Best way to repair scratches

Laurie00

New member
I have a few light scratches that were not removed after a full detail (even wetsanding of that area). Any suggestions on how I could get these out? Looks like light key scratches, and one I made look like a swirl (after I tried to polish it out and realized I had something on my rag):angry Scratches are not that deep but I can feel with my fingernail.
 
Laurie00 said:
I have a few light scratches that were not removed after a full detail (even wetsanding of that area). Any suggestions on how I could get these out? Looks like light key scratches, and one I made look like a swirl (after I tried to polish it out and realized I had something on my rag):angry Scratches are not that deep but I can feel with my fingernail.



Well first if you are adding scratches you need to reevaluate what you are doing and using.



Is the scratch to metal (rust inside would be an indicator)? if so nothing but touch up will fix it.



If to the primer, then you are still looking at touchup.



If none of the above, wet sanding is going to be what would remove it if nothing else will.



I'd start with looking at your technique and trying just taping off a small area with good lighting and start there.



Do you have any machines at your disposal, scratches you can feel with a nail are not really considered 'light'...I'd start with a rotary and some compound and work my way heavier to sandpaper if needed.
 
I have never added scratches to my paint before, except this time. I tried to polish out a scratch that was made buy someone at the supermarket and I was using a clean rag, but there must have been a piece of something on it??? to make light scratches around the scratch. I have had my car wetsanded and that did not get the scratches out. I believe some of them may be to the primer, but non are rusty or at the metal.
 
Just a suggestion as there are no pics for us to see how bad these scratches are but I have used touch up "clear" to fill in the deeper scratches on my car and then wetsanded to even it out smooth. This way you are only leveling the clear blobs of clear touch up instead of removing the clear all around the scratch to remove it. Makes sense to me but I have yet to read about anyone else doing this?? Anyhow...good luck!
 
Well I have some scratches that are only seen in sunlight (so using clear may work for those), but the others it will not work for. Also, I don't have a machine to do an adequate job wetsanding (plus I'm scared to wetsand my car).
 
If you can feel it via "fingernail", then you need to fill that area up to or beyond the current level of the clearcoat if only the clearcoat was damaged.



Take a magnifying glass and look at it close up with high intensity lights to see if the scratches are colored as the same paint. If so, it's only a clearcoat touchup. If it is not looking like the paint color or you can see any primer, you need color/clearcoat touchup.



The color is a very thin application, the clearcoat is the heavier application used to "protect" the color finish.



You need to apply a very fine amount of color (if needed) let that cure fully, then add the clearcoat up enough to get it a hair above current clearcoat. Give enough time for it to cure since you do not have a paint booth, you can use a hair dryer set to warm and do not overheat the paint area, but a least a a 6x6 area to keep the panel areas even to aid the cure process.



Then, wetsand only that area first to level, then polish to blend. I use paper grits down to 12,000 grit on the final pass to help blend it.



Once you compound and polish the area, you'll never see it again!



Regards,

Deanski
 
Thank you for that very detailed response. I guess I could try that but I am quite nervous to put sand paper to my car. Do you think I would be able to find a body shop to do these minor jobs? Do they do this type of minor work?
 
Laurie00 said:
Thank you for that very detailed response. I guess I could try that but I am quite nervous to put sand paper to my car. Do you think I would be able to find a body shop to do these minor jobs? Do they do this type of minor work?



yes all the time. And I highly agree with you that if you're a bit nervous on handling this, let someone else do it for you. Then you can continue to maintain the finish.



Deanski
 
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