Meguiar's clay system: proper size of clay bar?

[adreed24]

I have the "Meguiar's Quik Clay Detailing System (G1116)", which has the clay bar and the "Quik Detailer".

I've used it once, and I did what many people recommend. I cut the bar into some pieces, to help ration it out, and to always give me a clean bar to use, just in case I dropped a piece.

I'd like to know how thick, and what size, the piece of clay I use, should be?

How much should I flatten it in order to do a good job with the "Quik Detailer"?

If you slightly warm the clay bar, is it easier to shape and flatten, or should we just use our hands and not subject it to warming at all? I don't want to harm the bar.

BTW - I'd like to suggest that Meguiar's make the clay bars available, by themselves, for us to purchase.

OR...make the clay bars larger, so they last longer.

Thanks in advance!

[Djmigs]

Hi Adreed,

Yes you are correct some people cut them into three section or four depends on you...there really no accurate thickness...i would say cut them in three pieces then you can use that piece and just flat with your palm then use your finger to flatten it more almost like a pizza shape...

what you want to cover (clay bar)is four fingers remember to use your whole fingers and not your tip of your fingers you want to distribute even pressure with your fingers and not finger tips...hope that makes sense...also it not neessary to warm it but i have heard some people warm it but i dont use that method no need for it imho...i think this will not affect the clay(if heated)

also im sure your aware of this but before you use the clay bar always have clean hands cause when you handle the clay it will pick up dirt from your hands and also remember to spray QD on your car and on the clay and start in one section at a time then wipe then feel that section repeat until then....

Also meguiars does carry a larger clay bar in there professional line and it is by it self but you will need something to lubricate it you can use what you have(QD) or the professional line Final Inspection...just a though...remember im am a novice and i do make mistakes...have fun and hope to see some before and after pics....

[Murr1525]

Yup, just make it like a thick wafer that covers your four fingers. I usually cut mine into 4 pieces, so thay are a little thinner I guess than someone who cuts into 3 pieces. Still works fine.

[Mike Phillips]

Cutting the clay bar that comes in the Quik Clay System into 2 pieces works pretty well, cutting it into 3 pieces can also be done but I don't thing 4 gives you enough material to be effective at doing a good job of claying your car's finish.

Remove the clay from the package




Cut the clay into 2-3 peices




Spray a little Quick Detailer into a Ziploc baggie



Place the extra piece or pieces into the baggie




You're ready to go!

[gb387]

Mike... like the photos you have in the gallery on clay.

Do they still make the Clean n' smooth clay you have in the gallery? I had some quite sometime ago, it was packaged different but had the same name. It was a yellow bar.

[Mike Phillips]

No, that was from the early 1990's.




Meguiar's, because of our involvement and presence in the car industry in all of it's spectrums was one of the first company's to introduce clay and the idea of claying to the general pubic. But the product you mention is long gone...

[adreed24]

Thanks for the information and explanations of the use of the clay bar system. The photos are a nice touch.

I had only used it once, to remove some paint over-spray on a car I sold. The clay bar worked great, and left the surface smooth, just like it is supposed to.

I wanted to find out any additional information I could, about the clay bar system, before I use it again.

[Ko-B]

Ohh. Is that how the clay bar should look? I bought a Meguiar's Clay Bar a while back and the bar did not look that soft. It was actually very hard and cracked so I tried heating it and it helped out a little, but is that how it is supposed to be or did I just get a bad bar?

[Mike Phillips]

Sounds like you got an old clay that we no longer sell. Call Customer Care tomorrow and site this thread and tell them what you have and they should take care of you.

1-800-347-5700

[Jeff Smith]

And I thought I got went over board on things. Mike even uses scissors to cut his clay. Gosh.