Clay question

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,
I have never clay barred before, so for a first timer, do you recommend Nanoskin system or clay bar system?

This is just my opinion based upon experience.

If you're NEW to detailing in general and specifically you're NEW to machine polishing then I would recommend using a very safe ultra fine clay like the Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay.

First... you need to learn how to walk before you can run and by this I mean you need to learn and acquire great "hand skills" to be a well rounded detailer. Even if you're just an enthusiast detailer.

Second... and again, in my opinion, a safe, ultra fine detailing clay is safer for new people than any of the more advanced tools like Nanoskin products.

I could go into greater detail but I'll just leave it at that...

Yea, I can't see myself doing the DA thing either. I'm 48 and have done all my own detailing by hand.

Seen too many screw ups from people not knowing what they're doing.

Don't wanna be that guy. Thanks for your help.

Totally agree. I've made a career out of showing people how not to screw up.

Fact of the matter is when it comes to creating the best results, not very good results but "best results" a machine is required. I explain why in my first and second how-to book in the first chapter called,

Car Paint Overview

This chapter shared the history of CAR PAINT. And in this chapter I explain the differences in the two types of car paint we've had in the history of the automobile and then tie the changes to why machine polishing has become so popular and so easy and safe.

It all starts with head knowledge, not a can of wax or a buffer and that's what my books give you.

The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine Paperback Book



If you read this entire book from cover to cover you will know more than most detailers because most detailers are self-taught. You'll also know more than most people about the general topic of car detailing and specifically about paint care including machine compounding, polishing and sealing the paint.

I was using the traditional clay bar up until recently. I had purchased a nanoskin mitt from Chemical Guys medium grade and its fantastic. Claying a car now with the mitt is the way to go. I can clay a medium size car in 15 minutes all while washing the car at the same time. The car shampoo acts as a super lubercant and works amazing.

Traditional clay bars are a PITA and takes far longer to complete. Drop the clay bar and your done. Should be thrown away immediately. Drop the nanoskin mitt, just rinse it off with the hose and your good too go. The nanoskin mitt costs 60 dollars and I can clay around 70 vehicles with it.

The clay mitt is the way to go and as long as you have good lubercation, marring shouldn't be an issue. I have also been using my Auto Geek foam gun prior to my nanoskin clay mitt for even more lubercation and break dirt down.

Good summary and approach to washing and mechanically decontaminating a car's paint at the same time.

This is the approach I teach in my detailing boot camp classes for doing production detailing.

As far as marring paint goes... I use BLACK paint as the true test of any paint related product.

Here's marring from a Nanoskin towel. I know because I washed this Tahoe and detailed it and used a Nanoskin Towel to decontaminate the paint.




The scratches you see all over the hood were there before I washed the car. That's because this Tahoe is abused and neglected. The marring was caused when I rubbed the Nanoskin towel over the paint.






Two things...

1. In this thread and every post I've ever made I say the same thing...

If you're going to use ANYTHING to mechanically decontaminate paint, this includes clay, then my practice is to have already made plans to do at least ONE MACHINE POLISHING STEP to remove any marring. Seen or unseen.

2. I use black paint because it SHOWS everything. Something else I always share in the forum world is that if marring is happening to clearcoated black paint it's likely happening to ANY COLOR of paint it's just your eyes can't easily see defects on lighter colors.


Make sense?

If removing all contaminates is important why was iron removal left out?

Iron X then clay?

Iron X is an optional step.

I recommend using an iron remover the first time you detail your own car as a type of insurance.

Again... I've posted this numerous times on this forum and here it is again...


Iron X is like car insurance. You want to use it but you actually don't want it to work.

By this I mean it's better to spray your car's paint down with Iron X and see NOTHING because that means your paint was NOT contaminated with Iron. The only way to find out though is to actually spend the money and invest your time into doing the Iron X step.

IF you do see the bleeding effect then you can take comfort that although your paint was contaminated and Iron particles were doing unseen DAMAGE to the paint, now you've removed it.

See how it works?

As for using Iron X in a detailing business the stuff isn't cheap so if you're going to use it you either have to,

A: Build it into your price.

B: Offer it as a menu item for an extra charge. To do it this way "you" as a professional detailer have to know how to educate your customer so they see the value. That's what this forum is about... education.

Hope all of the above helps...

[Mike Phillips]

Here's some more food for fodder....

In my how-to book I share two methods of washing a car, the gentle approach and the aggressive approach. It's important to know the difference and when to use one over the other.

From one of my latest Detailing Boot Camp Classes I took pictures and documented the aggressive approach.

I would include the link but my guess is too many people don't ever click on the link so here's the entire article. I would challenge anyone to find any comparable article on any other forum.



The Aggressive Approach to Washing a Car


In my first and second editions of my how-to book I teach two ways to wash a car,

The Aggressive Approach - This is how you wash a neglected car before you're going to machine buff it.

The Gentle Approach - This is how you wash a car you or someone else has already buffed out.

You need to now the difference between the two approaches and when to use them. If you detail cars for money.... you need to educate your customer AFTER you've detailed their car to use the Gentle Approach so they don't undo your hard work and then blame you because swirls and scratches came back.


This Camaro is rough!
I don't think this Camaro has been properly washed and waxed for maybe 10 years or longer as it's pretty rough, not just rough looking but rough feeling to the touch.

So we're going to use the aggressive approach to wash and and also My Classic Car filmed this for their TV show to share with their audience some of the things you learn when you attend our Detailing Boot Camp Classes.

I also used this car as a Training Car for my last class because it's

A: Neglected
B: White


Chemical Decontamination - Removing Iron Particles in the Paint
And I always have a neglected white vehicle to demonstrate the importance of removing iron contamination with a product like Iron X.


Mechanical Decontamination - Removing Bonded Contaminants like Overspray Paint
I also show how to speed up production detailing by mechanically decontaminating the paint during the washing process using Nanoskin products.

One method does not replace the other method you need to do both if you're working on a neglected vehicle.



Without further ado, here's some pictures from the first day of the September 2014 Detailing Boot Camp Class.



Wheels & Tires First
My classes and books always teach to wash wheels and tires first, to find out why see page 15 of either The Art of Detailing or the second edition, The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine




This is a lug nut cleaning brush


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Simply place it over the lug nut and clean the lug nuts and the barrels at the same time...


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This is a Wheel Woolie used for cleaning in hard to reach areas...


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After washing the wheels and tires rinse well....


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Start at the top and work your way down
After washing the wheels and tires first, next start at the top and work your way down. This is also explained in detail in my first two books.


Bleeding like a Stuck Pig
The first step for our aggressive approach is to chemically decontaminate the paint using Iron X. Here you can see the white paint on this Camaro bleeding like a stuck pig.


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Use the Foam Gun to Foam the Car
Next we use the foam gun to slather the car's body panels with car wash foam.


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Wash body panels and glass
Next we use Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitts to loosen surface dirt so it can be rinsed off.

Here you can see Richard, the Cameraman from My Classic Car capturing the car washing process.


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Get her clean boys!


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Rinse off all the loose dirt and soap suds
Next the Camaro was fully and thoroughly rinsed to remove all the loosened dirt off the car and out of all the cracks and crevices. This is IMPORTANT if you're going to machine buff a car.


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Mechanically Decontaminate the Paint with Nanoskin Wash Mitts and Towels
Nanoskin Wash Mitts and Towels work great for removing bonded contaminants. They come in Fine and Medium Grade. One benefit is if you drop either on the ground you can simply rinse it off and continue using it. If you drop detailing clay you must throw it away.

It's important that you first wash and RINSE the car to remove all the loose dirt otherwise you risk instilling scratches. The point being you don't want to rub the polymerized rubber surface of the Nanoskin product over paint that still has dirt floating on it from the wash process so RINSE first - then use the Nanosking products to remove the bonded contaminants.

In this example we use the Foam Gun to foam the car and use the foam as our lubricant for the Nanoskin Wash Mitts and Towels.



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Rinse a Second Time
Then rinse the car a second time to remove all the contaminants removed by the Nanoskin products.
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Dry the car
After all the washing and decontaminating is finished dry any standing water off the car to avoid water spots. Here the class is using the Guzzler Waffle Weave Drying Towels.


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This car is clean. This car is chemically decontaminated. This car is mechanically decontaminated.

That's how you use the Aggressive Approach to wash a car.

This car is now ready to machine buff.

[99monguse]

I have two Camaros a 1998 Z28 and a 1999 Camaro SS...my SS is black. I noticed when I bought it new, that the SLP installed hood and spoiler paint wasn't the best, now it looks not too good, did you notice any difference between the GM paint on the doors and the hood/spoiler?