Clay bar left scratches in my paint!!!!

[jedi]

One more thing

Where can I find the 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner you mentioned in an earlier post?
Jedi

 

[Stallion]

A clay bar is abrassive? You guys said that it is best to use a clay bar, but now I'm kind of apprehensive with this story of jedi. Is it absolutely necessary to use a clay bar? Can't I just de-wax the Vette then wash it and then put a Zaino polymer on her? Do I need to clay bar her?

TR

 

[DetailingDude]

Of course Dawn dish washing detergent
No! Throw that as far away as you possibly can.... or was that a joke to see how red my face can get? ad LOL

Meguiar's Softwash Gel
I suggest using a bit less that you think you need. I've seen a bit of residue left behind on cars because people use a bit too much.

Mothers clay bar
Good choice! I have used that clay bar many many times on black cars and have had no problems with it at all. Here's a video of Mothers Clay Bar (external link) Sorry Rob. I like the graphics but feel it comes up a bit short on the techique. I'll cover claying in much greater detail on my website.


Meguiar's "Deep Crystal" 3 step system which consists of
Paint cleaner, Polish, and Carnauba wax
It is a bit of a challenge to trouble shoot your car from my PC, but I will do my best. I'd like you to do a bit of trial and error on one panel and then move to another panel and do something a bit different on that.

On one panel use the paint cleaner with a sponge applicator following the directions on the bottle followed by the polish and wax (I suggest Meguiar's #26 PASTE wax rather than the liquid). With the wax put on 2 or 3 very very thin layers, buffing off after each layer.

On the other panel use just the paint cleaner and the wax. Inspect each and determine which are providing the best result. I am guessing the second.

I took more time to look at the scratches and I have both circular and long stright lines in the hood which are where I recall running the clay bar. What do you think?
I can only say that I think you could have picked up some dirt from a wheel well or some other area and not have 'folded' it into the clay bar.

Have you gotten new towels?

 

[DetailingDude]

A clay bar is abrassive? You guys said that it is best to use a clay bar, but now I'm kind of apprehensive with this story of jedi. Is it absolutely necessary to use a clay bar? Can't I just de-wax the Vette then wash it and then put a Zaino polymer on her? Do I need to clay bar her?

TR

The clay bar is very much like clearing stumps off your property before you go building. Watch the video I posted and you'll see how the clay bar works.

 

[Stallion]

The clay bar is very much like clearing stumps off your property before you go building. Watch the video I posted and you'll see how the clay bar works.

Hmm....doesn't seem like I can get that video working. Is it a java file? Because I think my computer has problems with them.

So you think the bar is necessary then? You guys scare me with the scratching stories, though.

TR

 

[DetailingDude]

Re: One more thing

Where can I find the 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner you mentioned in an earlier post?
Jedi

WalMart in the automotive section, PepBoys, AutoZone and probably AceHardware too.

 

[jedi]

Of course Dawn dish washing detergent
No! Throw that as far away as you possibly can.... or was that a joke to see how red my face can get? ad LOL
No joke, I had heard that was the best stuff for removing wax.

Meguiar's Softwash Gel
I suggest using a bit less that you think you need. I've seen a bit of residue left behind on cars because people use a bit too much.

Mothers clay bar
Good choice! I have used that clay bar many many times on black cars and have had no problems with it at all. Here's a video of Mothers Clay Bar (external link) Sorry Rob. I like the graphics but feel it comes up a bit short on the techique. I'll cover claying in much greater detail on my website.
What is the url to your web site?


Meguiar's "Deep Crystal" 3 step system which consists of
Paint cleaner, Polish, and Carnauba wax
It is a bit of a challenge to trouble shoot your car from my PC, but I will do my best. I'd like you to do a bit of trial and error on one panel and then move to another panel and do something a bit different on that.

On one panel use the paint cleaner with a sponge applicator following the directions on the bottle followed by the polish and wax (I suggest Meguiar's #26 PASTE wax rather than the liquid). With the wax put on 2 or 3 very very thin layers, buffing off after each layer.

On the other panel use just the paint cleaner and the wax. Inspect each and determine which are providing the best result. I am guessing the second.
I will give this a try but it may be next month till I am able to try it.

I took more time to look at the scratches and I have both circular and long stright lines in the hood which are where I recall running the clay bar. What do you think?
I can only say that I think you could have picked up some dirt from a wheel well or some other area and not have 'folded' it into the clay bar.

Have you gotten new towels?

No I was waitting on you to suggest some and where I might find them.
Thanks again for all your help
Jedi

 

[jedi]

Claying the scratches out

Detaildude,
Can you give me some guidance on how to remove the long stright scratches on the hood? I have some long very fine scratches that go for about 2 feet from the back of the hood towards the front bumper. How do I get rid of them with a clay bar? Or should I use something else? Not sure this was done with the towels, I think there may have been something in the claybar. We are expecting some warm weather in the next week or so and I am going to start this project up again. Can you also recommend a place where I can get good towels?
Jedi

 

[kfehling]

Jedi,

DetailingDude has given you great advice and I believe that the towels were the culprit. If you have consistent fine scratches all over your car, I would bet money that it was the towels or applicators that you used. Also, as DD pointed out, don't press or rub too hard. Light pressure is all that should be used. A final note to you and others who want to clay their cars, be sure to remove all road tar first, this could gunk up the clay very fast and result in some scratches.

As for telling if it has a clear coat, during you initial process, did any paint come off onto the towels? If not, then you have a clearcoat. If some red appeared on the towels, then you do not.

For the others out there and their misgivings about claying their cars, I firmly believe that the clay bar is the single greatest product out there for car care. I have never had any problems whatsoever with these products and I have used Meguires, Mothers and now worship at Griot's altar. My cars consist of a garaged Vette and two Volvos that sit outside. I clay them all. Most important is surface preparation. It has to be clean and the sponges and towels used to apply and remove them must be clean and the towels absolutely have to be 100% cotton or a microfiber. By the time I am done, even my 10 year old Volvo looks brand new--despite seeing the CA sun all those years and never having been garaged.

Good luck to all.

 

[jedi]

Meguiar's Scratch X???

Any comments on Meguiar's Scratch X Scratch and Swirl Remover? Any good? Will it get rid of the fine swirl marks after I clay or should I just clay?
Jedi

 

[Stallion]

Due to the condition of my paint job and finish (very very nice and shiny and seemingly protected) I don't think I need to clay bar and with your scratching stories I think I'll stray away from clay barring. I'll just de-wax and then apply a Zaino Polymer on her. Hopefully that'll protect and shine.

Good luck with everything, jedi!

 

[RubyDropTop]

I would not recommend the use of Meguiar's Scratch-X (or Scratch-Yes, as I like to call it). It claims to not leave behind any hairline scratches like the "others" do....where's my BS flag when I need it?

Don't waste your money; it induces more hairline scratches than it helps.

 

[kfehling]

I have used the Scratch X and found it to be very good. I used the swirl remover once and did not find it to be very usefull. Claying by itself will not remove any scratches.

 

[jedi]

Great info guys, thanks! What would you recommend to get rid of the scratches?
Jedi

 

[RubyDropTop]

Depending on the severity of the scratches, I have had luck with 3M Finish Restorer.

 

[kingman]

How to check rags!

The only way to make sur that the rag you are using is 100% cotton is to cu off a little corner and burn it. After it cools to the touch, rub it between two fingers, if you feel anything hard then it is a poly/cotton blend. Cotton burns and poly melts.

Also, wash and dry cotton before you use it because, some dye house's use chemicals to retard shrinkage.

This is my busines!!

 

[DetailingDude]

Re: How to check rags!

The only way to make sur that the rag you are using is 100% cotton is to cu off a little corner and burn it. After it cools to the touch, rub it between two fingers, if you feel anything hard then it is a poly/cotton blend. Cotton burns and poly melts.

Also, wash and dry cotton before you use it because, some dye house's use chemicals to retard shrinkage.

This is my busines!!

Wow, that is a great way of testing!!!

 

[vettepilot]

As long as we are talking about towels.... have you ever noticed how people will go out and spend lots of $$$$ on the chemicals that they plan on using on their paint finish, but skimp on the towels they purchase?
You might as well spend the $$$ necessary to purchase quality 100% pure cotton towels... I try to get "seconds" of a good name brand as long as they meet the pure cotton criteria. Oh, try to by white, colored towels, needless to say, are loaded with dyes, which when fairly new could come out with the chemicals used, thus tinting light colored surfaces.
Next, you need to get that towel ready for the job... trim off the tags, they scratch, trim off the doubled up edge, they could scratch, now wash and dry, no fabric softener.
Now your ready for an intimate afternoon with your car's finished surface.
Concerning what everybody else has been saying: Ditto here.

One other thing that I just thought of... the water hose and nozzle..... check to make sure that sand hasn't been introduced into the hose while one end might have been laying on the ground. Second, if the nozzle you're using is one that is a spring loaded shut-off, and that nozzle is more than one season old, check to make sure that the spring inside isn't corroded to the point of introducing flakes of rust into the wash bucket, or firing rust bullets on the surface when rinsing.

One last thing to add, ( I promise this is it) the weather, cool dry days seem to produce the best results.... but that is just my experience, what say the experts?
vettepilot

 

[DetailingDude]

:confused did you get a bootleg pass to my website? That is some great info which I cover on my site (on the towels).

On the nozzle that is stuff I hadn't considered but is very valueable.

One thing I also suggest is that you use a large bucket or two depending on how anal you are. The reason is that when you rinse out the towel in the bucket the dirt can float to the bottom and not be reintroduced to your paint. There's more but I gotta get to bed. Great info vettepilot!

 

[oldace84]

Use ZANIO....dude.....
this will certainly help.....
tony