Scratch removal - how to?

[jlhoff350]

I have a series of long scratches on the passenger side quarter panel of my car. It appears that something like a cart was run along the side of my car in a parking lot. I obviously don't know for sure.

The scratches are not deep - my fingernail does not catch when I run it across the scratches so I figured I should be able to completely buff out these scratches.

I spent some time working on this a few days ago and made it look a little better but it's all still visible. So, I started to question the tools, techniques, material, etc. that I'm using. I thought this would be a somewhat faster job. I tried to work on small sections at a time. I also don't want to go overboard and damage my paint with my buffer.

I've been using a Mother's "Scratch Remover" product. I also use a 6" buffer/polisher to make it easier.

So, what product, tools, techniques, etc. should I be using to remove this type of a scratch? What kind of expectations should I have for the time in which this should take?

Thanks for any advice.

jlhoff350

[evo77]

Perhaps it may be the product your using and its ineffectiveness to do the job? I'm not familiar with the Mothers scratch remover but you might want to buy Meguiars Scratch X. Its specificly formulated to be applied by hand and does work on minor scratches. The only catch with Scratch X is that it takes a lot of elbow grease and is not a wipe on, wipe off product.

There is a how-to for the Scratch X. I'll post the link for you in a second...

[evo77]

Here you go...

How to remove a defect by hand with Scratch X

For the record, I've used Scratch X with a 6" orbital buffer and it seems to work "ok" and when I say that I mean it really didn't offer any faster or better results than hand application.

[Michael Stoops]

I'll second the ScratchX idea. I used it to great effect this past weekend on a neighbors car where they had some marks near the door handles. Using a foam applicator pad with some passion behind it I got rid of the scratches pretty quickly.

[pcfxer]

Although I agree with the previous suggestions, if you like Mother's' products then you might consider a more agressive bonnet/pad for your buffer.

What bonnet/pad material are you using right now? If you're using a foam pad, you may consider a foam pad designed for "cutting" or even a wool pad. And generally you should be using 15-20lbs. of pressure to achieve good cutting action. Though, these scratches aren't deep, so this really should take too long. Remember, it's just a matter of leveling the surface out.

[Anonincog]

Hi, I'm totally new to all of this, so I'm just gonna ask away here.

From what I read in that scratchx tutorial, it sounds like scratchx and other paint cleaners actually sort of cut into the clear coat. If this is correct, does that mean if you use these products too much, you can eventually eat right through your clear coat?

[evo77]

It would be next to impossible to cut through the clear coat BY HAND with Scratch X. Remember, it has diminishing abrasives so as the initial application has the most bite to work down a very minute layer of clear coat, it begins to break down into a fine polish.

If you follow the instructions per the link I provided for the Scratch X you should have no issues.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Anonincog
Hi, I'm totally new to all of this, so I'm just gonna ask away here.

From what I read in that ScratchX tutorial, it sounds like ScratchX and other paint cleaners actually sort of cut into the clear coat. If this is correct, does that mean if you use these products too much, you can eventually eat right through your clear coat?

There is so much information in the Hot Topics forum. Like the article I'm going to copy and paste below.

The answer to your question is "Yes".


ANY paint cleaner that actually works, whether it's ours or someone else's, will need to remove the paint around a scratch in order to level the surface with the lowest depth of the scratch you're trying to remove.

Does that make sense?

The only other way to make swirls and scratches disappear is to add more paint over the top of them. Of the two options, most of us are able to safely remove below surface defects with a paint cleaner while most of us are not prepared to re-paint our cars.

Hot Topics


And this article can be found in the above forum along with over 30 more hot or commonly discussed topics. Check it out!


What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...


In order to remove a scratch out of anything, metal, plastic glass, paint, etc. You must remove material around the scratch until the surface is level or equal to the lowest depths of the scratch or scratches.

The below diagram if for paint, the the same thing applies to just about an surface material or coating.



In essences, you don't really remove a scratch, you remove material around a scratch.

Then the big question is, is the material or coating workable, as in can you abrade small particles of it and leave behind an original looking surface. For example, some things you can abrade, (remove the scratch), but you can never completely remove all of your abrading marks, thus you can't really fix the problem, all you can do is exchange one set of scratches of a different set of scratches.

The next questions is, how thick is the surface material you're working on or the coating. You are limited to what you can do by the thickness of these to things, (surface coating or surface material), and whether or not this surface is workable.

Sometimes you don't know what you can so until you try. It's always a good idea to test your choice of products, applicator materials and application process, (By hand or by machine), to an inconspicuous area. If you cannot make a small area look good with your product, applicator and process, you will not be able to make the entire surface look good. It's always a good idea to test first and error on the side of caution, versus make a mistake you cannot undo.

[Mike Phillips]

p.s.


We've never met anyone who has rubbed through their clear coat using ScratchX when they started with a car in which the paint had all of its integrity. By this we mean some detailer named Bubba hasn't already buffed most or all of the clear coat off the car before you took possession of it.

[Anonincog]

Ok, thanks. And if I'm understanding all of this correctly, you only need to use paint cleaners when scratches or swirls are visible. Even though Meguiar's makes that 3 step system which step 1 is the paint cleaner, I should try to skip step 1 whenever possible so I don't become Bubba and actually rip through the clear coat. Am I correct?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Anonincog
Ok, thanks. And if I'm understanding all of this correctly, you only need to use paint cleaners when scratches or swirls are visible.

Paint cleaners are for more than just removing visible defects, over time, when you car is exposed to the outdoors, your paint gets dirty, as in stained. Paint cleaners clean the paint by removing oxidation and dirt in the way of staining off the surface and out of the microscopic surface imperfection. Cleaning the paint will restore clarity to the clear coat as well as gloss.

Read the 5-Step Paint Care Cycle in the link we provided above, it will explain in detail all of the steps including the cleaning step.

Even though Meguiar's makes that 3 step system which step 1 is the paint cleaner, I should try to skip step 1 whenever possible so I don't become Bubba and actually rip through the clear coat. Am I correct?

No, when I referenced the mythical person Bubba, I did it in the context of a detailer using a buffer, as in,

By this we mean some detailer named Bubba hasn't already buffed most or all of the clear coat off the car before you took possession of it.


Often times detailers at dealerships are poorly equipped and poorly trained and the result is using products that are too aggressive for what they're trying to accomplish.


You, working by hand, have nothing to worry about unless someone that has worked on the car before you took possession of it was careless and used products that were too aggressive. This is the least of your worries unless you're working on an older car that has been bought and sold numerous time and thus detailed by who knows who too many times.


What are you working on?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Anonincog
Ok, thanks. And if I'm understanding all of this correctly, you only need to use paint cleaners when scratches or swirls are visible. Even though Meguiar's makes that 3 step system which step 1 is the paint cleaner, I should try to skip step 1 whenever possible so I don't become Bubba and actually rip through the clear coat. Am I correct?

In the future, it would probably be a good idea to start your own thread otherwise it can get confusing trying to answer multiple questions for multiple people. Thank you.

[jlhoff350]

Originally posted by pcfxer
Although I agree with the previous suggestions, if you like Mother's' products then you might consider a more agressive bonnet/pad for your buffer.

What bonnet/pad material are you using right now? If you're using a foam pad, you may consider a foam pad designed for "cutting" or even a wool pad. And generally you should be using 15-20lbs. of pressure to achieve good cutting action. Though, these scratches aren't deep, so this really should take too long. Remember, it's just a matter of leveling the surface out.

Thank you all for the great feedback. I read the article on using ScratchX and between that and all the responses, I think my technique, and materials might be incorrect.

I have no particular loyalty to Mother's products (I'm willing to try others) I just wasn't sure that what I was using was adequate for the job I'm trying to accomplish.

The bonnets I'm using are very soft and benign. My biggest worry is going overboard and burning an dull spot in my paint, like I did on my mother's car when I first got the buffer! I really wasn't even aware that there were different applicator bonnets.

I'm going to try first by hand once I can get to get the right products here.

Thanks all for the advice!

[pcfxer]

Good luck and keep reading MOL, it is the bible to keeping your car clean. Detailing is really a learning curve.

[Anonincog]

In the future, it would probably be a good idea to start your own thread otherwise it can get confusing trying to answer multiple questions for multiple people. Thank you.

Sorry. But since it's already here, if I could just your question.

I'm working on a dark green '97 corolla, I'm the second owner, so I guess it's safe to assume that the clear coat is still there.