I've dropped clay, washed it off, picked off any particles, and (carefully) reused it.

(I'm not sure what my penance should be for that)

[kb2ehj]

(I'm not sure what my penance should be for that)

You must wax your vehicle 5 times using OTC Turtle Wax (original version, none of the fancy stuff) LOL

[BobbyG]

I droped my clay bar, i took of what i could, is it trash or is there a way to save it?

It really depends what you dropped it on. If it's on a relatively clean floor or on the grass, pick out any particles, if in the sand or dirt trash it...

[Setec Astronomy]

It really depends what you dropped it on. If it's on a relatively clean floor or on the grass, pick out any particles, if in the sand or dirt trash it...

Yeah, that's the key, if it's a surface where it picked up a thousand grains of sand, forget it (unless you can shave that surface off...ask me how I know :p ). If it's relatively clean and you can see the particles ...I've dug them out. It's really not that different from going over a really bad car surface and picking up a bunch of tar/asphalt in the clay and not wanting to knead them in.

[oldmodman]

You just have to decide what is more important to you.
$20.00 tops if you throw it out.
Or getting all the user installed RIDS out of your paint if you decide to try and clean the clay and miss just one little speck of grit.

[pfix]

Clean it the best you can and use it for your wheel clay. Buy new clay for your paint.

[Setec Astronomy]

You just have to decide what is more important to you.
$20.00 tops if you throw it out.
Or getting all the user installed RIDS out of your paint if you decide to try and clean the clay and miss just one little speck of grit.

Or you have to decide if you're good enough to get all the grit out, LOL. I'm not saying I've never thrown out dropped clay, cuz I've done that plenty, I'm just saying it's possible to reuse it...as I said, it's not that different from going over a really bad rocker panel that has tons of gritty tar that gets in the clay...what do YOU do when that happens, do you wash the clay off, pick the tar out, throw the clay away, or just knead it in? No matter what I'm doing, I always try to flush off particles before I knead...I usually clay with wash solution so I dip the clay in the rinse bucket and run my finger over the active surface before I knead.

[A.P.A.D.]

my rule of thumb is to throw it out. i am so careful with the paint with every other step not to scratch it, so if clay hits the floor, it hits the trash can.

break the clay into seperate sections before starting the job so that you have backup in case u do drop it. plus, more bang for your buck!

[BobbyG]

my rule of thumb is to throw it out. i am so careful with the paint with every other step not to scratch it, so if clay hits the floor, it hits the trash can.

break the clay into separate sections before starting the job so that you have backup in case u do drop it. plus, more bang for your buck!

More great information and dividing up a clay bar is something I've done many times.

By the way, I've never dropped a clay bar......:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

[mcpp66]

That's the beauty of Ultima's elastrofoam. If you drop it you can safely pick it right back up and use it.

[BobbyG]

That's the beauty of Ultima's elastrofoam. If you drop it you can safely pick it right back up and use it.

What is this elastrofoam you speak of?

[Setec Astronomy]

What is this elastrofoam you speak of?

LOL..do they not make it anymore? Oh yeah they do: Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning System, paint cleaner, paint cleaning foam (http://www.autogeek.net/ultima-elastrofoam-cleaner.html) There are also some generic versions around, or there used to be. Sometimes I forget that not everybody was at that other forum when DavidB hyped the heck out this after his green clay, he actually replaced all but the ultrafine green clay with the Elastrofoam.

[Kristopher1129]

Someone already mentioned it...but I just cut the bad part off.

[Setec Astronomy]

Someone already mentioned it...but I just cut the bad part off.

OMG! That's just too practical. I remember someone starting a thread on another forum "if you drop a MF on the ground, what do you do? 1)throw it away 2)pick it up and use it 3)demote it to wheel duty 4)throw it in the laundry and use it like it was never dropped". No one was really sure if it was a trick question or not...and it all depends on a lot of things.