Thought i seriously scratched visor today...

[subxero]

Was all geared up to commute today, put my helmet on while walking to bike.

Got bike started, pulled visor down and looked like scratches just left of center as if a zipper or something was raked across it. I was like WTF!?

Tried to rub it off, but had gloves on it felt like it was in the plastic. Dealt with it on the way to work the whole time it glaring me in the face so i kept thinking what am i gonna do about it? Visors are probably not cheap and i really don't feel like springing for one that is technically perfectly functional when i could spend money on something else i actually want.

But good news, i got to work and got to look at it better and it was some kinda of white paint? Maybe off of wall somewhere i bumped helmet? IDK? But fortunately it came right off with some water and all is good.

This all being said, has anyone ever buffed out scratches with success? If so how?

[Motofool]

A heat gun is your friend for scratches that aren't too deep:

http://www.ehow.com/how_7647171_remo...et-visors.html

[subxero]

^good thinking

[red5]

Originally Posted by Motofool

A heat gun is your friend for scratches that aren't too deep:

http://www.ehow.com/how_7647171_remo...et-visors.html

Have you tried this? How did it turn out?

[Motofool]

I did not need to use sandpaper, but a heat gun did work flawlessly for the many little scratches of my Bell's visor.

[NevadaWolf]

So, does it just melt the visor slightly and smooth out the plastic? Handy trick I will have to keep in mind! Things get sandblasted out here easily.

[subxero]

^ i am thinking melt slightly is key wording here. Have not done this but have melted other plastics in past with heat gun and a little heat goes a long way. So to anyone trying this i would suggest you use extreme caution as it would be quite easy to over melt the visor and that might be worse than scratches.

[sousuke86]

Does the heat gun remove the fog resistant coating on visors?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

So, does it just melt the visor slightly and smooth out the plastic?.....

I don't know how the heat exactly works, but the plastic doesn't reach a melting temperature; if it does, vision distortion and bubbles may be created.

There is a cleaning-drying process to follow before applying heat.
Here is the whole explanation:

"The heat-gun process for repairing moderate scratches on polycarbonate visor shields is straightforward and only requires the use of a heat gun and the ability to wash the shield. For more heavily scratched visors, pre-drying is necessary, which requires the use of an oven.

Polycarbonate absorbs a small amount of moisture (typically 0.1 to 0.35 percent by weight), which results in bubbles forming in the polycarbonate when it is heated to high temperature. Drying for an extended period of time drives off this moisture and prevents bubbling during subsequent heating. Smaller scratches, those that can be removed with a heat gun in less than 10 seconds, can be cleared without drying if done carefully. Attempting to remove larger scratches in undried plastic almost always leads to bubbles forming.

The following process to repair a heavily scratched polycarbonate shield may need to be adjusted for different visors, equipment or environmental conditions. In any case, experimentation with scrap materials is advisable.

Wash the shield. After disassembling a visor, wash the shield with a drop of non-abrasive, liquid dish soap applied with the fingertips. Rinse the shield until the soap and any debris are removed. Pat the shield dry with clean cloth. Washing is necessary to remove dirt marks, which an operator can mistake for scratches in the removal step potentially causing him to overheat the plastic. Furthermore, dirt could become permanently embedded in the plastic when it is heated.

Dry the shield in an oven. This step is optional for removing light scratches and haze, but must be used to prevent bubbling in the plastic if medium or heavy scratches are to be removed. Preheat an oven to 120 C (250 F) for a five-millimeter-(quarter-inch-) thick shield. Place the shield in the oven without allowing the optical surface to touch the rack. Dry the shield for 24 hours. The drying time is a function of material thickness and must be obtained from the materials supplier or through experimentation. Instructions for drying different grades and shapes of plastic are available from plastic materials suppliers.6 A five-millimeter-thick dried shield can be stored for up to 24 hours in moderately humid conditions (50 to 60 percent humidity) and still be treated effectively.

Cool the shield. Remove the shield from the drying oven and let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes until cold to the touch. The intermediate cooling step is necessary to avoid heat buildup during the scratch removal step, which can lead to overheating and damage.

Position the shield. Hold the shield up to a light source with one hand so that you are looking at the scratched side of the shield and towards the light (see Figure 2). Scratches are easiest to see when illuminated from behind. However, an operator must be careful to not mistakenly try to remove a scratch that is visible through the plastic from the back of the shield.

Remove the scratches. With the other hand, use a heat gun set to a high setting with its outlet held about three to five centimeters (one to two inches) from the surface of the shield (see Figure 2). Move the tip of the heat gun in a constant circular motion so that heat does not build up in any one location. As soon as the scratches disappear from one location, move to a new location and continue until all small- to medium-sized scratches are removed (see Figure 3a). Dwelling with the gun in one location for 10 seconds or more on undried plastic will cause it to bubble (see Figure 3b). Dried plastic will not bubble, but it will get soft enough to distort and create a wavy surface. Waves create an undesirable lens effect that significantly distorts the image seen through a shield.

This process was used successfully in an environment with temperatures ranging from 15 to 27 C (60 to 80 F) and 50 to 60 percent relative humidity. Heat guns rated for 1,000 to 1,500 watts were used successfully, as were conventional and air-circulating ovens. It may be difficult to find ovens in some areas large enough to hold shields without putting plastic too close to a heating element."

Read more here:
http://maic.jmu.edu/journal/10.2/r&d...tz/heafitz.htm

I don't know if the heat gun would remove the fog resistant coating on visors.

[FrugalNinja250]

Many visors have a microthin layer that protects against scratches, and these cannot be polished. Before working in the vision area, test over to one side by the hinge to make sure whatever technique you use will not destroy the visor further.

BTW, the above procedure references 1/4" thick material, which makes me think this procedure is oriented to something other than motorcycle visors which are rarely even 1/4 that thickness.

[CZroe]

I think it might make sense to warm it again once mounted back on the helmet in case it reformed a bit and puts too much stress on it.

[Motofool]

The sandpaper method:

http://www.gadgetjq.com/shield_scratch_removal.htm

Bonus for windshields:

http://www.gadgetjq.com/windshield_scratch_removal.htm