Removing tiny scratches in the finish

[DreX]

The last couple guitars I've tried to buff/polish have been left with tiny scratches I can see if I look closely in the reflection. I start with sanding, then move to micromesh pads, then heavy cut compound with an orbital buffer, then medium cut, and finally swirl remover, but even after going over it for twenty minutes by hand or with a machine with the swirl remover, the tiny scratches are still there. They don't bother me too much since they're hard to see, but it bothers me because a new guitar doesn't have any such scratches, so I know it's imperfect, even if nobody does. What I might be missing in the process? I spend a pretty fair amount of time at each grit and polish level before moving on to the next. If I were to spend any longer, I'd have to wonder how anyone finds the time to do this kind of thing in general.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Tiny scratches? I use Planet Waves' Restore solution for that.
Sent from my RM-915_apac_thailand_213 using Tapatalk

 

[CTN]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Are you changing pads every time you switch to a finer polishing compound?

Also what grit sandpaper are you stopping at? Are you wet sanding?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Most new guitars will have a few of these 'micro scratches' as well...If its as small as I'm thinking, then even starting with sanding is overkill, and in my opinion, not worth all the hassle of trying to buff out, some imperfect or used cloths will cause these. If you can't see it while your playing it, who cares

 

[9unslin9er]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Use flannel.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Also what type of finish are you trying to buff? Some are so hard that buffing is difficult. I wouldnt obsess over this too much as eventually you will start to buff through the finish.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

What grit do you start with, and what grits do you go through in series?

If you skip a grit or two (like from 1000 to 2000 - skipping 1200 and 1500), all of the swirl remover in the world won't get the tiny scratches out.

 

[DreX]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

On this latest guitar, I started with 1500 grit micromesh, then 2400, then went to Meguiars Heavy Cut, maybe that was too far of a leap. There's no relative grit value on the Meguiars, so I'm, not sure at what point you're supposed to cross over from sanding to compound, but I could see in hindsight how that would be jumping too far ahead. Then on to Meguiars Medium Cut and then Swirl Remover.

The tiny scratches in question were definitely not there before I had started, just a few deeper ones the micromesh and heavy cut did get rid of. The strange thing is that the heavy cut seemed to remove the big scratches, but not the smaller ones, so I assumed the heavy cut caused the scratches, but neither the medium cut or swirl remover would take them out after fifteen minutes of machine buffing with each.

I ordered some Planet Waves' Restore, I'm always willing to try something new, especially if it's intended for the purpose.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Soft cloth with the Virtuoso Cleaner followed by the Virtuoso Polish. I also have the PW cleaners and polishes, but I think the Virtuoso is better for this.

Bill

 

[DreX]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Soft cloth with the Virtuoso Cleaner followed by the Virtuoso Polish. I also have the PW cleaners and polishes, but I think the Virtuoso is better for this.

Bill

Cool, I'll give those a try.

I'm thinking it might just need an extra 10 - 15 of heavy compound, hand rubbed instead machine maybe. Otherwise I'll go back with finer micromesh grits.

 

[dominus]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

This will remove any scratches in the paint, no problem:

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

I read somewhere that recommended olive oil.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

I read somewhere that recommended olive oil.

I accidentally the whole thing.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Soft cloth with the Virtuoso Cleaner followed by the Virtuoso Polish. I also have the PW cleaners and polishes, but I think the Virtuoso is better for this.

Bill

None of the virtuoso stuff is an actual polish, though.

The OP is already in the abrasive phase. I doubt the virtuoso stuff does anything here.

FWIW, scratchx 2.0 is pretty good for this but it does contain silicone.

 

[EDX]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

i actually find that hand polishing gives a better result over machine polishing when you want to remove these annoying tiny scratches, the experience, well, i sanded and polished my own guitar and it looked better than factory new, for the record i used 1500 grit sandpaper, and as a little trick, i put some bar soap on the water, 2 cloths, and 3m liquid paste and wax (the paste is bone white and the wax is caramel orange color) after every sanding clean with one side of the #1 cloth, and when you polish use the "clean" side of the #1 cloth to apply the paste and polish 3 times, then take the other cloth to apply the wax and polish 5 times, after one hour of paste and wax you will get a scratchless finish

 

[Detroitblues]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Are they scratches or is it finish checking???

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

None of the virtuoso stuff is an actual polish, though.

The OP is already in the abrasive phase. I doubt the virtuoso stuff does anything here.

FWIW, scratchx 2.0 is pretty good for this but it does contain silicone.

No, the Cleaner will remove fine scratches and oxidation. It is a very, very fine polishing compound. If you want to remove fine scratches, you don't want to use a heavy compound. And the Polish finishes the job.

(And I used it on my Gibson necks to take out that stickiness, and it has not come back.)

Bill

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Use flannel.

Bad idea, unfortunately most people aren't aware that flannel is an extremely coarse and masculine material. (Coarse as in Lee Van Cleef, not nearly as forgiving as sandpaper..)

It would unabashedly strip the entire finish from the body and leave a trail of destruction in it's wake. The guitar may even become pregnant.

 

[DreX]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

Are they scratches or is it finish checking???

Definitely scratches. I was able to get more of them out by hand polishing. Some still remain, but it's a lot better than it was. I'm going to a try some of the products and techniques others have mentioned before I start putting all the hardware back on the body.

I'm surprised than hand polishing is more effective than an random orbital buffer, I don't get why that is.

I've also been perfecting the Super Glue crack/dent/scratch repair technique on this same guitar, which is awesome. Even the "thin" Bob Smith super glue is pretty viscous though, I imagine it would be cool if there was a super glue that was so thinned out that it would fill scratches/whatever and dry as a VERY thin, flat layer of glue over the finish that only had to be buffed to a shine.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Removing tiny scratches in the finish

No, the Cleaner will remove fine scratches and oxidation. It is a very, very fine polishing compound.

No, I asked them. Neither of them are abrasive. The cleaner just has more aggressive chemicals to dissolve random goo, and it probably melts the surface a bit.

If you want to remove fine scratches, you don't want to use a heavy compound. And the Polish finishes the job.

This is the stuff I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G172...1406686903&sr=8-1&keywords=polishing+compound

It is slightly abrasive and really good for refreshing dull finishes. I don't have swirls, not sure how the OP gets his.