Jump to content

how to remove scratches from watch

ronak

By ronak
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

HectorLooi Distinguished Member

HectorLooi

Posted
Posted

I'm a dentist. And I've never had much success polishing watch crystals with toothpaste. 

The best polishing hack I've found was using those foam nail buffs that the ladies use. There are some sets that come with 3 grades of abrasives. Use the coarsest one first, then move the intermediate when all the deep scratches are gone. Finally use the finest grit to get a shine. As a last step, you can use a tiny smidgen of Polywatch to really bring out the shine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

I'm a dentist. And I've never had much success polishing watch crystals with toothpaste. 

The best polishing hack I've found was using those foam nail buffs that the ladies use. There are some sets that come with 3 grades of abrasives. Use the coarsest one first, then move the intermediate when all the deep scratches are gone. Finally use the finest grit to get a shine. As a last step, you can use a tiny smidgen of Polywatch to really bring out the shine.

How about the stuff dentists use to polish teeth after a clean?  Polishes teeth shiny.

What is that stuff called.  TIA 

joe

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mikepilk Distinguished Member

mikepilk

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just done an acrylic one this afternoon - in a few minutes.

If the scratches are deep, start with 1000-1500 wet and dry. Then switch to 2000, and finally 3000.
Then I use acrylic polishing compound on a cloth. Worth buying some of this - it always surprises me just how well it works

It's surprisingly easy and quick. 

If the scratches aren't deep, then some acrylic polish on a cloth - only takes a minute or two

(you can buy an assortment of fine wet and dry, and acrylic polish from ebay)

Edited by mikepilk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
fixermole Watch Enthusiast

fixermole

Posted
Posted

I've found very good results so far using the abrasive pads in the Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit. They're a great size and stiffness. The most abrasive works quickly on the deepest scratches and there are three additional, decreasingly abrasive (higher grit) pads in the kit that get it down to see-through quality. I then finish it off with Turtle Wax Headlight Cleaner and Sealant. I had these around and they've always worked, so I haven't tried anything else. But, Polywatch appears to be the first go-to for most people; however, I've always wondered if it worked efficiently on deep gouges/scratches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rafael WRT Addict

Rafael

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, fixermole said:

I've found very good results so far using the abrasive pads in the Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit. They're a great size and stiffness. The most abrasive works quickly on the deepest scratches and there are three additional, decreasingly abrasive (higher grit) pads in the kit that get it down to see-through quality. I then finish it off with Turtle Wax Headlight Cleaner and Sealant. I had these around and they've always worked, so I haven't tried anything else. But, Polywatch appears to be the first go-to for most people; however, I've always wondered if it worked efficiently on deep gouges/scratches.

It probably will, but you will need to put on a lot of elbow grease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HectorLooi Distinguished Member

HectorLooi

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

How about the stuff dentists use to polish teeth after a clean?  Polishes teeth shiny.

What is that stuff called.  TIA 

joe

 

It's called prophylaxis paste. But that is actually quite abrasive. It's better to use the stuff we use to polish acrylic dentures with. And that's called a very technical name - polishing paste.

I find using sanding pads better than using my denture polishing lathe motor. The felt wheels and bristle brushes that we use tend to leave microscopic lines in the actylic. I only use my polishing lathe with a wool wheel for the final shine.

Acrylic watch crystal are surprisingly soft. It doesn't take much elbow grease to polish out deep scratches. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Randy55
      Introduction

      By Randy55 · Posted

      Welcome to the group Stirky. You can search for just about every subject in the craft here. Don't be afraid to ask if you can't find the answer that may have already been covered ( some ad nauseum LOL ). You don't have to buy Bergeon to get good quality. There are many decent mid-range tools available that will last you a lifetime. Cousins would be a good place to start . Cheers from across the pond ! Randy
    • Jon
      What are these Seitz B-Jewels?

      By Jon · Posted

      I picked up a similar amount of these jewels some years ago in a watch and clock fair. Every now and then they come in handy. This week I've got a rubbed in bombe jewel in the balance cock that is cracked and needs replacing. Very handy to have a vintage assortment of these type of jewels!
    • Stirky
      Diagram for 6497 motion works

      By Stirky · Posted

      Thanks Jon.
    • Jon
      Diagram for 6497 motion works

      By Jon · Posted

      Great diagram with the teeth and pinion count. Simple way to reduce the speed of the hour wheel by the 12:1 minute wheel. Genius and yet so simple. Always good to reinforce the principal by what you have done in your drawing. Keep doing that. I had a drawing on my wall for years showing me this which is very similar to the drawing you have done. Here's a formula to work out the beats per hour of a watch movement. The movement's BPH is dictated by the wheel teeth and pinion count and the hairspring being vibrated to the correct BPH by finding the pinning up point on the hairspring using a vibrating tool.  The reason in the formula there is X2 on the top line is because there are two pallet stones.
    • DDean
      Incabloc Lyre Spring & Low Earth Orbit

      By DDean · Posted

      So I just wanted to say "thank you" again.  The angle is the key bit it seems and yes, it did basically just fall, or float, back into position when I got it lined up just right. I had meant to add that now that I see how it goes in, I totally see how it came out in the first place, and that whomever cloned the original movement didn't pay much attention to the fine details around the setting or how it interfaces with the balance cock or the "rings" on the regulator and/or stud carrier arms.
×
×
  • Create New...