Comments on: Modern car paint work maintenance - how can I remove superficial scratches? http://www.cargearusa.com/blog/modern-car-paint-work-maintenance-how-can-i-remove-superficial-scratches/ Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: superhero84 http://www.cargearusa.com/blog/modern-car-paint-work-maintenance-how-can-i-remove-superficial-scratches/comment-page-1/#comment-155 superhero84 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:32:17 +0000 http://www.cargearusa.com/blog/?p=70#comment-155 Your car is painted with a 2 (or 3) stage paint. This is a basecoat/(pearlcoat/)clearcoat system. The reason that it has clearcoat on it is so that it can get scratches and be returned to it's full brightness without taking off any "paint." The method for removing SUPERFICIAL scratches from clearcoat is the same as it was for acrylic enamel paint. Cutting compound used in a circular motion until friction creates heat which promotes cutting. You don't need too much heat to promote cutting and many shops use styrofoam waffle pads to keep the heat down. Back when we used to cut enamel we would use a wool pad, or a cotton pad. If you have tried this method (cutting compound) and it's not working, you either need to use a buffing machine to cut it, or the scratch may be into your paint, in which case you are talking about a much more expensive solution. There is a new product out called colored compound which is applied much like wax (rub in and wipe off). Colored compound cuts superficial scratches while filling "chips" and "deep scratches" with color. It may be something to look into, though I haven't used it myself, yet, so I can't really vouch for it. Please keep in mind that today's European style clears are very high in molecular solids. This makes them very very hard once they have completely dried. If you are trying to buff this scratch, by hand, you need to work very small circles at a time in order to build up the heat needed to cut into the clear. The longer the clear has been on the vehicle, the harder it will be to cut. Good luck. Your car is painted with a 2 (or 3) stage paint. This is a basecoat/(pearlcoat/)clearcoat system. The reason that it has clearcoat on it is so that it can get scratches and be returned to it’s full brightness without taking off any “paint.”
The method for removing SUPERFICIAL scratches from clearcoat is the same as it was for acrylic enamel paint. Cutting compound used in a circular motion until friction creates heat which promotes cutting. You don’t need too much heat to promote cutting and many shops use styrofoam waffle pads to keep the heat down. Back when we used to cut enamel we would use a wool pad, or a cotton pad.

If you have tried this method (cutting compound) and it’s not working, you either need to use a buffing machine to cut it, or the scratch may be into your paint, in which case you are talking about a much more expensive solution.

There is a new product out called colored compound which is applied much like wax (rub in and wipe off). Colored compound cuts superficial scratches while filling “chips” and “deep scratches” with color. It may be something to look into, though I haven’t used it myself, yet, so I can’t really vouch for it.

Please keep in mind that today’s European style clears are very high in molecular solids. This makes them very very hard once they have completely dried. If you are trying to buff this scratch, by hand, you need to work very small circles at a time in order to build up the heat needed to cut into the clear. The longer the clear has been on the vehicle, the harder it will be to cut.

Good luck.

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