Success (iPad 2 screen scratch removal)!

[Thetonyk123]

Originally Posted by JRoDDz

Congrats! You just completely voided your warranty.

No he hasn't

[vansouza]

I would rather cut my own arm off then try that...

[ipguy]

and when your done, install an invisableSHIELD from zagg !!

[AquaRelliux]

Can the OP post the pictures again?

[Fredo2037]

Well, I did not go to the extreme as the guy with all the auto restoration experience but had similar idea that worked for me. A few years ago I had to fix the headlights on our Hyundai Sonanta they were hazed over and looked like crap. So I got a product PlastX by Meguiars from my autos parts store. This stuff was amazing and makes crappy scratched plastic headlights look like new glass. So when I got a scratch in my iphone a few years ago I tried it and it took it right out. I just had to use it on a new ipad that slipped out of my had and got a small scratch. Same result scratch gone. Now I did not use power tools I just used a tiny bit of product my finger and a microfiber cloth until it was gone. I am a little scared to a drill buff pad to a new device but if the scratch was deep enough I probable would to it. Have also used it on plastic sun glasses and protective eye wear that got scratched...Works Great! does not seem to harm the IOS device at all and feels the same after. Not sure that Apple would approve but if they cant fix it and it bugs you enough give it a try.

[kfscoll]

Originally Posted by Fredo2037

Well, I did not go to the extreme as the guy with all the auto restoration experience but had similar idea that worked for me. A few years ago I had to fix the headlights on our Hyundai Sonanta they were hazed over and looked like crap. So I got a product PlastX by Meguiars from my autos parts store. This stuff was amazing and makes crappy scratched plastic headlights look like new glass. So when I got a scratch in my iphone a few years ago I tried it and it took it right out. I just had to use it on a new ipad that slipped out of my had and got a small scratch. Same result scratch gone. Now I did not use power tools I just used a tiny bit of product my finger and a microfiber cloth until it was gone. I am a little scared to a drill buff pad to a new device but if the scratch was deep enough I probable would to it. Have also used it on plastic sun glasses and protective eye wear that got scratched...Works Great! does not seem to harm the IOS device at all and feels the same after. Not sure that Apple would approve but if they cant fix it and it bugs you enough give it a try.

The problem I've found with ScratchX and PlastX (and other products designed to remove scratches by hand) is that they leave behind small swirl marks that, while better than the original scratch, can be seen under the right types of lighting (particularly halogen, fluorescent, and strong daylight). That's why I chose to use a random orbital polisher and diminishing abrasives to remove the original scratch and to prevent micro-marring. Of course, if you don't have an orbital polisher, then ScratchX/PlastiX might be your best/only bet.

[The driver]

Tried this, works great. Tried a couple menzerna polishes liked sip the best. I used a rotary though, ran a flex @ 1500 with an orange... Took about 1-2 mins to remove everything.

Thanks for the write up. I don't understand people's critisism especicially with da haha. As a pro detailer I can say this perfectly safe with a da an probably even an ro. Ferrari paint is far more delicate than touch screen glass by far...

Bumping this because this is a great write up, you should have posted it on autopia... We all have the tools

[kfscoll]

Originally Posted by The driver

Tried this, works great. Tried a couple menzerna polishes liked sip the best. I used a rotary though, ran a flex @ 1500 with an orange... Took about 1-2 mins to remove everything.

Thanks for the write up. I don't understand people's critisism especicially with da haha. As a pro detailer I can say this perfectly safe with a da an probably even an ro. Ferrari paint is far more delicate than touch screen glass by far...

Bumping this because this is a great write up, you should have posted it on autopia... We all have the tools

Funny you mention this...I actually had a pretty deep scratch on my iPad 2 that I tried to polish out last weekend with my DA and I couldn't get anywhere with it. I even tried Menzerna Power Gloss and no-kidding glass polish and just couldn't get it completely removed. Even lightly sanding with 1000 grit didn't get it out...and then I had to deal with the sanding scratches. In that case (I sold the iPad to Gazelle so I figured I had very little to lose) I bet a rotary would've been the only way to go.

[Graver Wubin]

It would be a really big help if you made a video that way we can see what products you used and the process in real time.

[Greencardman]

This is awesome, I love it OP, do you ever use the "as-seen-on-tv" type automotive stuff to remove scratches from the plastic cases or the metal parts? I'm wondering how well that stuff works.

[kfscoll]

Originally Posted by Greencardman

This is awesome, I love it OP, do you ever use the "as-seen-on-tv" type automotive stuff to remove scratches from the plastic cases or the metal parts? I'm wondering how well that stuff works.

That stuff sucks. You might remove larger scratches with that stuff, but then you'll have micro-scratches left over from that compound and the hand-rubbing action. There's simply no way to beat the finish you get with a good dual-action polisher and quality polishing compounds.

[drewv]

I think that it's awesome that you succeeded in polishing out your scratch. In my job I polish scratches out of natural stone floors and was considering doing something very similar to remove a couple of scratches i have in my iphone. One question I had was what was the synthetic wax that you used once the polishing was done?

[kfscoll]

Originally Posted by drewv

I think that it's awesome that you succeeded in polishing out your scratch. In my job I polish scratches out of natural stone floors and was considering doing something very similar to remove a couple of scratches i have in my iphone. One question I had was what was the synthetic wax that you used once the polishing was done?

I used Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket -- it's very slick but not very durable. If I needed to reapply the synthetic wax (I've since sold the iPad) I'd use one of the other synthetic auto sealants I have (Blackfire or the newer Menzerna sealant). I think any synthetic sealant would be fine, as would plain ol' car wax.

[Mrg02d]

Plastx is for plastic. I bet your scratches were really in the oleo phobic coating and not the glass. You essentially removed the scratch by removing the oleo phobic coating.

[kfscoll]

Originally Posted by Mrg02d

Plastx is for plastic. I bet your scratches were really in the oleo phobic coating and not the glass. You essentially removed the scratch by removing the oleo phobic coating.

I'm not sure who you're responding to, but if it's me, read the very first post in this thread...removing the oleophobic coating is exactly what I claimed that I did. I never used Plastx since I've never even owned it. I have removed scratches that were in the actual glass on a different iPad but it takes far more effort and far more aggressive auto polish and/or actual glass polish.