Smooth Surface Clay Kit

[MaxT]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Thanks for the quick response Michael.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Replacement clay package remains as it, at least for the time being. The new Smooth Surface Clay Kit has indeed shipped - saw it in a local WalMart over the weekend and several posters above have already purchased it.

[MaxT]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

So have you guys updated the replacement kit as well to include 3 80g clay bars?
If not, there would be no point in buying that anymore, since this new kit includes more clay plus all the other goodies.
Also, is this already shipping? I don't see it anywhere for sale online yet.

[EPHIOS]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Just bought this UPDATED clay kit. It's the same as the last version, but more clay (60grams more) and you get UQW instead of the cleaner wax. I like the mini spray bottle for the UQW (6oz), it can easily fit on my glove box.

Before this kit, I was buying Mother's NEW clay kit system, because it had more clay than Meguiar's last version of Smooth Surface Clay Kit. However, what I did not like is that Mother's took out some of the extra, like the trial size wax and the plastic container for the clay.

[mashomish]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

[QUOTE=Woodie6250;440918]This is a good example of a company looking after its customers.

50% more clay and including UQW instead of Cleaner Wax, and still at the same price.

Not really since Mothers Clay Bar kit has been 160g and at Walmart was same price as Meguiars.

[David32]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Never thought of it that way, but indeed makes complete sense. I fall in the category where people tend to believe "The bigger the better", that usually buys me.

[Shawn T.]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

It's sort of in keeping with the concept of using the least aggressive method to get the job done. A mild consumer clay is generally all that's needed for "typical" contamination levels. For more severe or heavy contaminants the pro mild clay (C2000) can speed up the process, but it costs quite a bit more. The pro aggressive clay (C2100) is so aggressive that it can actually haze some paints, so it should only be used in extreme situations.

It's sort of like the hammer and nail analogy we like to use in our Saturday classes - to drive a little finishing nail into drywall you'd usually choose a small 8 ounce finishing hammer; to put a roofing nail into a roof joist you'd probably go for a 22 ounce claw hammer; for driving a railroad spike a 16 pound sledge hammer is the logical choice. Can you do all three jobs with the sledge hammer? Well, technically, yes - but would you really use a 16 pound sledge to put a finishing nail in drywall?

Didn't think so.

My dad is a carpenter and he always uses analogies like that! Really makes a good point about using the least aggressive method.

Like the people that always go to M105 for removing swirls (and I mean moderate swirls not in extreme circumstances).............

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

This might be a foolish question, but I can't be the only one wondering this. If you're trying to achieve a perfect glossy feel like surface with clay, why not just get the most aggressive clay? What's the difference/benefits between using the consumer,mild, aggressive clay. As of now I only have the clay from this kit, its works well. But I'm tempted to buy meguiars aggressive clay. just to see the difference.

It's sort of in keeping with the concept of using the least aggressive method to get the job done. A mild consumer clay is generally all that's needed for "typical" contamination levels. For more severe or heavy contaminants the pro mild clay (C2000) can speed up the process, but it costs quite a bit more. The pro aggressive clay (C2100) is so aggressive that it can actually haze some paints, so it should only be used in extreme situations.

It's sort of like the hammer and nail analogy we like to use in our Saturday classes - to drive a little finishing nail into drywall you'd usually choose a small 8 ounce finishing hammer; to put a roofing nail into a roof joist you'd probably go for a 22 ounce claw hammer; for driving a railroad spike a 16 pound sledge hammer is the logical choice. Can you do all three jobs with the sledge hammer? Well, technically, yes - but would you really use a 16 pound sledge to put a finishing nail in drywall?

Didn't think so.

[Tuck91]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

This might be a foolish question, but I can't be the only one wondering this. If you're trying to achieve a perfect glossy feel like surface with clay, why not just get the most aggressive clay? What's the difference/benefits between using the consumer,mild, aggressive clay. As of now I only have the clay from this kit, its works well. But I'm tempted to buy meguiars aggressive clay. just to see the difference.

Using an aggressive clay on something thats barely even contaminated is not very smart.

Its really not going to make the surface any smoother than a mild clay.

[David32]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

This might be a foolish question, but I can't be the only one wondering this. If you're trying to achieve a perfect glossy feel like surface with clay, why not just get the most aggressive clay? What's the difference/benefits between using the consumer,mild, aggressive clay. As of now I only have the clay from this kit, its works well. But I'm tempted to buy meguiars aggressive clay. just to see the difference.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

There is really only one major drawback to a single, large block of clay: if you drop it, it's toast.

Our original Smooth Surface Clay Kit shipped with a single 100 gram bar of clay, and we instructed users to tear it in half before use. People complained that the second half was then difficult to store, or they would indeed drop the single bar (without tearing it in half!) and then were stuck. So we switched over to two 50 gram bars, individually wrapped, so that you didn't have to tear it in half, and the "other half" would stay fresh for a very long time. With this new revision we're just upping the size of the two bars.

Our pro clays still ship as single 200 gram bars, however, but most people still tear them in half, if not smaller.

While a piece of clay in the 50-60 gram range should be sufficient for most work, personal preference always comes into play. We know some people who use the entire 200 gram bar of pro clay all at once, but we think you can better manage a smaller piece.

[neuralfraud]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

I have a question about the size of the clay bars. I've got one clay bar by Four Star Products, it's a rather large clay bar - about the size of a bar of soap. I also have the current Meguiar's clay kit.

I've found the larger bar to be more beneficial as it is a bit harder to stretch it too thin when folding/forming. The current Meguiar's clay is obviously much smaller. The clay itself feels slightly softer as well, and I did encounter at least one incident where I tore a hole while folding it, so I had to fold it over a few more times and be careful.

The new larger size seems a lot better, but my question is what was the purpose of choosing this size to begin with as opposed to a single large block sold by other companies?

What drawbacks are there to a large size block vs a small?

Hope this hasn't been brought up before. Thanks

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Yes, Roy, you can use our consumer clay as often as you like. Interesting that a clay would be marketed as being safe for monthly use, though, since clay only comes into play if bonded surface contaminants are present. If the paint is smooth as glass to begin with then claying it won't gain you a darn thing. And provided nothing unexpected happens (tree sap mist, overspray from a nearby building painted, etc) and the vehicle is well maintained, you shouldn't have to clay anywhere near that often anyway.

[ShinyRex]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Is the Meguiars Clay in this kit safe enough to use monthly? I noticed that Pinnacle came out with a clay kit that specifically says that it is safe enough to use every month and I wondered If my Meguiars clay can be used in the same way.

I realize that claying is not usually done more than every 6 months but it would be nice to know if I can use it as often as I like with out negative effects.

-Roy

[STRIFE]

Re: Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Since this is more of a rolling change to an existing product rather than a new product intro, you may find that retailers with an inventory of the previous version are going to run through that first. That version may or may not be heavily discounted first - that's up to the retailer.

But it will start shipping very early in 2011 so look for it sometime in Q1.

As of Dec 21 2010...Amazon.com has the original kit for $12, pretty cheap if you ask me