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UPDATED-4/3/18-------I never really noticed how scratched my slabs were...............

1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 3, 2018 6:49AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Until I started to take photos of them, can the scratches really be 'lessened'
? :smile:

Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

Bad transactions with : nobody to date

Comments

  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,893 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2, 2018 7:13AM

    Certainly. There are probably dozens of threads on plastic polish. It works very well on PCGS slabs.

    Manual focus and a good macro lens will shoot past very minor scratches. Auto focus tends to zero-in on them, not the coin (which appears to be the case with the OP coin).
    Lance.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks @lkeigwin

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • ashelandasheland Posts: 23,624 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool coin!

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2, 2018 12:55PM

    I recently got in the worst scratched (PCGS) slab that I have ever seen.

    I decided to try something new.

    Took out the new Dremel with polishing compound and went at it. Was working petty good until I up the speed and barely melted the plastic. Oh, Chit. now what.

    Then I remember a thread here on using sandpaper on a slab and said wtf, why not try that.

    So, I sanded a bit with 400 wet dry sandpaper and said wow, I really messed this one up.

    Then I sanded it with1500 wet dry and it still looked effed up.

    So I then took back out the Dremel with a ton of polishing compound and used the tool at low speed. Back and forth in different directions.

    Came out like glass :)

    Thank you to whoever wrote the tip here years ago.

    Here is the finished slab, no B4 shots .....

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2, 2018 1:01PM

    @ErrorsOnCoins said:
    I recently got in the worst scratched (PCGS) slab that I have ever seen.

    I decided to try something new.

    Took out the new Dremel with polishing compound and went at it. Was working petty good until I up the speed and barely melted the plastic. Oh, Chit. now what.

    Then I remember a thread here on using sandpaper on a slab and said wtf, why not try that.

    So, I sanded a bit with 400 wet dry sandpaper and said wow, I really messed this one up.

    Then I sanded it with1500 wet dry and it still looked effed up.

    So I then took back out the Dremel with a ton of polishing compound and used the tool at low speed. Back and forth in different directions.

    Came out like glass :)

    Now you can poke a Q-tip through it.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never burned thru, but a sharp piece of pine might work better? >:)

  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,893 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ErrorsOnCoins said:
    I recently got in the worst scratched (PCGS) slab that I have ever seen.

    Came out like glass :)

    Thank you to whoever wrote the tip here years ago.

    I think that was @bolivarshagnasty. He had great images to go along with the story. I remember he started by grinding the slab under his shoe, on concrete. It was painful to watch but the restoration was incredible.

    A couple of years ago I picked up some "Zona 37-948 3M Wet/Dry Polishing Paper, 8-1/2-Inch X 11-Inch, Assortment Pack One Each 1, 2, 3, 9, 15, and 30 Micron" from here:
    https://amazon.com/gp/product/B001BHGC7G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    This stuff is perfect for the job when scratches are too deep for Meguiar's PlastX polish. It's a little unnerving when you start with the grittiest paper and can no longer see the coin...just grey, opaque plastic. But the follow-up sanding (wet or dry) with the finer grit papers gets fabulous results.
    Lance.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    BEFORE
    '

    Got some Plastx.............................. :smile: and used Manual focus...thanks @lkeigwin
    AFTER

    ? :smile:

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • edited November 29, 2018 6:45AM
    This content has been removed.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1630Boston .... Great job, thanks for showing us.....and a really nice coin. Cheers, RickO

  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2018 6:53AM

    @disappointingcoins

    For light scratches you want more of a transparent filler/polish, @1630Boston mentions one.

  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,510 ✭✭✭✭✭

    just need more light now, 1630

    Good progress@!

  • This content has been removed.
  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I may have to take out the Dremel again today.

    Or Oil.

  • DollarAfterDollarDollarAfterDollar Posts: 3,215 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You have to be exceedingly careful using any tool that is electric. If any heat is created (even in a small spot the plastic will melt.
    On a severely scratched PCGS slab 400 grit, 1000 grit, 2000 grit then PlastX.
    NGC slabs have a far greater area to polish but the same process works.

    Light scratches, just try PlastX.

    If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.

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