Originally Posted by
Unca_Sam
I'm looking for tips and techniques that those of you who refurbish or flip bikes use to repair or minimize the little scratches all over a frame.
I recently bought this 1989 Kona cinder cone for trail and cx duty. The paint is in fair condition. Unfortunately I'm more than a little vain about my bikes, which is why this bothers me. Here's an example from the head tube.
Cinder cone head tube after single use of auto polishing compound. Cable rub and many instances of scratches.
I will not be blasting and powder coating this bike for perfect paint. I will be riding this bike, hopefully in competition. Larger areas I'll cover with a close match. What can i do with the small stuff too deep to buff out with polishing compound and too small for touch up?
That paint does not have diffuse scratches in need of some polishing. You have deep scratches and paint loss to bare metal. You don't need polish. You need touch up paint. Nothing is too small for touch up - get a smaller brush.
After you clean and touch up the lost paint, then some polish will help blend the new into the old.