share with us your CD scratch repair wisdom

[Rÿcher]

everyone has various ways of fixing everything.

come brothers and sisters, let us break bread and share with us your knowledge of fixing scratches in CDs.

I've tried the toothpaste method to varying degrees of success. Mostly to the point of failure. I don't know if it's because I'm using the wrong kind of toothpaste or I'm rubbing too hard or too long or what but the plastic always seems hazed afterward - such that I doubt that it would be read at all.

I've tried rubbing the scratches down with the eraser end of a mechanical pencil. No joy.

I'm wondering if I could spray the CD with diluted Future floor polish and let it dry.

Some idjit on youtube suggests putting the CD in the microwave. Ever put a CD in a microwave? Very pretty light show and if ever you have any incriminating files you need destroying, I suggest you do it this way. You know, an illicit love-affair, tax evasion, Iran-Contra...

 

[Stiletto]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Try to burn a copy.

Usually, I just rub it in circles on my belly, then try again.

 

[Rÿcher]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Try to burn a copy.

Can't. they are encoded.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

You have to do this with some care, but sometimes you can melt a scratch out with a lighter. You dance the flame over it quickly enough that you don't scorch it, but slowly enough to actually work out the scratch.

I would only recommend this with a pressed CD, though, not a CD-R. The latter just tend to be more fragile in general, and you risk damaging the actual data film.

 

[Rÿcher]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

You have to do this with some care, but sometimes you can melt a scratch out with a lighter. You dance the flame over it quickly enough that you don't scorch it, but slowly enough to actually work out the scratch.

I would only recommend this with a pressed CD, though, not a CD-R. The latter just tend to be more fragile in general, and you risk damaging the actual data film.

next

 

[trekkiedane]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Personally I'd probably just burn (yet) another copy, but that's not for everyone. The lighter method Always sounded good to me but I haven't tried it myself.

Why not get a CD-repair kit? -Are they no good?

 

[Captain Intrepid]

I'm sure a buffing wheel and compound designed for polishing plastic would work just fine.

 

[RobertVA]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Try to burn a copy.

Can't. they are encoded.

Audio CDs usually aren't, but if your CD player is having trouble reading the disk, your computer drive might have trouble too.

 

[NCC1968]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Before there were gadgets in the stores I used to use superfine sandpaper made for repairing aircraft windscreens.

If it is a light scratch or just hazy you can sometime fill it with oil or wax and it will work. A finger wet with cooking oil/grease and polished into a fine film from the center outwards.

Same trick works in the darkroom for negative.

 

[DeafPoet]

Re: share with us your CD scrath repair wisdom

Unless a CD is totally fucked, this usually works for me:

Squirt a small amount of regular dish soap on there and with a soft cloth wipe in straight lines from the centre of the disc toward the outside edge. Get a different cloth, moisten and wipe clean. Yet a different cloth again and wipe dry. Never in circles though, always from the inside toward the outside.