Zaino Clay Bar
is this clay good?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sugar Land, Texas
09' 335i coupe
is this clay good?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
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From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Clay Magic is good. Honestly, there is very little difference in the clay you buy. I like Zainos clay, but the mothers clay you can buy at most auto stores works just as good.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 75
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From: Silicon Valley, CA
You can buy polymer clay in bulk at craft stores and online (see e.g. here. Is this the same composition of clay that the detailers use? I mean, clay is clay, right? The key to clay would appear to be its the ability to softly absorb and remove impurities from the paint, which seems like it is a question of texture. Is the zaino clay soft or firm?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 75
Likes: 1
From: Silicon Valley, CA
I did a little research and discovered that Clay Magic has patents on their clay bar system which explain the theory behind the clay bar. Apparently, the clay is impregnated with abrasives (see Fig. 2 below).
When the clay is rubbed against the flat surface of the car, the fine abrasives remain fully embedded in the clay and do not abrade the paint (zero abrasive force applied to surface) However, if there is a protrusion on the paint (dirt, metal particle, brake dust), the protrusion bores a small hole in the clay and the abrasives surrounding the hole are uncovered. As the clay slides across the protrusion, the embedded abrasives polish (i.e., abrade) the protrusion and either smooth it or abrade it away entirely.
One thing this tells me is that prior to using, the clay bar should be pressed firmly against the flat surface to cause the embedded abrasives not to extrude from the clay surface. Otherwise, the initial use of the clay bar would cause some abrasion of the paint before the abrasives are completely pushed into the clay.
To achieve the same result as Clay Magic or any other clay bar, one would have to mix a fine abrasive, such as a little Zaino Show Car Polish, into the clay. Because this might result in an infringement of the Clay Magic patents, I would caution against doing so.
When the clay is rubbed against the flat surface of the car, the fine abrasives remain fully embedded in the clay and do not abrade the paint (zero abrasive force applied to surface) However, if there is a protrusion on the paint (dirt, metal particle, brake dust), the protrusion bores a small hole in the clay and the abrasives surrounding the hole are uncovered. As the clay slides across the protrusion, the embedded abrasives polish (i.e., abrade) the protrusion and either smooth it or abrade it away entirely.
One thing this tells me is that prior to using, the clay bar should be pressed firmly against the flat surface to cause the embedded abrasives not to extrude from the clay surface. Otherwise, the initial use of the clay bar would cause some abrasion of the paint before the abrasives are completely pushed into the clay.
To achieve the same result as Clay Magic or any other clay bar, one would have to mix a fine abrasive, such as a little Zaino Show Car Polish, into the clay. Because this might result in an infringement of the Clay Magic patents, I would caution against doing so.
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Mercedes-Benz
Originally posted by Jaeger
I did a little research and discovered that Clay Magic has patents on their clay bar system which explain the theory behind the clay bar. Apparently, the clay is impregnated with abrasives (see Fig. 2 below).
When the clay is rubbed against the flat surface of the car, the fine abrasives remain fully embedded in the clay and do not abrade the paint (zero abrasive force applied to surface) However, if there is a protrusion on the paint (dirt, metal particle, brake dust), the protrusion bores a small hole in the clay and the abrasives surrounding the hole are uncovered. As the clay slides across the protrusion, the embedded abrasives polish (i.e., abrade) the protrusion and either smooth it or abrade it away entirely.
One thing this tells me is that prior to using, the clay bar should be pressed firmly against the flat surface to cause the embedded abrasives not to extrude from the clay surface. Otherwise, the initial use of the clay bar would cause some abrasion of the paint before the abrasives are completely pushed into the clay.
To achieve the same result as Clay Magic or any other clay bar, one would have to mix a fine abrasive, such as a little Zaino Show Car Polish, into the clay. Because this might result in an infringement of the Clay Magic patents, I would caution against doing so.
I did a little research and discovered that Clay Magic has patents on their clay bar system which explain the theory behind the clay bar. Apparently, the clay is impregnated with abrasives (see Fig. 2 below).
When the clay is rubbed against the flat surface of the car, the fine abrasives remain fully embedded in the clay and do not abrade the paint (zero abrasive force applied to surface) However, if there is a protrusion on the paint (dirt, metal particle, brake dust), the protrusion bores a small hole in the clay and the abrasives surrounding the hole are uncovered. As the clay slides across the protrusion, the embedded abrasives polish (i.e., abrade) the protrusion and either smooth it or abrade it away entirely.
One thing this tells me is that prior to using, the clay bar should be pressed firmly against the flat surface to cause the embedded abrasives not to extrude from the clay surface. Otherwise, the initial use of the clay bar would cause some abrasion of the paint before the abrasives are completely pushed into the clay.
To achieve the same result as Clay Magic or any other clay bar, one would have to mix a fine abrasive, such as a little Zaino Show Car Polish, into the clay. Because this might result in an infringement of the Clay Magic patents, I would caution against doing so.
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