Glass Polish for Windscreen?

[Supercharged 2]

Feck knows how but my mum's managed to scratch the windscreen of her MK6 Golf after the wiper blades 'failed' - I suspect they got frozen to the screen and were used as the car's done barely 10k miles! (annoying as my current Lupo blades have done over 50k!)

 

The middle part of the blade which is metal has then scratched the screen - anyone got any recommendations of products to try to remove before getting a new screen? I have a machine polisher if needed

[KIPVW 0]

Looked into this myself one Steve but it seemed a glass cutting method was needed rather than just polishing as the guys who i trusted to do the job said polishing it has been known to overheat and shatter the screen so go easy if you do.

 

Ended up with a new screen :/

[davidwort 0]

I had some sort of (black) fine oxide powder for cutting glass, trouble is it's likely to be quite a deep gouge from a wiper arm, I used this stuff quite effectively by hand to remove light scratches from a pair of glasses once, you could try a paint cutting compound that's more abrasive than T-cut, again I'd try it on a small area by hand only.

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

anyone got any recommendations of products to try to remove before getting a new screen? I have a machine polisher if needed

 

i remember seeing how to fix a sratched screen from one of the "how to paint your car " dvds from ebay, useing exactly the same method and products as removeing scratchs from paint,

they purposely scored the glass to reinact years worth of wear from a worn wiper blade , basicly wetsanded the sratch out with 2000 grit and then used cutting compound and a machine buffer to bring it back up to clear clean glass, seems simple enough but i guess it all depends how deep the scratch is,

 

youtube search it ,

[P3rks 11]

There was a detailing feature not too long ago; http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=256385

 

The short of it was a rear chromalux Mk1/2 screen was covered in scratches and needed polishing. The article pretty much stated that it wasn't cost effective, took about 6 hours (professional) and would cost more than a replacement screen. The only reason it was done is because chromalux screen are obsolete and pricey.

[n3p 3]

I've heard of people using something called a Jewellers Rouge, but not had any first hand experience with it.

[leon263 0]

Do a search for Glass Scratch Removal kits on e-bay. They are widely available and all claim to be DIY friendly. I think if you can feel the scratch with a finger nail it's too far gone but if not I'd give it a go as the kits are not expensive.

[Supercharged 2]

Cheers guys, you can just about feel them but the scratches are not from the arm but the cetre bit that holds the blade on - why they are metal I don't know!

 

Going to try some of this I think with the machine polisher and a rayon pad - good reviews

 

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/engine-and-exterior/glass-cleaners-sealants/carpro-ceriglass-polish/prod_971.html

[Stonejag 10]

I've heard of people using something called a Jewellers Rouge, but not had any first hand experience with it.

It's not 'a' jeweller's rouge, jeweller's rouge is the name for a very soft - usually red - polishing compound. You can blend in the edges of a scratch with it to make it less noticeable, but what you actually want is cerium oxide, as you've already found. It's a lot harder (more abrasive) and the paste is finer.

 

Machine polishing is too aggressive and covers too wide an area, you're more likely to take the coatings off and make a huge swathe of the screen cloudy. If you must use electric tools then you want a Dremel (or equivalent) with a pointed felt pad, but if you don't know what you're doing it's probably not the best job to start learning with. It's really easy to make a scratch less noticeable but you actually want to make it invisible from the inside, otherwise it'll be really obvious. Get an expert to look at it!

 

Stone

[VR6Pete 0]

Wonder if any of these could be used to cut out stone chips on head light glass?

[Supercharged 2]

Wonder if any of these could be used to cut out stone chips on head light glass?

 

Pete - yeah I've done headlight glass, 3M do a kit for around £20 which works a treat

 

Wasn't really worth it when lenses were £15 from VW but I replaced mine and 'refurbed' a pair which sold on eBay for £70!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glass-polish-Restorer-Headlamp-Lens-Restorer-kit-3M-/321007665551?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4abd8c418f

[VR6Pete 0]

Think that's a job for the to do list. I also have a pair of early type glasses so might do those too.

 

Will that kit do 2 sets?

[bristolbaron 10]

phillips screwdriver, small tap with a hammer, insurance replacement. :shrug:

[Supercharged 2]

phillips screwdriver, small tap with a hammer, insurance replacement. :shrug:

 

That's obviously the backup plan but it's only done 10k miles... Autoglass made a right mess of my GF's new fiesta too, sealant all over the place and broken trim. The Golf is complicated because the wiper arms need to come off using a special puller etc...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I think if you can feel the scratch with a finger nail it's too far gone.

 

Yup.

 

If filling the scratch with some kind of clear resin and buffing it back doesn't work, it's new screen time!

 

What can also happen on cars that aren't used much, is grit / sand from roofs gets blown onto the car and you get a nice layer of it sat on the blades waiting to scour the windscreen.

[dubnut 10]

rouge or cerium oxide will remove scratches

i work in glass industry and we use it daily.

needs to be mixed to a smooth paste and applied

to scratch..

using a soft buffing wheel on a high speed air

drill. you buff around the scratch.

what a scratch is...is part of the surface is damaged

so you need to wear the glass down around the scratch

to make it level and then go over area and it will

disappear..wheel needs to be wet at all times.

if wheel sticks it heats glass.

if scratch can be felt with finger nail...ie it catches

your nail and sticks its too deep..

its a messy job!!!!!

[Supercharged 2]

Just to update this (6 months on :lol: )...

 

Car passed its first MOT no probs (screen wasn't even mentioned despite car being spotless and scratch fairly noticeable as it was so clean) - I don't think my mum really notices it as her shortsight isn't so great so had left it but I do see it when I drive it...

 

So, I finally got round to having a go at this yesterday using the Ceriglass and a Makita polisher with a small foam pad, masked off a section and covered the car in dust sheets. I probably spent about 2 hours in total doing passes, letting it cool, cleaning it and going again - while I've not got rid of them completely it's now a hell of a lot better and hardly noticeable unless you point it out / know it's there!

 

I'm fairly pleased with my efforts and as with most scratches, the polish bevels the edges and makes it less noticeable but I think it was worth it as would be a shame to change a screen on a car so new and with only 12k miles.

 

I think running the machine at 2k rpm did the job but hard to tell as I started at around half that and got more confident as time went on and also started using more polish / paste - used around half the small bottle I bought from Clean Your Car.