Glass Scratches

[Site Man]

OLD FORUM POSTS

Posted by John Grenier on November 29, 2003

We are back from our vacation and time to get those cards paid off.
Job to finish up is one with several small glue chipped signs. A few (5) of the signs have scratches in the first (front) surface. I have inquiries with some glass people looking for a way to polish them. Seems that if the scratch is deep enough for your finger nail to catch then when you polish it you get a divot which may not matter because you don't look beyond 3/8" and a distortion probably won't be noticable. Polishing is time consuming but not as much as new signs.
My wife, Diana, suggested we put a piece of 1/8" glass over it, then I thought can we glue it (laminate) like the privious posts about canvas and paper on the back sides.
Thanks
John

Mike Jackson

John, You'd be surprised how many pieces of glass will come to you from the glass shop with scratches already in them. When we were trying to do editions of ten, we were quite anal when ordering the glass, then ordered 20, and still had to kull out six or seven each time right off the bat. Then we ran the black light on the keepers, determined the front side and put four or six little felt pads on the fronts. We also put felt pads all over our easle for protection, AND WE NEVER PUT THEM FACE DOWN WITHOUT SOME SORT OF PADDING!

I can't tell you how many times I cringed at Glawson's conclaves when people were working on tables and benches with their glass grinding away on the surfaces. Some even has shards of glass and sandblast grit on the table.

I can tell you first hand that prevention is much easier than trying to buff a scratch out.

Good luck,
Mike Jackson

Darryl Gomes

I usually use the felt or cork pads, as you suggest, but then use vinyl premask to cover the front side as well. This protects the front when I sandblast and also when handling. When gilding or painting I peel away some of the premask so I can see the finished side, without removing and exposing the whole front for chance of damage.

Billy Bob

I'd say go with it. I've had scratch worrys too, when noticing one on a newly started piece. After the work was complete, with all of it's details and then hung on the wall for viewing, the scratch(es) weren't noticable. Only upon very close scrutiny are they to be spotted.

Lee Littlewood

After he had polished out the scratches we had mysteriously put in the front surface of some gilded signs, the glass guy gave us a hint: only use one side of a razor blade. I'll put a spot of masking tape on the "out" side of a razorblade and make sure that the tape is always visible. And (his second hint) throw it away and get a new one often.
Scratches are such a bummer...

Danny Busselle

Yes putting tape on one side of razor blade is primary. NEXT to REMOVE SCRACHES this was something I was involved with BDFG we came up with a White Seairm available from Pacific Glass in Gardena, California... U mix with Distilled water make a heavy slurry type mix. about one gram for a 3 inch Scrach fill in let settle then it's Buffer time. REPEAT as Needed. It will not completly go away But the Edges of the scratch Become rounded and give the appearance of removal.