Toothpaste....!

[WavecloudCustoms]

Ok folks, put a scratch in my Carbon Blades yesterday! Gutted to say the least.

I have heard that scratches can be removed with mild non abrasive toothpaste?

Did a search and yes it does seem correct.

My CB's are the Grey Matte Black model, so no iridium coating, I believe?

I was gonna try it on an old pair but thought, sod it, bit the bullet and tried on my Carbon Blades, no messing about!

The good news is, it has worked a bit after two applications, the scratch is less visible.

I will be having another go as soon as I get home.

 

[WavecloudCustoms]

The geeza at Oakley customer care reckons new replacement lenses should be available by Xmas...?

 

[OakleyBoss]

I'd wait for the replacements. Not sure about the toothpaste. I've hear a bunch of rumors for removing scratches, but it could also make it worse.

 

[WavecloudCustoms]

I've tried it & although it didn't remove the scratch totally, it's certainly improved it.

 

[kronin323]

I wonder if polishing scratches out of lenses affects the optics? Not necessarily the clarity but maybe the refractive power and / or prism?

 

[WavecloudCustoms]

I wonder if polishing scratches out of lenses affects the optics? Not necessarily the clarity but maybe the refractive power and / or prism?

Yes - good point. I suspect it does a bit. Just depends on how far you take it.

 

[SpliceD]

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive. What you're doing is basically taking liquid sandpaper to your lenses. I've done this before on my car windshield and it worked great. Not sure about lenses and how that affects optics. I guess it won't matter if the scratch is outside your field of vision, but i'd just opt for new lenses if it was in my line of sight.

 

[kronin323]

There is a product called Novus 1-2-3 for removing scratches in plexi and other plastic materials. It's actually a collection of three different products:

1 is just a clean & shine; it doesn't remove scratches but just cleans and protects.

2 is a minor scratch remover / polish with some very fine abrasives. In addition to removing minor scratches, it can clarify / polish hazed plastic. This would be comparable to using toothpaste, only much more effective.

3 is a heavy scratch remover. It has a stronger abrasive.

Basically you start with whatever level is appropriate then work your way downward, such as 3-2-1 or just 2-1 or just 1.

If one was determined to remove scratches from lenses, this would be the most effective stuff, in my experience. Though personally I'd just replace scratched lenses and save scratch removers for display cases and other applications. And if the scratch is on iridium, no chance - any remover would also damage / take off the iridium.

That might also apply to non-iridium polarized - I believe the polarization is the outer layer with those.

 

[WavecloudCustoms]

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive. What you're doing is basically taking liquid sandpaper to your lenses. I've done this before on my car windshield and it worked great. Not sure about lenses and how that affects optics. I guess it won't matter if the scratch is outside your field of vision, but i'd just opt for new lenses if it was in my line of sight.

Exactly - if getting new lenses, why not try it and see.

 

[SpliceD]

That might also apply to non-iridium polarized - I believe the polarization is the outer layer with those.

Oakley prides on their technology where the polarization is fused into the lenses and not a layer that's glued on.

http://www.oakley.com/en/technology/eyewear