iPod Brasso scratched my iPod!

[ToastMaster]

Ok, after reading about how Brasso was all the rage and worked great for getting hairline scratches out of one's iPod, and not wanting to pay $20+ for a third-party iPod polish, I took my 5g black 30gig, a can of Brasso, a thin soft microfiber cloth (probably previously for sunglasses) and went to work.

I polished away, not worrying so much about getting gunk in the clickwheel, and let it dry. Then, I used a kleenex to gently wipe away the excess (as I was told on another website when inquiring about which type of cloth to get the excess off). I expected it to take a few applications to get off the few scratches.

Instead, to my horror, there were now countless easily visible swirl scratches on the face of my iPod! The Brasso actually left it in far worse condition than it was before! I tried again, maybe thinking that I could at least dim the scratches that it had left, using the same steps and instead using a soft cotton round this time.

It did nothing beneficial, and probably made it worse.

I have an invisibleshield on it now, which makes most of the scratches not noticeable, but I should have just left well enough alone.

What did I do wrong? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[snowmoon]

Did you use a new can and make sure to shake it up througly before use?

Brasso is a micro-abasive, but if used correctly should leave the surface with no noticable scratches.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Brasso (or any other abrasive polish) is like sandpaper, only finer.

As with sandpaper, the theory is to smooth out a large scratch by making a whole bunch of much smaller scratches, thereby bringing down the surrounding surface of the material around the large scratch and blunting the edges of the scratch until it isn't visible.

Of course, it depends on the fineness of the polish abrasive, the amount of pressure used, and the pattern of rubbing to get good results. In the case of cars and woodwork, you start with a coarser abrasive and gradually switch to finer and finer grit, each reduction in grit size serves to hide the scratches added by the one before it.

Personally, I can't see brasso or silver polish for use on shiny plastic, it's too aggressive IMO. If you go to your local plastics specialty shop, you can buy polish that is specifically made for removing scratches from clear plastic.

 

[ToastMaster]

Well, the can was probably a couple of years old, but I did shake it up pretty good.

Think it was maybe the kleenex that scratched it? Because in retrospect, it could have been abrasive for the cruddy soft plastic that 5th-gen iPod are made out of.

 

[Chappers]

It was the kleenex that scratched it.

 

[Chundles]

You weren't supposed to let it dry, if it dries then all you are doing is rubbing it with tiny little abrasive crystals.

I have had good success removing scratches from my 3G iPod with Brasso, but only if I rub it good and proper whilst the stuff is wet. And don't do it too often or you'll rub it back too far and you won't ever get the scratches out.

 

[MacRy]

I had a particularly nasty gouge in my iPod that Brasso got out a treat. I used one end of the microfibre cloth to apply it and the other end to polish it off. Worked a treat.

 

[spb]

get some displex, it gets scratches out well

 

[OCOTILLO]

Scratches - so what?

I have a lot of scratches on my iPod Photo and it is amazing. They have not affected the sound quality at all!

 

[ldburroughs]

I have a lot of scratches on my iPod Photo and it is amazing. They have not affected the sound quality at all!

You're not likely watching video on your iPod Photo. You tend to notice the scratches more when you are staring at it for long periods of time. And besides, some people are just more particular than others, myself included.

 

[freeny]

I have had the same disapointing results with brasso. perhaps it was the cotton cloth I was using. nonetheless I am awaiting my tube displex to fix it.

 

[JDOG_]

Is it just me or do these "fixes" seem to never really work the way people want them? I mean there's no way you can take damaged soft plastic and somehow make it shiny and new again...it just doesn't work.

All the pictures and tuts I've read about using Brasso continually state that they applied and rubbed the brasso for at least an hour, something I'm doubting most people have the patience to do. They also say to barely even touch the cloth to the surface, which you can only do for so long. Call me cynical, I'm just basing this off the fact that it's pretty freaking hard to deal with scratched plastic as most of us with scratched iPods have found.

 

[freeny]

There are products that DO work. Years ago I scratched a Swatch watch REALLY, REALLY BAD! I mean DEEP scratches. Found an acrylic polisher that did magic. Like new I swear!! Blew me away! Unfortuately I dont remember the name of the product. Now im trying to find the same or similar product to do the same for my pod. When I get my Displex I will post a review.

 

[gwuMACaddict]

i used pumice. worked like a charm.