Nothing will remove my scratches!!
- Thread starter samiam513
- Start date
A true rubbing compound will introduce scratches of its own. After using the rubbing compound you should follow up with 3M's SMR to remove the scratches introduced by the rubbing compound. I hope that at most you were only using a finecut rubbing compound. What exactly did you use?
Brad B
New member
I bet we can help. It looks like you have simple swirls, from the photo.
First, be specific on what process you have tried and exactly how deep the scratches are. As a general gauge, scratches you can feel with your fingernail are not likely going to come out. If you can't feel them then we can get them out.
Do you have a buffer? Do you have pure foam applicator pads?
ScratchX and Rubbing compound is probably TOO abrasive and may be working against you. What rubbing motions are you using?
Fill us in.
First, be specific on what process you have tried and exactly how deep the scratches are. As a general gauge, scratches you can feel with your fingernail are not likely going to come out. If you can't feel them then we can get them out.
Do you have a buffer? Do you have pure foam applicator pads?
ScratchX and Rubbing compound is probably TOO abrasive and may be working against you. What rubbing motions are you using?
Fill us in.
1) SONAX Intensive 3 for the swirls (by hand)
2) Then boost the shine with three rounds of SONAX Auto Politur
3) Finally 2 to 3 coats of SONAX Hochglanz (High Gloss) liquid wax (polymer)
Please make sure you let a period of at least 2 hrs in between each application. I also give the body a final wipe off with "The Treatment" quick detailer. The body feels like satin to the touch.
A wash & Wax garage swirled the crap out of my hood and roof when I left my Silver Babe for parking as I went with my wife for dinner to a restaurant. I was so angry that I hardly kept my senses and not yell at the guy. Anyhow I did eventually get rid of the swirls and get back the original gloss.
I am all happy now...
:xyxthumbs
2) Then boost the shine with three rounds of SONAX Auto Politur
3) Finally 2 to 3 coats of SONAX Hochglanz (High Gloss) liquid wax (polymer)
Please make sure you let a period of at least 2 hrs in between each application. I also give the body a final wipe off with "The Treatment" quick detailer. The body feels like satin to the touch.
A wash & Wax garage swirled the crap out of my hood and roof when I left my Silver Babe for parking as I went with my wife for dinner to a restaurant. I was so angry that I hardly kept my senses and not yell at the guy. Anyhow I did eventually get rid of the swirls and get back the original gloss.
I am all happy now...
:xyxthumbs
imported_RIC
New member
Samiam:
Is the car a daily driver or a show car vehicle? What I see in your picture appears to be spiderwebbing that you only see from certain angles when the sun hits it just right. I have seen this on many cars(even show cars) and it is very difficult to get rid of. If your car is a daily driver I would not bother but to each his own. My advice is to raise your tolerance level of what you can accept--I bet your car looks great most of the time and you probably are the only one that notices those scratches.
Otherwise you might want to invest in a rotary buffer and become proficient using it.
Is the car a daily driver or a show car vehicle? What I see in your picture appears to be spiderwebbing that you only see from certain angles when the sun hits it just right. I have seen this on many cars(even show cars) and it is very difficult to get rid of. If your car is a daily driver I would not bother but to each his own. My advice is to raise your tolerance level of what you can accept--I bet your car looks great most of the time and you probably are the only one that notices those scratches.
Otherwise you might want to invest in a rotary buffer and become proficient using it.
imported_doug
New member
Samiam - it didn't come from the towel. and I don't think those are spider-web surface cracks. They're just swirls. i really suspect your problem is technique. You said you used circular motion. Try the scratch-x again (I'm suggesting this because it is milder than the fine-cut - BOTH are aggressive enough to work, and BOTH will leave some scratches of their own if not used properly, the fine-cut being far more demanding.) - this time, rub in straight lines only. If you're doing this by hand, use a folded, moistened terry towel, or better yet, a foam applicator. Use some elbow grease, and rub, and rub, and rub, and rub over the same area until the material has almost completely disappeared. As it begins to get really fine and dry, reduce your rubbing pressure. Then look again. If the marks you see are still circular, then you didn't get them out. If they are linear, then you've got good seeing conditions and you either didn't work the product enough, or the scratches are now so fine they should be easily filled and completely hidden with a polish or glaze.
imported_Intermezzo
New member
I'd highly recommend using a soft foam applicator. Using an abrasive on a terry cloth by hand created a real mess for me on my black paint. The best thing that worked for me were the small yellow foam apps sold by CMA. You can also find them at Pep Boys or Autozone or any similar store.
Also, try working in small areas at a time.... perhaps in 1-2 square foot sections. As carguy said, work the abrasive into your paint in straight back and forth motions using firm pressure. As the product starts to dry up or get tacky, ease up on the pressure but keep buffing until the surface becomes nearly clear and dry. Gently remove whatever is left over with an MF towel. Hopefully, you'll either see that the swirls are gone or you'll see faint marring in the form of straight lines. Do this to your entire car and follow up with a mild polish like PPCL or P21S PCL.
Keep in mind that to properly remove swirls by hand from a badly swirled up car is a project that will take an entire weekend. Maybe even longer. Patience (& endurance!) is the key. I've recently done the same procedure on the hood and trunk of my car and that alone took over 4 hours.
Also, try working in small areas at a time.... perhaps in 1-2 square foot sections. As carguy said, work the abrasive into your paint in straight back and forth motions using firm pressure. As the product starts to dry up or get tacky, ease up on the pressure but keep buffing until the surface becomes nearly clear and dry. Gently remove whatever is left over with an MF towel. Hopefully, you'll either see that the swirls are gone or you'll see faint marring in the form of straight lines. Do this to your entire car and follow up with a mild polish like PPCL or P21S PCL.
Keep in mind that to properly remove swirls by hand from a badly swirled up car is a project that will take an entire weekend. Maybe even longer. Patience (& endurance!) is the key. I've recently done the same procedure on the hood and trunk of my car and that alone took over 4 hours.