So i clayed for the first time this weekend, and I went over the large majority of the car. I used a zaino clay bar, and its a convertible so I didnt have to do the very top of the car.
I found as I used it I would seem to squish it down as I was working my way around, and my car had a good amount of crap on the paint and I would continually see it getting dirty. From the instructions I read, I would continue to fold it over and stretch it out if needed to expose a clean side.
I expected to not have to fold it over as many times as I did though, but wanted to make sure I was always using a "clean" side. I must have folded it somewhere between 10-20 times, sometimes due to it being dirty, sometimes due to it just being so squished up it needed to be folded so I could hold it.

Does this sound excessive? By the time I was done I decided to throw that clay bar away and would use a fresh one if I needed to clay again. Does it sound as if I was applying too much pressure while claying?

 

Sounds like you did it exactly right, it just sounds like the clay did an excellent job and did what it was designed to do, to pull off contamination and it sounds like you had a lot of that.

Tip: The Zaino Z-18 comes in two 2 ounce bars. I only use 1/2 of a bar at one time and when this piece gets dirty I still keep it to use on the rocker panels and the wheels and keep the fresher pieces of clay for the upper parts of the paint. A clay bar lasts me about 1 year and I have 4 cars to clay.......

 

Thx for the reply Kevin..
I definately did have a lot of 'contamination' on my paint. Amongst the 'crap' was some very small black dots that have been on my car since I got it about 5 years ago. Looked as if someone was painting something with black spray paint up wind, but it was only the section of the rear bumper just below the trunk lid.
As I went over the car I noticed more and more problems and spots on the paint that I would progressively remove. Most of this I never really noticed until I began claying and realizing exactly how clean the paint could look.
I've also heard that paint can feel like fine sandpaper before claying and smooth afterwards, so I tested it and ran my finger over my paint before clay/polish. Didnt really feel like sandpaper to me and at that point I wondered how much it would really do. Clayed, first time polish with zaino (only got two coats on that day but plan to do a couple more this coming weekend) and as I felt the paint afterwards it was incredibly smooth and slick.
Overall, very pleased.

 

I agree with Kevin. I've been detailing as a business for about 5 years now and love Zaino. I get on average about 8-10 cars per full claybar. Lately i've been using 1/2 a bar. If the paint is bad enough, you might use up the bar on 1 car. When it starts coming apart in tiny little bits and is starting to look like it has "cracks" in it after a folding...then its done, time to get a new one. Remember to always keep checking for bits of dirt that embed themselves in the bar, cuz it will scratch.