auto detailing - completely off topic

Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I just clay-barred my second car. It's like magic!. First I did my wife's '17 crimson red Impala a few weeks ago. The paint is really good - I could feel the difference in surface smoothness but i couldn't see the difference. This weekend I clay-barred my '18 tungsten metallic Subaru Outback. It's a much lighter color so I could see tiny sap and bug crap on the paint. Some I could get with a finger nail. Some with a little soap and water. Some were just not coming off. So i tried the clay and everything pulled out of the paint in seconds with no effort!

Anyone clay-barred their hull? :eek:
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,077
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Why is that Don? If paint can't take sliding lubricated clay across it, I have my doubts about the "grip" in Awlgrip.
Just curious.
Auto paint has a clear coat on top of the paint. It’s the clearcoat you are buffing. As that isn’t present on gelcoat or paint on a boat, I’d be afraid to try it. Not saying ‘don’t do it’, just questioning if it can be problematic.
 

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Clay bar doesn't "buff" anything. it pulls small imbedded garbage out of the surface. I've used it on show cars for years and would not hesitate to use it on a boat as well. not sure the effort would be worth it on the average boat .... but it would be totally safe to use.
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I detailed cars as a job and my cars are always in excellent shape, one of the reasons the first thing I did was have my 310 professionally buffed and polished. Check out a product called Clayzilla, it is so much easier then a clay bar and I actually use it while I'm soaping my car by just lightly rubbing it across the finish with soap on the car. It is great and pulls the garbage out just like a clay bar but is reusable and if you use it with just the pad is flexible around all the curves in a finish.

 
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