SONAX Clay Disc - Profiline Cut&Finish - FLEXIPADS Orange

• Products: Clay Disc, Cut&Finish, X-Slim Orange Cutting.
• Manufacturers: SONAX, FLEXIPADS.
• Packaging: Individual unit (Clay Disc and X-Slim Orange Cutting), 250ml and 1L for Cut&Finish.

Description:



Here are two reference brands that have been very popular lately. As a result, we wanted to test a few new products.

SONAX, first of all, a true reference in the world of Detailing and especially in the industrial sector, offers with its Clay Disc a very interesting new product. Indeed, as an alternative to traditional clays that everyone knows, or even decontamination gloves, SONAX delivers a solution with a velcro-backed disc that allows either manual use or use with an orbital machine. Practical and interesting on paper, but how does it hold up in practice?...We're going to test that.

Also, SONAX excels in the quality of its abrasives with a complete Profiline range that allows working on all types of paint. Here, we will test an interesting product in the sense that it provides very good cut (abrasive capacity) but also an excellent finish. The best of both worlds after all? What's left for compounds? We will also test that.

Finally, we will use a foam pad from a leading brand in this area: the X-Slim Orange Medium Cutting by Flexipads. A true institution in the world of polishing accessories and pads in particular, Flexipads offers here an X-Slim range (thinner than average) with a trapezoidal cut à la Rupes but with a rounded edge on one quarter. Its foam, quite dense yet airy enough to avoid overheating and dust, also appears interesting. How does it hold up in reality? We test it for you!


SONAX Clay Disc 150mm:

We were already more or less familiar with this decontamination solution with the Polishave Decon Pad by CARPRO (cf. article on the different ways to decontaminate your car).
Here, however, SONAX delivers a solution allowing either manual use with the scratched rear grip or mechanical use with an orbital polisher.

The outer structure truly differs from what we are used to finding (gloves, discs, etc.). We note a flexible foam to best conform to the various shapes of the bodywork (which the Polishave Pad by CARPRO does not have).
The surface in contact with the bodywork features knobs in holes specifically designed to better remove and erase surface imperfections. The material is slightly sticky, somewhat like the decontamination gloves already known.




First of all, we can appreciate the build quality of the whole. The rear grip easily fits your fingers and holds well.


Before first use, it will be appropriate to "break in" the Disc on a glass surface, ideally with a little glass cleaner. This action will allow you to soften the knobs slightly for use on paint.
Spray a little glass cleaner on the surface and rub the Clay Disc while pressing to break it in.



Once this operation is done, we recommend using a clay lubricant (ready to use or pure to dilute) or a shampoo suitable for decontamination (Fictech Butter Bubble).
Spray your clay lubricant generously on your surface and work with the Disc in straight-line movements with moderate pressure.



The first thing you notice is the noise when the Clay Disc passes over the surface due to the knobs on the disc. You therefore tend to want to keep decontaminating again and again because you keep hearing that noise, when in reality the surface is smooth and well decontaminated. A little unsettling at first, but you get used to it.

Next, you could classify the Clay Disc as "Medium" in the sense that its action is effective but less fast than with a Hard clay for example. Thus, SONAX certainly wanted to offer a Medium grade tool to suit more or less all types of use.

Note that the Clay Disc does not leave "marring" (sanding marks noticed when using a medium or hard clay for example). This is a big plus, especially on delicate paints. To be verified on a repainted panel as the test vehicle did not have one.

Once your panels are decontaminated, make sure to clean your Clay Disc immediately in a little warm water and at the end of your decontamination, clean it well with a little soap and let it air dry.


Another possible use of the Clay Disc is directly with an orbital polisher. To do this, nothing could be simpler: just remove the velcro from the rear grip and mount a 6-inch (150mm) backing plate on your orbital polisher. A 5-inch (125mm) plate could also do the job, but you won't be using the outer part that sticks out...





Make sure to center the Clay Disc on the backing plate to prevent it from coming into contact with the bodywork while polishing.



The instructions remain the same: spray clay lubricant on the surface to be treated and work in small sections of approximately 60cmx60cm at speed 4.
Inevitably, you will splash the surroundings quite a bit, but the decontamination action is very fast and even more effective than by hand in my opinion.



Advantages
+ SONAX build quality.
+ Flexible intermediate foam conforming well to shapes.
+ Decontamination effectiveness (especially by machine with speed).
+ Durability (rated for 60 decontaminations).
+ Reusable rear grip (attach a sanding disc for example for wetsanding)

Disadvantages
- Noise from the knobs when passing.
- Durability to be verified.
- Diameter too large for tight areas (clay mandatory).


Our opinion:

SONAX truly offers a great solution to decontaminate your vehicle. Well-finished, ergonomic, and effective — if you are a fan of clay gloves, you will certainly adopt the Clay Disc. Machine use is also a big plus as it further increases effectiveness. The time saved compared to traditional decontamination (manual or machine use) is phenomenal.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the durability announced by SONAX (approximately 60 uses) holds up.

That said, we will always regret the fact that these discs (SONAX or even the CARPRO one) are not available in smaller sizes such as 3 inches for example. Indeed, the current Clay Disc at 150mm will not allow you to decontaminate small spaces (roof rails, roof arches, pillars, etc.) and you will therefore be forced to also buy a traditional clay to finish your decontamination in those areas.

Finally, we will also conclude by noting that the velcro rear grip provided with the disc is excellent and can also be used to perform manual polish-glazing by attaching a sanding disc (3M Trizact or MIRKA Abralon for example). A real bonus!




SONAX Cut&Finish and FLEXIPADS X-Slim Orange Medium Cutting pad:


SONAX and Flexipads need no introduction in the world of abrasives and polishing accessories.

In this article we wanted to test a very interesting polish, the Cut&Finish, which delivers a very good cut while also allowing a nice finish. The go-to polish for small touch-up jobs like "Car Staging" or "Quick Refresh" in 1 pass.



The FLEXIPADS X-Slim pad chosen is deliberately a Medium Cutting. With the Cut&Finish, we could have chosen an even softer pad like the X-Slim Yellow Finishing if we wanted to focus the pass more on finishing than correction. In this case, we want to test the ability of Cut&Finish to leave a finish worthy of the name without holograms or residual haze using a cutting pad initially dedicated to the use of compounds (very strong polishes).

The polish first: Cut&Finish is rated for a cut and finish of 5, meaning an excellent cut close to the Cut Max from the same brand (cut of 6) but with a noticeably better announced finish (3 on the Cut Max).



The defects on our test vehicle are multiple and common: micro-scratches, oxidation haze, bird dropping marks, deeper scratches...





The chosen pad, X-Slim Orange Medium Cutting, will be compared to one of the references in the field, the Medium Cutting by RUPES (green). The X-Slim is offered in size 135mm which corresponds to its contact base size, but it fits perfectly on a 125mm backing plate as found on RUPES BigFoot machines for example. The RUPES Green Medium measures 150mm at the base because the foam thickness is greater, so the projected conical surface is inherently larger.











The first thing you notice on the X-Slim is its rounded edge at the base. This is a deliberate choice, in the sense that the RUPES reference launched the straight conical edge (without rounding) and has been copied over and over by other brands.
Here, with the X-Slim the choice is made to round the edges to prevent the foam from crumbling especially on contact, which is very often the problem encountered with the RUPES. Furthermore, the maneuverability of the pad will be slightly better on shaped surfaces such as 911 fenders for example...





On first use, make sure to apply more polish than necessary in order to properly saturate the foam (new in this case) and allow good work without "pad skipping".

Apply the polish in a peripheral circle on the pad.



SONAX Cut&Finish appears fairly liquid compared to some compounds, which confirms it belongs to the family of intensive polishes that also incorporate finishing oils. Less cut than compounds but a better finish.

Work Cut&Finish on a surface of 60cmx60cm maximum in crossed straight-line passes like any polish, at speed 5-6 depending on the defects.



Initially quite oily, Cut&Finish works admirably well on the paint, generating no dust (note: new pad and a single test panel).
It is possible to work Cut&Finish for a very long time, which is a real advantage if you want to particularly refine your finish.
After a few minutes of work, close to the polish breaking down, proceed to wipe off with a microfiber (the Black Velvet is excellent for this) ideally assisted by an Oil Cleaner (FICTECH Paddock or ALCHIMY7 Optimus).



The result obtained in one pass is simply excellent in terms of correction achieved and finish left. When looking in detail, all the fine micro-defects (swirls) and oxidation haze are gone, and the deeper defects are well reduced. The finish is worthy of a finishing polish, with no residual holograms (verified with the MultiMatch Scangrip and SunGun 3M).









The challenge is therefore met insofar as we have a polish that offers very respectable correction and above all a finish that has nothing to envy from finishing polishes.
A great opportunity for those who want a one-pass correction solution while allowing a delivery-ready finish.

The FLEXIPADS pad is very effective even though it is not the firmest. It offers just the right foam density for working on heavy defects with an excellent finish. Its open-cell foam also allows good dust absorption.


Advantages
+ Cut of Cut&Finish.
+ Top-level finish.
+ Little dust generated.
+ Workability of Cut&Finish.

+ Build quality of the X-Slim
+ Foam density
+ Price (+30% cheaper than an equivalent RUPES)

Disadvantages
- X-Slim durability to be verified?
- Price per litre (Cut&Finish).


Our opinion:

SONAX presents a spectacular polish for its cutting and finishing performance. There are few other similar polishes offering such a balance between abrasiveness and finish. We will also appreciate its great ease of use.
A product to recommend for a service that does not allow us to work in 2 or 3 passes with the use of an ultra-compound in particular and a dedicated finishing polish.

FLEXIPADS once again proves its seriousness in its range of polishing pads. Indeed, the X-Slim Orange with its thinner but still sufficiently dense foam to offer good correction will suit correction work on hard or repainted paints. We will appreciate its maneuverability and its high-quality velcro. Moreover, a FLEXIPADS pad from the XSlim range is generally +30% cheaper than an equivalent from RUPES, the reference in this field.
A great lower-cost alternative for those who carry out numerous renovation jobs and for whom the cost of consumables is not negligible.