ScratchX and Over Doing it

[tomh]

Out of curiosity, how easy is it to over do it with a product like ScratchX?

I know that ScratchX is an abrasive and that it is not really removing the scratches as much as lowering the paint level, so how much is too much?

I had a problem this weekend with a hose that had gravel stuck to it that got up against the paint on the door and put some scratches on it. Some of the scratches were deep enough to appear white, while others looked liked rub marks. Only one of them was catching my fingernail though.

The ScratchX with several applications removed all but the one that caught my nail and it made that one much less noticable. However, it made me wonder how much you can use this stuff before you might damage the paint rather than fix the problem.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Cliff s]

Be carefull if you go through the clear coat you are in trouble.
If the scratch is white it is through to the paint. You can usually
tell with your fingernail.

Cliff s

 

[tomh]

Well, some of the scratches appeared white and those I could barely catch with my fingernail. But after the first couple of treatments with ScratchX, they no longer appear white and are much less noticable, but still there.

I am in a holding pattern now, because I certain don't want to do more harm than good, but would obviously like to make the scratches disappear if possible.

Do scratches through the clear coat continue to appear white no matter how much treatment they have?

 

[Cliff s]

You might check out www.langka.com ,
they have a full line of products for scratch repair.

Cliff s

 

[tomh]

Thanks for the help Cliff, maybe you could answer one more for me.....

I keep reading that the scratch is to deep to polish out if you can catch a fingernail on it, but what exactly does that mean?

I can feel any number of scratches with my fingernail that seem like a tiny bump as I go over them, is this what is meant by catching? Or, is it the type that your fingernail hits it and kind of comes to a dead stop or you can actually feel it go into and back out of the scratch.

Pardon me if I am being dense,

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Cliff s]

Usually if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail it is through to the paint.
The Clearcoat is only a few thousands of an inch thick. The scratches that
you don't feel can be polished out.

The Langka product is used with touch up paint or clearcoat to smooth out the repair.
It does work, but you must use the paint color then the clearcoat touch up.
The paint by itself will not shine.

Cliff s

 

[dcampen]

I have used the paint touchup products purchased from Brandsport:
http://www.brandsport.com/totouppa.html

What you have to decide is if the scratch has gone all the way through the paint meaning that you need to use both paint and clearcoat or if you can just use clearcoat.

I purchased both the paint repair kit that includes clearcoat:
http://www.brandsport.com/plik-4503.html
and then also bought the appropriate color of paint.

This weekend I fixed a scratch that had appeared on the trunk of my red Camry.

First I polished with Griot's Hand Polish. This made some parts of the scratch disappear but some remained visible.

Next I applied clearcoat to the still visible portions of the scratch using the microbrushes in the kit.

Finally, after waiting an hour for the clearcoat to dry I polished again with Griot's Hand Polish until the clearcoat was rubbed down even with the rest of the surface. The kit includes 6000 grit sandpaper and polish but I found that Griots Hand Polish did the job.

Griots also sells packages of 25 microbrushes like the ones that come in the touchup kit.

 

[broncosi]

I just purchased a tube of Scratch X today and begain using it on my 1998 white 4runner. There are minor scratches on my lower and upper door. Whenever I use it on the lower scratches, it leaves a white spot there like it cleaned off a thin layer of dirt that had been there a while(it was like the spot was "super white" and everything else is kind of a duller white). I figured one of two things was going on. One: it was cleaning all the dirt build up that a rag hadnt gotten when washed. OR Two: it is going right through the clearcoat and damaging the paint job.

Im kind of screwed now, when you step back and look, you see splotchy white, dull in some areas and white in others. PLEASE HELP!!

 

[TranceKrayz]

you need to thoroughly clen the car before polishing and waxing. what i mean is.....clay the whole car to remove surface bonded crap. even though you can't see it, you'll be surprised at how dirty the clay gets after you're done. then you have to polish your whole truck with a cleaner/polish, this will get out contaminants bonded deeper in the surface. an example is meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish, or #80 Speed Glaze. Then your whole truck will be spotless and it'll even remove swirls and minor scratches. If you still have scratches....buff out with the scratch X and then polish that area again with a mild polishing agent like #80. after that....apply two coats of wax.

of course to remove a scratch, you have to remove layers of clear coat. if the scratch is too deep. than you're stuck with it unless you get a professional to wet sand and buff it out. in your case...it sounds like you're truck has too many surface bonded contaminants.

 

[broncosi]

could i get some info on the clay? What is it? How do you do it?How much is it? Sounds like it will mess up my car . . .

 

[dcampen]

http://autopia.org/forums/

 

[broncosi]

thanks

 

[Northbound395]

It's pretty hard to overdo it with ScratchX because the abrasives break down as you polish the scratch. I like ScratchX and I also like Meguiar's Deep Crystal paint cleaner. You might want to try the paint cleaner on the rest of your car and it should brighten up like the area you polished with ScratchX. I don't work for Meguiar's by the way, I just use the products. Check out the link for some information I found helpful about using ScratchX.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1516

 

[titaniumdevil]

Hi Guys, first off I wanna say "Hi" to everyone I just joined this awsome forum.

Ok i have a question, I just got my 4Runner this week and there's already a scratch, it's a light scratch, so I used Mother's Scratch Remover over it, it kinda did the job, you can hardly see it. But now, I was wondering if I should put anything over that scratch like clearcoat from the tip of a touch up paint pen or wax? Or just leave it like it is?


Thanx, I hope this makes sense?

 

[iFORCE]

Hi Guys, first off I wanna say "Hi" to everyone I just joined this awsome forum.

Ok i have a question, I just got my 4Runner this week and there's already a scratch, it's a light scratch, so I used Mother's Scratch Remover over it, it kinda did the job, you can hardly see it. But now, I was wondering if I should put anything over that scratch like clearcoat from the tip of a touch up paint pen or wax? Or just leave it like it is?


Thanx, I hope this makes sense?

Just leave it as it. If your concerned.. put a layer of wax over top of the entire area. don't put that "clear coat" stuff on.

 

[titaniumdevil]

Just leave it as it. If your concerned.. put a layer of wax over top of the entire area. don't put that "clear coat" stuff on.

O.k, Thanks for responding back to me iFORCE. I'll leave it as it is. Do u think it will affect the paint..like not make it shine or anything? And what kind of wax, and is it easy to apply?

Sorry, I know I sound stupid.....I'm a girl and not good with detailing lol

 

[iFORCE]

O.k, Thanks for responding back to me iFORCE. I'll leave it as it is. Do u think it will affect the paint..like not make it shine or anything? And what kind of wax, and is it easy to apply?

Sorry, I know I sound stupid.....I'm a girl and not good with detailing lol

No worries.. we cater to men and women.. children.. dogs.. cats... the usual.

As for the paint, the scratchx is a polish (sandpaper). Dont worry, it won't damage your paint. If your not into waxing your vehicle, you shouldn't go out and buy a bottle of wax. Try asking a neighbor or a friend and i'm sure they will give you some. You won't need much as I'm guessing the scratch isn't that big.

If you don't wax it, it won't be too much of a deal. Of course, waxing it won't hurt it either. As for brand, any brand will do the trick, but I personally like using Meguiars. Its available at all automotive stores.

Have fun....and no more scratches!