Have a scratch on my paint (about 1/2" Horizontal x 1/16" verticle) what is the best tool to apply touch up paint on it to cover it ? Thanks

 

Probably something like a brush for a scratch of that type. You want it to be able to hold enough paint to do it in one swipe. Maybe a pinstriping brush.

 

I use an artists brush that is about 1/8" wide, very flat, and has an angle to the cut. You don't need the angle, but it just helps and gives a better tip for smaller scratches. The tiny, pointy artist brushes work for rock chips, but this brush is great for slightly wider scratches. Don't use brush in the touch-up paint bottle!!! it globs the paint on too much. Also, if you have a rotary or a flex (and I've done it with a PC, too), you could wet sand the small area to flatten it, then polish the heck out of it.

 

Thanks guys.
IAIA: I see you're in my neck of the woods, any interest in looking at this in person and give me some hands on training ? Of course your efforts will not go un-rewarded. I am a newbie and I've never used a machine to polish, the clear bra (what's showing in the picture) took 99.5% of the hit (foreign freeway debris, that came at me with all speed), but I'm afraid there is some very small paint damage under the ripped clear bra. This is on the side lower panel in front of the front wheel and above the front splitter.

 

This (in general) is how I do touch up paint.

First clean the area of scratch very well, and if possible, sand the inside of the scratch to ensure proper adhesion. Then wipe the area with 91% Iso-Alcohol with a lint free towel.





Catch a bead of paint about 3/4's down on a plastic toothpick (the plastic will prevent the paint from absorbing, wipe the toothpick with alcohol as well) and insert the edge of the toothpick into the scratch. Then slightly tilt the toothpick so that the paint bead runs down the length and into the scratch. Wait about 30 minutes before applying additional coats and do not over apply. Patience is the key that will dictate the final results.

Touch up paint is mostly solvent, so as it out gasses it will shrink, which means you might need to apply additional paint. Apply enough coats (30 minutes apart) until the scratch level is even or slightly above the surrounding paint, then let set for several days before doing anything else.

I like to wait a week (at least) before leveling the scratch and polishing it out. In this time the paint might have shrunk slightly requiring a little more paint.

Using Meguiars' Uni-Grit 2500 sand paper and a semi soft sanding block (again I recommend Meguiars') slightly wetsand over the area until the bump from the touch up paint is level with the surrounding paint.





Then polish using a ROB/DA/or Rotary to remove the sanding marks and to restore color. You don't want to use a lot of pressure to remove the sanding marks (make sure you sand lightly using quality paper as aggressive polishing can pull the touch up paint out of the scratch).

Finished

 

TH0001.

That was very informative and judging by the results of your pics quite a professionnal repair. I hope that I never need it but I will bookmark this page, just in case.

Thanks.

 

Where is SoCal are you located?

 

Huntington Beach

TH0001: that is truly informative and with very good results, thanks for the info.

 

I'm in Mission Viejo and I'd be happy to help you out, but I am merely an amateur that has learned everything from the experts in here. I really wouldn't know what to do with damage behind a ripped clear bra, but I'm willing to help do touch-ups. Give me a call if you want, Friday. (I PMd my phone number.) This is my weekend to do a complete polish on my car...so I'll be working most of the day in the garage with my new Flex!