vteconly

During the claying process, i might've put too much pressure on the clay bar. At the same time, however, i sprayed the lubricant very generously on claying areas. Can putting too much pressure on the clay cause scratch marks??? The car feels like new but im noticing swirl marks. I'm not sure if its my paranoia kicking in or the swirls were result of claying.

-Hoang-

thetz99

Claying removes embedded dirt from the paint. If you don't turn the clay alot, this trapped dirt in the clay can/will scratch your paint no matter how much you lubricate the surface. Claying is one part of a multi level paint care/finish process.

Sounds like you need to swirl remove now using a pc.

Ubetit

Clay is an abrasive even before you get embedded dirt in it. Be careful.

s2ksimon

i've seen this occur when a piece of "grit" or "debris" is half embedded and this can cause scratches

but i think you've applied too much pressure..

barely touching the bar with two fingers should send it flying on any panel..

as well, are you using very short strokes ?

wanabe

my three cents-
i would:

1. throw away that clay
2. if it was new, buy a different brand and tell us what it was!
3. rewash, and then polish the car with a swirl remover
4. rewax

btw, be sure not to clay in circular motions... back and forth only (the direction that the wind blows over the car)

usace

It appears that you own a 2001 model. If that's true then more than likely you had swirls in your paint before you even picked up the clay bar (unless you had recently done a complete swirl removal). Even those of us who are very anal about our washing and drying techniques end up with some very slight swirl marks over time. And we have to use some type of swirl remover product to remove them about once a year... maybe sooner depending on your technique.

The clay bar may or may not have caused the swirl marks you are seeing... it's possible. Although it's also possible that because you were claying your car, and thus paying more attention to the paint's surface, you began to notice the swirl marks that were already there.

If you're sure it was caused by the clay bar then make sure you have removed any embeded contaminants from the bar... or just throw away the piece you are using and use a new one.

Ubetit

Take a new piece of clay to the back of an old CD. The clay will scratch the crap out of it.

vteconly

the scratches appear circular, and i clayed the car with back and forth motion. Thus i doubt it was because of my claying. How do you guys remove the swirls??? Im afraid of using any power tools to polish the car. Is there an alternative???

Ubetit

I used to hand polish things like trunks and hoods all the time and you CAN hand polish an entire car... just don't ask how long it took me. Almost all of the modern polishes are designed for machines. Get a machine. Your back, arms and hands with thank you.

tcho82

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