Car Scratch Pencil

On any car, sooner or later scratches appear, and this does not depend on what kind of car you have, how carefully you drive it, what your driving experience is. Minor scratches on the car can appear even in harmless situations: pebbles flying out from under the wheels will leave a chipping on the polish, parking neighbors who do not open the doors accurately, rainfall and hail, “dummies”, envious thugs, unfortunately, have not yet disappeared etc. To eliminate unpleasant damage, you can use 2 options: contact a car service or use a pencil to remove scratches from the car.

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How to remove scratches on a car?

No matter what the cause of the scratch, get rid of it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the paintwork will suffer in the future, and the resulting scratches will turn into cracks, which will lead, in the final stage, to body corrosion. It is much more difficult to deal with it.

Important! Before proceeding with active actions, determine the depth of damage, because the method of struggle will depend on how deep the cleavage is.

The surface of a car body consists of several layers:

1. Layer of polish.
2. Lacquer.
3. Base enamel.
4. Primer.
5. Phosphate layer.
6. Steel sheet.

Depending on the depth, damage to the paintwork is conditionally divided into the following groups:

1. Damage to the paintwork.
2. Damage to the varnish coating and paint coat.
3. Damage to the primer layer.
4. Deep scratches to the metal.

Important! You can understand how deeply scratched the surface is with the naked eye, but it is better to use a magnifying glass during inspection to examine the edges of the damage. Inspect only in the daytime. The light of a flashlight or artificial dim lighting will not allow to determine the true depth of cleavage.

If you have determined that the scratches are not deep and they have not even reached the factory primer layer, then you can remove such scratches from the car using the following tools:

• Polish and polishing pastes.
• A special tool, for example, anti-scratch.
• Pencil for removing scratches on a car.

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Removing scratches on a car with polishing

If the scratch touched only the top layer of paint and looks like a simple white line, then simple polishing will be enough to get rid of the problem.

Carry out the polishing procedure step by step:

1. Clean the damaged area. Before polishing, remove all dirt and grease around the damaged area. This can be done with:
   • Car shampoo.
   • Soap solution.
   • Degreasing agents suitable for your type of paintwork.

Important! Do not use the usual “White Spirit” or “Solvent 647”, as the precursors included in their composition can damage the varnish.

2. Remove any detergent and wipe the surface thoroughly.
3. Apply polish to a dry, clean rag or cloth.
4. In a circular motion, rub the product into the surface.
5. After drying completely (time is indicated on the packaging), rub the surface to be treated with a dry cotton cloth until a shine appears.

Important! It is recommended to carry out up to 15 rubbing in order to achieve maximum effect.

6. After polishing, fix the result with wax or protective mastic.

Important! You can buy polish in any car shop or in the car market. Choose the smallest container and give preference to well-known manufacturers:

• To remove small scratches that cannot be felt with the palm of your hand, use the Anti-Risk for the car body. This tool is also suitable for dealing with stains that may appear on the car body if you often drive on roads treated with various anti-icing agents.
• Select polishes depending on the depth of the scratches: paste-like, aerosols or liquid. To eliminate a deep defect, select coarse-abrasive polishes, for less noticeable damage - finely abrasive polishes.
• To apply polish, you can use a polishing machine.

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Scratch Pencil

Damage to the body that touches the primer should be repaired with correctors or special pencils. They come in several forms:

• Wax.
• Gel.
• In the form of paint.
• In the form of varnish.

Important! A scratch removal pencil works on the same principle as a polish. The active substance, which is part of the product, fills the cleaved space and after complete drying, damage becomes invisible.

Pros of a pencil from scratches

The advantages of a pencil, in comparison with polish, are as follows:

• No need to pick the tone. If the car has a light coating - use a light pencil color, a dark coating - a dark color.
• Low cost of funds.
• Speed ​​of processing.
• Simplicity and usability.

Important! The only negative is the fragility of the procedure. After several car washes, the cleavage operation will have to be repeated.

Alternative

Instead of a wax pencil, you can use a gel corrector, which in appearance resembles a felt-tip pen or tube with acrylic paint. Such funds are available in a volume of 12 ml. The corrector almost completely fills a scratch, and after drying it hardens and becomes invisible.

How to use a wax or gel pencil?

Processing the body with a pencil will not be any difficulty. Proceed as follows:

1. Clean the treated area from dust and dirt using a soap solution or shampoo.
2. Remove the remnants of the product and wipe the surface dry.
3. Degrease the scratch and the surface around it with a special degreaser.
4. Draw the defect with a restoration pencil.
5. Remove the remnants of the product with a cloth.
6. After processing, leave the surface to dry.
7. After the paint has dried, apply a protective polish.

Important! When using a wax or gel pencil, follow the steps outlined in the instructions. To avoid damage to the car paint with a product, glue the area around the scratch with masking tape or tape.

Scratch Pencil Kits

To eliminate deep and wide scratches, use special sets of correctors, which are issued by independent manufacturers and auto companies.

They include:

• A small bottle, similar to a package of nail polish, with a masking polymer.
• Separate spray can.
• Degreaser.
• Napkins

Important! All the elements included in the kit can be purchased separately, since if the coating on the machine does not contain “metallic” or “mother of pearl” pigment, then the varnish will most likely not be needed.

For applying polymer paint, you can use a small brush, and for thin scratches - a needle or a toothpick.

Before applying the masking polymer, limit the damaged surface with mounting tape or other adhesive tape (no residue). This body treatment is most effective because it protects the surface from corrosion.

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How to remove scratches if they reach the primer?

If the scratch is deep, then you need to act in a completely different way. To solve the problem you will need:

• Fine grit sandpaper (P2000, P1500).
• Spray can, matched to the color of the body surface.
• Putty.
• Grinding paste.

Important! For the grinding process, you can use a special machine with different nozzles. She wipes a scratch better.

Sequencing:

1. Degrease the surface of the body around the scratch (see the process above).
2. Get rid of rust using an emery cloth or soft brush. Be careful not to damage adjacent areas.
3. After removing traces of corrosion, wipe the surface with a degreasing agent, and then dry dry with a cloth.
4. If, in addition to scratches, dents and cracks form, then apply a special car putty to the cleaned place. It is better to use a two-component, equipped with a hardener.
5. As soon as the putty is completely dry, sand the surface with a grinder with medium and then fine-grained nozzles. If the machine is not, then use sandpaper P1500 and P2000.
6. The next layer is a primer. It is best applied with a spray. A spray gun or spray gun will do. If such a tool is not at hand, then use a thin brush or swab.
7. After the primer has dried, sand the area with a fine waterproof sandpaper using water.
8. Degrease the surface.
9. Apply paint to the area to be treated. It is better to pick up the paint in a special store, focusing on the code that is listed in the table located on the counter at the driver's door.

Important! Use a spray gun to apply paint. First apply the first coat, take the break necessary to dry it, and then the second coat of paint.

10. After the paint has dried (about 30 minutes), apply the varnish on top.
11. Remove any bumps that have formed with finely abrasive paper or non-abrasive polish that removes stains.
12. After all work, cover the defect with protective polish or wax.

Important! Each applied layer must dry thoroughly before applying the next.

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Helpful hints:

Whichever way you choose to remove chips and scratches, follow the general recommendations:

• Carry out any work to restore the car body in a clean and bright room. If this is not possible, then carry out procedures on the street in dry, calm weather. The surface of the car should not be blown by wind carrying dust, and even more so, precipitation.
• Before starting the process, prepare the area to be treated. It must be clean, dry and fat free.
• Before using this or that drug, be sure to carefully read the instructions so that the result meets your expectations.

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Stock footage

If a nuisance occurs and your car has been scratched, for example, on a tree branch, then do not panic and use our tips to solve the problem yourself without specialists from a car service center. The main thing is to choose high-quality materials, strictly follow the instructions and be careful during the “operation”.