A Ibanez Shinetex microfiber cloth has ruined a new pickguard. Is there a way to restore it?

[Piing]

I posted this at the Ibanez forum but got no replies

I have used the Ibanez PGC1000 Shinetex microfiber cloth to remove some fingerprints from a brand new black pickguard, and now it is scratched where I used the cloth, which is a quite large area

What to use if not a microfiber cloth? Is that abrasive cloth supposed to be used only on wood, not on plastic?

Is there a way to polish it to its original condition? It is a guitar that I am selling as new, but now it doesn't look like brand new

 

[Sorenspete]

A buffing compound such as Simichrome polish should remedy this. That's just my first thought.

 

[GlennO]

Polywatch might work. It's for polishing acrylic watch crystals, so it might work on a plastic pickguard.

 

[Piing]

Thanks! I've ordered a tube of Polywatch

 

[Musikron]

How old is that rag? Contaminants on the fabric will totally scratch and swirl up ANYTHING.

 

[Piing]

How old is that rag? Contaminants on the fabric will totally scratch and swirl up ANYTHING.

Now that you mention it, it has been uncovered over a desk for a long time. It could have caught contaminants.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Now that you mention it, it has been uncovered over a desk for a long time. It could have caught contaminants.

Here in AZ, we have aggressive, abrasive dust. It gets everywhere. Gotta keep microfibers used for cleaning/buffing in a Ziploc baggie to jeep them from getting dusty. Given many Pacific islands are (or were, semi-recently) volcanic, I would guess your dust has some pumice in it. Man, that's a bummer. I wish I had an answer for you, but will be watching this thread in case someone does have one....

 

[FractalAudio]

My technique for scratched plastic (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):
Take a propane torch and wave it rapidly over the affected area. Do not let the flame touch the plastic. Keep the flame several inches away and don't dwell in any one spot. The heat will melt the scratches out.

 

[nicolasrivera]

My technique for scratched plastic (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):
Take a propane torch and wave it rapidly over the affected area. Do not let the flame touch the plastic. Keep the flame several inches away and don't dwell in any one spot. The heat will melt the scratches out.

Interesting! Going to try this, thanks.

 

[GlennO]

My technique for scratched plastic (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):
Take a propane torch and wave it rapidly over the affected area. Do not let the flame touch the plastic. Keep the flame several inches away and don't dwell in any one spot. The heat will melt the scratches out.

For full effect, first use the torch to light your cigarette.

 

[Toopy14]

For full effect, first use the torch to light your cigarette.

Also, be sure not to eat beans the night before! Blue Angels can be dangerous!

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Here in AZ, we have aggressive, abrasive dust. It gets everywhere.

That puts it mildly. It’s like airborne sandpaper, especially when the wind blows.

 

[Dave Merrill]

That puts it mildly. It’s like airborne sandpaper, especially when the wind blows.

So much for retiring in AZ Which might or might not be a sensible idea for a variety of reasons... And that I can afford to retire anywhere someday...

 

[xarkon]

My technique for scratched plastic (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):
Take a propane torch and wave it rapidly over the affected area. Do not let the flame touch the plastic. Keep the flame several inches away and don't dwell in any one spot. The heat will melt the scratches out.

Missing the CPSC-required warnings:

• Do not put body parts in flame.
• Do not attempt to eat flame.
• Do not direct flame toward children or small animals.
• Do not use flame in the presence of combustible materials.

Etc. ad nauseam.

Seriously, it's a great tip.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Missing the CPSC-required warnings:

• Do not put body parts in flame.
• Do not attempt to eat flame.
• Do not direct flame toward children or small animals.
• Do not use flame in the presence of combustible materials.

You forgot the most important one…

• Never say "Watch this! Hold my beer!" around an open flame.

 

[Piing]

I've been googling the blowtorch method, and it is a thing!

Just one warning from this site: "Do NOT try to flame polish polycarbonate, it will bubble and will be ruined"



A heat gun may be safer than a flame torch, though

 

[Piing]

Missing the CPSC-required warnings:

• Do not put body parts in flame.
• Do not attempt to eat flame.
• Do not direct flame toward children or small animals.
• Do not use flame in the presence of combustible materials.

Etc. ad nauseam.

Seriously, it's a great tip.

You forgot this one:

• Test on a Squier Classic Vibe before using the flame on a Tom Anderson

 

[JoKeR III]

I stopped using microfiber terry-type cloths a long time ago for this very reason. Something like the smooth LCD screen cleaning cloths is what I prefer, most are still called microfiber but do not have the terry cloth texture.

 

[StuntGuitar]

That puts it mildly. It’s like airborne sandpaper, especially when the wind blows.

it's a good day for a haboob. i miss the desert.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

it's a good day for a haboob. i miss the desert.

EVERY DAY is a good day for one!

They weren't called that when I was little, we were simple and abstained from fancy terms like "haboob" and called them duststorms. And we'd play in them.

The weather has changed somewhat, so we're getting more storms with more dust, but not nearly as much monsoon rain as we used to get. I grew up with the rain, and we'd welcome it, even standing outside in the dust waiting for the air temperature to drop and then smell the wet creosote bushes from the distance. Now there's so much asphalt and concrete that the heat dome pushes the storms away until they're SO powerful that they crash on the city, but we never know where they'll land. "Microbursts" act like miniature tornados and we've seen many funnel clouds. Sigh….