HELP!!! Claying and the "plastic baggie" test

[06SILVYCC]

Okay guys, i'm prepping my truck for a machine polish. washed with dawn to remove wax and then did the pastic baggie test. my paint felt like sandpaper. so then i started to clay, and clay and clay... heres the problem, after i clay an area, i again do the baggie test. the paint feels 100% better and there are no visible contaminants on the clay. but it's still not smooth as glass with the baggie test. do i keep claying til my arm falls off or is it ok to move on to machine polishing after a few passes with the clay!!!!

[Chewy]

It should be pretty well smooth with no bumps. My guess is it hasn't been clayed in a long time or ever if it's that hard.

 

Chris

[06SILVYCC]

It should be pretty well smooth with no bumps. My guess is it hasn't been clayed in a long time or ever if it's that hard.

 

Chris

 

Good guess!!!.... so i guess i need to keep rubbing!

[XQIZT]

Keep in mind that there are going to be bumps in the paint that are not contamination as well. Imperfections in the clearcoat will also be felt, etc. I'd say once you've covered an area and it feels much improved, its time to keep moving.

[DaveVY]

Normally claying doesn't require much scrubbing or pressure. I have only once had to really scrub and that was when there was paint overspray from the car manufacturer.

 

You could try scrubbing harder, but don't try it on a top or visible surface, but on a lower area where marring wouldn't be noticed.

 

Like Mike said, you probably just need to keep moving on, chips and indentations won't be corrected by clay, it only takes stuff off that is sitting on top.

 

[gencoupe3dot8]

If you don't see much of anything coming up on the clay, I would think you are feeling imperfections in the paint itself... which most likely will get polished out...

 

[m]

[06SILVYCC]

thanks for the quick replies guys... the improvement is very noticeable, but not perfect... so i'm just gonna keep movin or i'll be claying all weekend!!

 

[Chris@Adams]

Sometimes it takes several passes to get smooth.

[Green Machine]

Don't sweat the Baggie test!

[mjhpadi]

Don't sweat the Baggie test!

I agree with this and the other statements the people have made, if the clay is coming off the car clean, then there might be imperfections in the paint. However, you will find that once you do either Revive, Haze and Swirl Remover, or Fine Machine Polish the finish will probably feel even smoother.

[Chobbs]

I had the same issue but I figured it was probably just little pits in the paint. I am glad to read this thread because I just moved on to polishing and never looked back, but I feel better about it now. Thanks guys!

 

 

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[cfiiman]

Don't worry about it I was freaked out to when I clayed my car and I still felt bumps. I think some people's paint is just not as smooth as others

[Chobbs]

Maybe it's the divots left from whatever was embedded? Hmm

 

 

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[Green Machine]

I was amazed at what came off with my sons car! I thought it was super clean after I washed well at least it looked like it. The clay is an amazing technique that will get the rest of the unseen crappola off the paint! I would just let your hand be your guide as to where you might have to clay again!