ThaiCobra

So i got like 4 - 5 significant chips and scratches in my paint. I decided to fix em this week:

So.... I put some spot-putty into em. sanded

primerd, sanded

2 coats of torchred matched paint, sanded.

My question is this: everything looks good and matches, but the spot is obviously dull from the sanding. Should i use a clear coat? or do i just keep waxing the area until it shines again?

whats the last step to get the shine back and blend it in?

Likeaboss

You are going to have to clear it or it will never look shine and the paint will come off eventually.

danzcool

If it was a one-step paint that is supposed to have the clear built in, you just need to polish it. Assuming you wet sanded with 2000 or 3000 grit already, you need to go with a 3-step process: "compound, polish, wax", so use something like maguires ultimate compound, maguires ultimate polish and then whatever wax you normally use.

ThaiCobra

Thank you so much.

i'll post pics of the results.

MustangFirstCar

For future reference, I'm a detailer and the way I fix chips or small scratches is this:

I lightly wetsand with 600 grit on the area, very lightly. Then I take one of those paint correction 'pens' for clearcoat and try to apply it to the area as evenly as possible. Next I take 1500 grit and wetsand the area as flat as possible while making sure not to sand too much, just so it's almost even. Then I jump to 2000 grit and do some more light sanding, and then I go over the whole area with 3000 until it looks like I want it. Then buff it or polish it with your favorite products until the shine comes back.


As for your current situation, you should clearcoat the area and then do a bit of wetsanding with 3000 grit before buffing it smooth. The shine will come back.

EDIT: Oh and do a light pass with some under 1000 grit paper before you spray the clearcoat or it might not adhere properly.