Polishing windscreen scratches

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Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby maz_r » Wed 14.03.2012, 16:42

Hi All,

Does anyone know if it is possible to polish out light scratches on a windscreen?

Mine is showing 20 years of use and although is still basically fine, it has picked up one or two (hundred) very light scratches (dirt on the wipers etc). These are slightly distracting in full sun or with approaching headlights at night, but certainly not worth the pain and expense of replacing the whole screen.

Is it possible to polish them out somehow or is there a 'wonder product' that will reduce/remove the blemishes?

TIA

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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby DaveB » Wed 14.03.2012, 18:16

Hmmmm.....

.... give me 24 hrs and I'll ask our valeters if they know anything.
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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby Dave Eds » Wed 14.03.2012, 21:54

Jeweller's Rouge Mart :wink:
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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby DaveB » Thu 15.03.2012, 10:06

Spoke to our valeters...

... they did think about getting a 'proper' windscreen polisher and compound... but the cost outweighed the benefits... but it can be done.

Apparantly some of the big winscreen companies offer this service... try autowindscreens etc...

... but my guys tell me that the results can be mixed... a bit like at the moment... looks great... except in the sunshine.

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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby racerstev » Thu 15.03.2012, 13:55

I have the same problem, my drivers side wiper arm was misadjusted and left
a few deep marks in the sheild. I plan on trying this.

http://www.eastwood.com/pro-glass-polishing-kit.html


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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby Wollah » Wed 25.04.2012, 22:56

I had some deep scratches on my other car's screen (MGB) and felt sure it would fail an MOT so bought a polishing kit from Ebay instead of replacing the screen. It took a few hours using a polishing pad, paste and electric drill but the results are excellent and it passed the MOT. A word of warning the glass got very hot so you need to work slowly letting it cool by spraying with water. With the much larger M100 screen I guess there would be more chance of causing it to crack.
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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby ashm » Wed 25.04.2012, 23:18

A bit random, but possibly try toothpaste? It's quite a mild abrasive, so might work for very light scratches.
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Re: Polishing windscreen scratches

Postby Specky » Thu 26.04.2012, 21:41

I've polished out scratches in windscreens and transparencies for years as part of my job, it takes ages...hours and hours, if not days.

I've used several products over the years... And two things I've noticed...

The windscreens when new, are optically very good, when you blend out a scratch you have to be carefull of what depth and the overall dimensions you go to. Every ones heard the joke about "prescription windscreens" ... in essence that's what you want to avoid just because of the distortion.

The second thing that I noticed was the area that's just been rejuvenated is normally in superb condition whilst the rest of the screen is some what lacking due to the hundred of nearly microscopic stone chips, acid erosion, etc... Thus it stands out in reverse.

The kits we use range from about £50 that'll revive an area about the size of your watch face, too several thousand for a windsreen. In all honesty it's cheaper to buy a new windscreen than purchase any of the high end kits which actually work. If there was a cheap product out there we'd use it in a flash.

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