Choosing the best anti-scratch for your car
Content
What are anti-scratches for and how do they work?
To understand how scratch removers work, let's take a quick look at the structure of the damage itself. A scratch on the paintwork is a local damage with a peeling of a small area of paint. Due to the fact that the uniformity of the surface of the paintwork is broken, the sun's rays are absorbed or reflected in a direction different from the whole areas. This causes good visibility of damaged elements.
Antsirapins have a double action:
- fill relatively deep damage and protect body metal from moisture and corrosion;
- due to the abrasive action, sharp changes in the damaged areas are leveled, which partially masks the scratch.
All anti-scratches in one way or another have two of the above effects. The differences are in the percentage of these effects, the mechanism and intensity of the impact of each of them.
A brief overview of popular anti-scratches
Consider the principle of operation and the effectiveness of several common in Russia means for removing scratches.
- Liqui Moly Scratch Stop. One of the best scratch removers. Consists of base, wax and fine abrasive particles. Abrasive particles gently remove sharp and angular drops in damaged paintwork, foreign inclusions and rust. The base partially fills the body of the scratch. Wax levels the treated surface and gives it a shine. This tool is worth, if we consider the price for 1 gram, more expensive than others. But, as numerous test results have shown, the Kratzer Stop from Liquid Moli really effectively copes with shallow scratches.
- Anticarapine-restorer Turtle Wax. Already from the name it is clear that wax is present in the composition of this product. The Turtle Wax restorer works on the same principle as Liquid Moli. Subjectively, the abrasive material used in Tartle Wax anti-scratches is more finely dispersed. This, on the one hand, allows the processing of paintwork with minimal risk of removing the excess layer. On the other hand, it copes worse with deep scratches and takes more time to polish. Therefore, Turtle Wax anti-scratch is easier to work with using an angle grinder and a polishing wheel.
- Anticarapin Sapphire. This composition is suitable for removing only shallow scratches. The active components in it are rather weak. "Sapphire" is able to mask damage that has not reached the primer. It copes well with its task when mechanically rubbing on the surface of the paintwork.
- Willson Scratch Remover. It is a wax composition with minimal abrasive action. Available in two versions: for dark and light paintwork. Due to the lack of an effective polishing component, this tool is able to process only shallow scratches. Not bad fills small scratches and levels the mirror surface of the paintwork. At the same time it has a cleansing effect.
All of the above means are not able to mask deep damage that has reached the metal. You should not have any illusions about this. Deep scratches in any case will require more drastic measures, such as tinting or updating the paintwork of the entire element. In the case of ground exposure, the width of the scratch plays an important role. If the scratch is thin, and the opened ground is practically not noticeable, it is likely that a good anti-scratch, if used correctly, will close this damage.
A few tips for use
To use anti-scratches effectively, follow a few simple rules.
- Pre-clean the surface to be treated and degrease it.
- If possible, work with anti-scratches by mechanical means of application (polishing or grinding machines). But do not exceed 1500-2000 rpm, so as not to heat the paint to an excessive temperature.
- Apply and rub the product no more than three times in one area, especially when using a grinder with a fabric wheel. There is a possibility that abrasives will remove too much of the paintwork, and the entire body element will have to be repainted.
It is advisable to use anti-scratches immediately after damage to the paintwork, until the scratch is clogged with dirt and corrosion begins to form.
