T Cut

[Alanbass]

Has anyone had good results by using T Cut to restore a small scratch on the body of a metallic finished jazz type body? Appreciate advice! Thanks

[John Cribbin]

I've had good results using T-Cut on guitars, but I've not tried on a metallic finish ....

 

My guess would be that clear coat is sprayed on top of the metallic in the same way they do on cars. In that case you should be fine. Without a clear coat, you would be polishing the metallic coat and that may be potentially problematic ...

[Alanbass]

Thanks for that John. I might be able to find a spot to try it out on under the battery compartment ... I hope!

[EBS_freak]

Meguiars ultimate compound followed by Meguiars ultimate polish.

 

If the scratch is deep but not through the clear, wetsand, 1500, 2000, 2500, 4000 (must use sanding block - tiny one as I'm presuming the scratch is small!) then Meguiars polish. (Not for the fainthearted... and don't go through the clear coat!  

Edited February 12, 2023 by EBS_freak

[Alanbass]

Think I am faint hearted! Thanks do much for hour advice. 

[fleabag]

I  use Meguiars compound and polish. Its superb stuff, as suggested by monsieur freak

[BlueMoon]

On 12/02/2023 at 15:08, John Cribbin said:

My guess would be that clear coat is sprayed on top of the metallic in the same way they do on cars. In that case you should be fine. Without a clear coat, you would be polishing the metallic coat and that may be potentially problematic ...

^^^ this.

 

It would be very unusual for a metallic finish to not have a clear coat as the finish coat. In which case, careful use of mild auto polishing products as mentioned by others should be fine.

[Japhet]

You'll have to sand the scratch out first with very fine paper (1500 grit up to 3000 grit is what I'd use).You can do it with your finger tip but be very careful you don't go through to the base coat. If you T Cut a bit first nothing will show on the cloth if it's lacquered but colour will show on it if it's coloured paint finish.

[Alanbass]

Thanks for all the advice chaps!

[basstone]

Brasso is a very mild abrasive that can helps take out small scratches. T cut also works well but beware cutting through any finish by spreading the polishing over a

larger area than the scratch

[PaulThePlug]

Toothpaste is also a mild abrasive...

[Alanbass]

Thanks for the advice guys ... still pondering how best to tackle this!

[EBS_freak]

Can you stick up a pic of the scratch?

[Alanbass]

Hi , here is a photo ... like I've said a small scratch but anniying! 

[PaulThePlug]

I think any attempt in lessering the scratch, will increase a blemish to the surrounding area.

Try a dab of graphite powder, soft pencil lead, to ease the colour.

Edited February 18, 2023 by PaulThePlug

[John Cribbin]

Now that's easy peasey lemon squeezy.

 

Last one of those I dealt with I brushed on some Ronseal water based gloss varnish with an artists brush. Built up the level in several layers lightly sanding out any exess with 1500-4000 wet and dry. Finally using the T-Cut to bring up the shine.

 

I used the Ronseal, because it's what I had handy. A tube of touch up clear coat from a car repair shop would do as well.

 

There are those who use nail varnish or superglue on a scrape like that, but those are not methods I've tried yet ....

[Peejay]

From the photo this looks like a scuff and if it has just marked the clear coat and not got as far as the base (colour) coat then a gentle polish using mild compound could work. If this doesn't remove it then some clear lacquer (available at most car parts stores) applied via an artists's brush should repair it.

 

T Cut is quite aggressive and could flatten the finish on the surrounding area, possibly making things worse. It also leaves a lot of residue in awkward places if the area isn't masked off.

 

 Hope this helps.

[Alanbass]

Thanks for the advice guys! Really helpful.

[EBS_freak]

I can’t make out. Is that just the clear? If it is, wet 1500 around a thin dowel, drop fill some clear top coat until it is proud of the surrounding area. Denib the proud paint. Then 1500, 2000, 2500, 4000 (on a block), compound and polish to finish. Although you may want to polish the whole bass because you’ll be left with a super smooth shiny spot on the bass otherwise!

Edited February 18, 2023 by EBS_freak

[vinorange]

I use kovax 1500 grit pink scratchless sanding paper. It is truly amazing stuff, no need for wet & dry, just use with the curve of the body until ylscuff starts to disappear (youll start to sand the adjacent lacquer and thats what you want). Don't go too far but you should have plenty of clear coat layers on there. Once it's flatted out then use Meguires cut and polish.

When I went on a bass maintenance course with the great Jon Shuker he showed me that exact technique.

Both kovax paper and Meguires are miles easier to use than normal wet and dry / T cut.

Good luck.

[vinorange]

You could also build up the scuff with nitro lacquer first and then use the same method. You'd just have to leave the lacquer to set for a couple of days before touching it.

[Reggaebass]

21 hours ago, Alanbass said:

Hi , here is a photo ... like I've said a small scratch but anniying! 

I remember a long time back when I first got my candy apple red precision and I chipped the bottom, I found an almost perfect match with nail varnish, maybe worth trying to see if they do one in that colour?

[Minininjarob]

As an amateur car derailed myself I wouldn’t use T-cut, it’s a pretty old fashioned product that works ok but it isn’t the best. 
Polishing only really dulls the sharp edges of scratches, then wax on top fills the scratches. It doesn’t get rid of them, it just removes the edges that reflect in the light so you can’t see them. 
You need to figure out whether the mark has gone through the colour layers - if it has you will need to add coloured paint touch up before a top coat then sanding/polishing. If it has gone through the paint and you don’t add paint back you’ll always have a mark there no matter how much you sand or polish it. 
If it’s only in a clear top coat you could touch it in with some clear paint and sand/polish back. That would fix it properly.