Glass Scratches - Can they be removed?

[Charger Too]

I have some scratches on the back window of my 1967 Dodge Charger. You can feel the scratches with your fingernail. Is there any method to remove scratches? Local auto glass company says there is no way to remove scratches from glass, no matter how minor.

 

[MIKESPOLARA]

Not usually if that deep.

 

[WileERobby]

Very, very minor scratches (scuff) can be removed. What you described, nope.

 

[66ChargerHI-PO]

Very, very minor scratches (scuff) can be removed.

Do tell as I got some in my daily driver.

 

[qkcuda]

Me too, from bad wipers.

 

[WileERobby]

Me too, from bad wipers.

Not gonna happen if they're too deep.

 

[WileERobby]

Do tell as I got some in my daily driver.

You can try toothpaste. If that doesn't work, there's commercially available buffing kits for that purpose. Deep scratches won't come out, but you can mask some with clear nail polish.

 

[sam dupont]

I bought a paste in the Old Keystone rock shop, a paste whose name escapes me at the moment, but it's the lapidary paste the window repair kits have in them; $3 per ounce. I polished on an unavailable front windshield of an English car. Harsh wiper marks about 6 inches long, but no scratches. It was one of those deals where I could see it working, but only after a half hour. I kept at it since it was working. I got it out, it couldn't be seen at all, but the warble I made in the glass doing it could not be ignored. Could the warble be polished out? I don't think so

 

[zyzzyx]

There are some videos on YouTube that show you how to do it. You have to use a special sanding disc
and backing plate to grind down the glass, and then use "Cerium Oxide" as a polishing medium and water
to take out all of the scratches. You can get away with this on side windows, but never on a windshield. It
makes optical waves that you can see in a windshield. It can be done! Glass shops want to sell glass, not
repair something that is labor intensive.

 

[WileERobby]

I bought a paste in the Old Keystone rock shop, a paste whose name escapes me at the moment, but it's the lapidary paste the window repair kits have in them; $3 per ounce. I polished on an unavailable front windshield of an English car. Harsh wiper marks about 6 inches long, but no scratches. It was one of those deals where I could see it working, but only after a half hour. I kept at it since it was working. I got it out, it couldn't be seen at all, but the warble I made in the glass doing it could not be ignored. Could the warble be polished out? I don't think so

That's it. Very tedious. And will make waves, so windshield is n/g.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Polish with the scratch not across.

 

[MIKESPOLARA]

I bought a paste in the Old Keystone rock shop, a paste whose name escapes me at the moment, but it's the lapidary paste the window repair kits have in them; $3 per ounce. I polished on an unavailable front windshield of an English car. Harsh wiper marks about 6 inches long, but no scratches. It was one of those deals where I could see it working, but only after a half hour. I kept at it since it was working. I got it out, it couldn't be seen at all, but the warble I made in the glass doing it could not be ignored. Could the warble be polished out? I don't think so

Two different types of glass here. Front are laminated. Rear is solid plate tempered. Deep scratch's you'll never polish it enough to get out, yes even small ones, very fine can be removed but if not done in a large pattern will distort your view. Haze can be polished out but you have to feather it out, in a very larger pattern to avoid distortion. Tempered glass(rear is tempered) you risk it popping if you get too aggressive with the polishing because heat builds up and tempered will pop if over heated.

 

[rebel513r]

GT GLASS
DIY Glass Scratch Repair

I did a back window with supplies form this company, about $100 worth and my 18v drill, had scratches like you describe. Came out pretty well i thought after about 10 hours of work. deep scratches will come out but may cause waviness. Was it worth it? Depends

 

[AR67GTX]

Yes, deeper scratches can come out but there’s virtually no way to prevent some waviness and distortions. But polishing with cerium oxide - even if it can’t remove the scratch, often can improve it some. But I usually have to do the entire surface to get uniform appearance and luster again.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Minor waves in a back window aren't a a big deal mo. If you drive with one eye in rear view mirror, well that's different.

 

[BobH]

I recently tried the Eastwood glass polishing kit on some scratches that I could barely feel with my fingernail. The kit I got was advertised to remove severe scratches. It helped a little but I wouldn't buy it again, not enough results for the price.

 

[72redbird]

I've always been told that if you can catch your finger nail in a scratch either in paint or glass it will not come all the way out. Can make it look better, but not get it all the way out

 

[dadsbee]

Spent a good 100 hours polishing back glass on the Bee to get a good one.... it can be done. Anything is better than the atrocity that AMD makes to replace it!