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Buff out scratches on stainless?

Jayjew

Jayjew

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
428
193
Minneapolis
how does one do this?

There’s a scratch at the bottom of my silver iPhone X and it’s an eye sore. It bugs me knowing it’s there to the point I want to exchange it.


But is there another option?
 
Exchange for a scratch in the stainless steel? You've never been around kitchen equipment, have you? It's going to be the first of many.
 
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Jayjew said:
how does one do this?

There’s a scratch at the bottom of my silver iPhone X and it’s an eye sore. It bugs me knowing it’s there to the point I want to exchange it.


But is there another option?
Click to expand...

Get the Cape Cod polishing cloths from Amazon. They will not clog the speaker holes like "toothpaste". They will get it to shine up again. Sooner or later you will be able to let it go and allow the stainless to get that nice patina.
 
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This kid seems to use some Mothers Mag polish and works pretty well. It is a little messy though.

 
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Flitz is another metal polish you can use.

Tip: Apply some polish to your rag FIRST, and let it dry. You can rinse the rag a bit in clear water, too (and, of course, let it dry).

This will embed some of the polishing compound into the rag, and that's what does the work. You don't need any of the chemicals or water from the paste.

You can try some silver polishes, too, but stuff made for chrome or steel will work fine.

DO NOT WASTE ANYONE'S TIME RETURNING YOUR PHONE OVER SOME STUPID LITTLE SCRATCHES. Jeez.
 
BarracksSi said:
Flitz is another metal polish you can use.

Tip: Apply some polish to your rag FIRST, and let it dry. You can rinse the rag a bit in clear water, too (and, of course, let it dry).

This will embed some of the polishing compound into the rag, and that's what does the work. You don't need any of the chemicals or water from the paste.

You can try some silver polishes, too, but stuff made for chrome or steel will work fine.

DO NOT WASTE ANYONE'S TIME RETURNING YOUR PHONE OVER SOME STUPID LITTLE SCRATCHES. Jeez.
Click to expand...
I guess just having a brand new iPhone x suddenly have scratches and scuffs just bugged me. It instantly took the new feeling away. You know?

I'm probably not going to return it but you get the idea. I'm annoyed.

Would these wipes cause it to look different? I'll look up comparisons.
 
Jayjew said:
Would these wipes cause it to look different? I'll look up comparisons.
Click to expand...
Not really. Over years, polishing will soften sharp angles, because it removes tiny amounts of material (it's really the same as sanding, just less aggressive), but I'm pretty sure that, unlike wristwatches and jewelry, nobody's going to keep their smartphone to hand down to their grandkids after fifty years.
 
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With the stainless steel polishers, don’t they damage the coating of the display?

Also if you want there is pre damped cotton with the stainless steel polishers in them and you just rub it on your steel. You can get it at Home Depot for cheap. It’s a blue container with a red label. It’s less mess
 
melancholy said:
With the stainless steel polishers, don’t they damage the coating of the display?

Also if you want there is pre damped cotton with the stainless steel polishers in them and you just rub it on your steel. You can get it at Home Depot for cheap. It’s a blue container with a red label. It’s less mess
Click to expand...
This is my concern. Does anybody know a store I can walk into and just buy these wipes? Waiting is not my thing. (Don't mean to sound like an a**) lol.
 
The mothers polish works beautifully. I’d rather have something I know I can fix than something I’m stuck with if it gets messed up, like the SG. Glad I got the silver.
 
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melancholy said:
With the stainless steel polishers, don’t they damage the coating of the display?

Also if you want there is pre damped cotton with the stainless steel polishers in them and you just rub it on your steel. You can get it at Home Depot for cheap. It’s a blue container with a red label. It’s less mess
Click to expand...

Yes the Cape Cod does remove the coating off the display. For deeper scratches I just use Mothers mag polish but very very thin coats. Just keep if off the screen.
 
NismoRoadster said:
Yes the Cape Cod does remove the coating off the display. For deeper scratches I just use Mothers mag polish but very very thin coats. Just keep if off the screen.
Click to expand...
Keep both off the screen? haha, now I'm worried I'll bump the screen and ruin it or something.
 
Jayjew said:
Keep both off the screen? haha, now I'm worried I'll bump the screen and ruin it or something.
Click to expand...
Yea. I got some on the apple watch screen and spots of it came off. I could tell when i saw the watch at an angle it had matte spots. So i had to take a demel polisher to the screen and take everything off. Looks good as new now but without the coating.

If anyone is gonna try it id suggest they tape up the edges of screen really well. I don’t think the back has a coating.
 
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