Repairing scratched plastic

[btoth76]

Hello!

 

I have been looking for an acceptable solution for plastic surface repairs for quite long. There are many, - usually expensive or ineffective - products out there. Balancing between affordability and effectiveness, I have come to the following conclusion: with quality tooth paste and the proper rag You can repair plastic surfaces on Your own with satisfying results. But, there are rules to follow, otherwise it won't work.

 

After achieving excellent results on the headlights of my old Dodge, - I thought - I should put the method to a tough test: black plastic pickguard. If You have one on Your guitar, You know what I mean by tough test.

 

Here is the pickguard from my 2010 FSR Tele. Lots of uniform scratches below the imaginary straight line of the high-E string. Ugly! I rest my pinky there, I never touched it with a pick! Still, the sight is ugly.

 

 

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[btoth76]

1. Clean the entire object. Wash it with mild household detergent. Rinse it with clean water.

 

2. Put a dab of quality tooth paste on the wet surface. Never use a tooth paste with those abrasive micro-particles!

 

 

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[btoth76]

3. Spread the tooth paste with a pure cotton rag.

 

 

The best rag for this purpose, is a piece of old worn shirt that is not too soft.

 

...

[btoth76]

4. As You spread the tooth paste, at a point You start to feel it's getting sticky. That's when it starts working! Apply firm pressure, and rub the surface with the widest possible circular movements.

 

 

When it becomes very sticky (the rag sticks to the surface, and You are unable to hold the plastic still while rubbing), add a few drops of water on the surface.

[btoth76]

You might have to repeat the entire process a few times, to achieve satisfying results. Scratches are always more visible on black plastic surfaces than on any other, so be patient!

 

 

Bence.

[OldCowboy]

Pretty slick! Appears to work better than my usual chamois fix.

[btoth76]

Thank You!

 

Unfortunately, my photographing skills are quite amateurish...

 

To describe the results: the hazing of the area with the most scratches disappeared. The shine of the entire surface became uniform. The scratches are still visible when looking from very close. Overall, the appearance became very clean. Much better to look at, than before the treatment.

 

Also, the quality of the results highly depends on the type and the color of the plastic. On transparent plastic, like the headlights, it is fantastic: all the yellowness and hazing is gone! Shines like a diamond!

 

Bence.