Clay Bars

[trigger]

Can you guys educate me on clay bars please?, I keep hearing good things about them but I've never used one so I'm quite tempted to get a bar.

 

Which bar is the best?, I've found a 3M bar which seems good value HERE and also a Bilt Hamber which seems to have rave reviews HERE.

 

How do you used them?, do you have to buy some special detailing spray or can just water be used with either of them?, do you just polish and wax the cars body after you've clayed the car and are they even any good?.

 

CHEERZ EARZ

[John F]

I tried a clay bar for the first time recently, and was very impressed with the results.

 

The one I used was from a company called Zymol - there's an FAQ page about Zymol (and clay in general) here: http://www.detailbest.com/askdetailbest.html

 

It's expensive, but it's the brand that specialist car detailers use.

 

On recommendation from the lass I borrowed the clay bar from, I used a weak washing up liquid solution as a lubricant. Seemed to work fine.

[Bobthebeard]

Can you guys educate me on clay bars please?, I keep hearing good things about them but I've never used one so I'm quite tempted to get a bar.

 

Which bar is the best?, I've found a 3M bar which seems good value HERE and also a Bilt Hamber which seems to have rave reviews HERE.

 

How do you used them?, do you have to buy some special detailing spray or can just water be used with either of them?, do you just polish and wax the cars body after you've clayed the car and are they even any good?.

 

CHEERZ EARZ

 

Water with car shampoo is fine with clay bars, as is plain water. Just summat wet to lube the surface really. Detailing spray comes with some kits and is fine. Just a bit expensive. Blu Tack is reputed to have similar qualities, but have never tried it! Basically, it is just some sticky stuff that removes grot from paintwork. Like most things today, its down to marketing. They tell you you need it, so you need it...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

That Zymol stuff is shite, the first time you put it in the kiln it shrivels up to a black dot

[John F]

That Zymol stuff is shite, the first time you put it in the kiln it shrivels up to a black dot

 

[Bobthebeard]

That Zymol stuff is shite, the first time you put it in the kiln it shrivels up to a black dot

 

Thick as fook here.... But WTF? Are you a potter testes? Why would you put car polishy stuff in a kiln?

Appreciate that I am now in the firing line for a Mr Bollox type shoeing.....

[purplebargeken]

BH one and water for me. No complaints whatsoever. They do a softer one for newer paint if needed.

[meshking]

I've got a bilt and hamber one, and yesterday ordered two 3M ones from eBay (china). Think that link you've posted is a bit pricey, I bought two of these

 

Impressed with the BH one - took the tar spots off swmbo'd smax beautifully.

[trigger]

Oh, that is a lot cheaper, thanks Meshking, Can you use that 3M one with water like the BH one?, How long does a bar last and do you just use the whole bar or do you pull bits off?.

 

I really am clueless so sorry for all the questions!

[Spiny Norman]

I've always fancied claying a car but I've never quite worked up the enthusiasm/courage to try it.

 

I bought two of these

Slightly O/T, but how the absolute fuck can they be making any money on these posting a 160g item from China for £2.94?

It costs near enough that in postage alone, and that's by snail mail.

The product must cost them about tuppence ha'penny to make!

[John F]

I don't know, but I reckon they're worth a punt at that price.

 

I've just ordered one.

 

EDIT: bloody hell, I've just got an email saying it's been dispatched. I only ordered it 5 mins ago...!

[John F]

Oh, that is a lot cheaper, thanks Meshking, Can you use that 3M one with water like the BH one?, How long does a bar last and do you just use the whole bar or do you pull bits off?.

 

I really am clueless so sorry for all the questions!

 

 

According to the blurb in the 3M advert, you use a washing up liquid solution as lubricant. And when I used my mate's clay bar I just pulled a bit off & used that.

[trigger]

Thanks, I've just ordered 2 of them as well, Good job I'm in no rush, they are quoting a months delivery apparently.

[meshking]

Oh, that is a lot cheaper, thanks Meshking, Can you use that 3M one with water like the BH one?, How long does a bar last and do you just use the whole bar or do you pull bits off?.

 

I really am clueless so sorry for all the questions!

 

yeah, just cut it into thirds, 1/3 for paint, 1/3 for wheels and 1/3 for glass.

 

when it gets dirty, roll it over so you've got a clean side. I just used a water mister with my BH - you can buy all manner of fancy lubricating liquids, but water seems ok for me.

 

I don't know how they can get them posted for that much, time will tell if it's actually any good I guess.

[John F]

Thanks, I've just ordered 2 of them as well, Good job I'm in no rush, they are quoting a months delivery apparently.

 

See my edit above...!

[trigger]

I've just got the dispatch email too, One thing I have noticed is that although the photo clearly shows a 3M clay bar, there's no mention of it being a 3M product in the blurb and it's listed as not being in it's original box so it's most like some shitty old bit of blu tak picked of a school notice board.

[vulgalour]

Clay bars are for winners, I should know for I am a winner. Someone on here (sorry, I've forgotten who, you're probably a winner too) sent me a Megiuers bar and that's done me for 4 cars so far and I've only used half of it. Bit of Stardrops and water in a squirty bottle to lubricate and just roll and roll and roll the clay. Don't just bin it when it goes a bit grubby either, just keep rolling it in clean water as you work and it'll continue to pull crap off the car with no ill effect. The efficacy of the bar does diminish with use, but when you feel it's no longer pulling dirt off the paint you just get rid and start a new piece. Advice with the bar I was given was to use a 50p sized chunk and I'd say that's about right from experience.

 

Once the car has been clay barred it is easier, seemingly, to keep it clean and to polish up so some hours invested with a clay bar does seem to equate to hours saved with normal cleaning. It's also a good way of getting muck out from around bits of trim.

[Station]

Used a Megauuaruruaurs one and found it did nothing. Isn't it meant to pick the microscopic bits of stuff off the surface?

 

If anyone wants a top-shite-tip, try spraying Mr Sheen and polishing off after you've finished washing/polishing, etc. It really, really works!

[Spiny Norman]

... they are quoting a months delivery apparently.

 

Definitely on the slow boat from China then...

Might as well have a punt on a couple at that price as well and see what's what.

[fordperv]

Used a Megauuaruruaurs one and found it did nothing. Isn't it meant to pick the microscopic bits of stuff off the surface?

 

If anyone wants a top-shite-tip, try spraying Mr Sheen and polishing off after you've finished washing/polishing, etc. It really, really works!

 

a few years back i saw an old boy with an absolute lovely d plate micra it had great lustre to the paint and it was still a nice deep red i struck up a conversation with the old boy and politely asked how he kept his paint looking so nice, i was shocked when his answer was mr sheen so i gave it a try and it really does do a bloody good job

[cobblers]

I got some mequiars clay bar stuff from halfords when I worked there (it was floating round the bottom of one of the cages) and it worked pretty well for removing years of tree sap and general stuff off the paint without having to use G3 or Paint Renovator on it and actually abrade the paint surface. I did a few cars with it, but I didn't do a very good job of wrapping it up and when I came to use it again about 18 months later it had gone hard, so I just used Blu-Tac and some soapy water and it did the exact same thing.

[oldford]

Clay bars are brilliant, I use mine with a bit of soapy water. If you want a demonstration Trigger, give me a shout.

[Station]

Clay bars are brilliant, I use mine with a bit of soapy water. If you want a demonstration Trigger, give me a shout.

 

I think he's married mate.

[trigger]

I'm pretty open minded towards new experiences.

[Lankytim]

Clay bars are GR8 if you want to get a good finish on your old banger BUT don't turn it over when you need to use a fresh bit, you need to fold it in on itself from each end so you trap the used surface inside the bar, that way you can use it for ages. Apparently if you drop one on the floor you have to throw it away because of dirt contamination.

[John F]

Apparently if you drop one on the floor you have to throw it away because of dirt contamination.

 

Bugger that... I'd just shave off the dirty bit with a knife

[sporty-shite]

I bought a set of three cheap ones of ebay, red, yellow and green, graded for abrasiveness, and they're ACE. I've used them on about half a dozen cars now, and just keep folding them. I just use a bucket of soapy water, sponge some onto the panel, dip the clay, then give the panel a good rub. Hot water helps the clay stay workable, too. Afterwards, I finish with a coat of AutoGlym super resin polish, and get pretty good results. And it's a sight easier than T cut*

 

 

 

 

*other paint restorers are available.

 

After clay and polish. About an hour and a half, all told.

 

[beko1987]

Bilt Hamber medium for bad paintwork, for re-doing a previously clayed car the soft works well. I keep both in stock. I use water too as I CBA with another product for clay lube.

 

Just remember to go around with a tar remover after washing but before claying to get rid of the tar spots that clog up the clay. Then a round with a paint cleanser if you are not polishing to get rid of any residue left after washing. Clay brings up loads of shit from single stage/non clear coated paint. I did a red favorit once FAKT

[Spiny Norman]

Ordered one of these three quid jobs from the Orient. Let's see if it arrives before Easter.

[cobblers]

I would 100% guarantee that these chonk clay bars are not made by 3m, but if they work that's fine since they cost about the same as blu tac anyway