So yesterday I was at a banquet and got into a discussion about a man interested in detailing vehicles. I have known him for a while and he has a habit of trying to act like he knows everything about anything. I was explaining to him about how you have to polish down the clear coat to remove scratches and he seemed to accept that it was possible to do it that way. After that however, he told me that he worked at a detail shop many years ago and that for heavy scratches he used hydrochloric acid to remove them. His logic behind this was that somehow this acid opens the pores and magically fills them in or something. I tried to be nice about it but somehow i think he knew i was skeptical. So my question is for all the chemists out there; is there any properties of hydrochloric acid that could possibly open the pores of the paint? Or was this person just trying to sound intelligent and made a fool of himself?
A new way to remove scratches?
- Thread starter oneill24
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FUNX650
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- Dec 1, 2010
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Since hydrochloric acid will open up the "pores" of concrete, I see it having no problem, whatsoever, opening up the "pores" of paint...including the "pores" of a "plastic clear-coat" paint.
How to close-up the paints' now "enlarged pores" from that process might pose a quite spirited debate.
Bob
Ron Atchison
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- May 2, 2011
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Well not really he said he removed scratches with it. He never said anything about the holes he made lol.
Kristopher1129
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I'm no chemist...but I'm gonna call bull, ha.
JonMiles
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- Jan 28, 2010
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I'm a chemist...and I'm gonna call bull.
Doesn't he know that hydrochloric acid is highly caustic and will do a lot more than "open the pores"? I see HCl having potential to remove scratches from paint by basically chemical burning the paint level above the scratch. Sure that could work, but the amount of potential damage is way worse than wetsanding and can't be removed readily. HCl is way to reactive to trust on paint.
Doesn't he know that hydrochloric acid is highly caustic and will do a lot more than "open the pores"? I see HCl having potential to remove scratches from paint by basically chemical burning the paint level above the scratch. Sure that could work, but the amount of potential damage is way worse than wetsanding and can't be removed readily. HCl is way to reactive to trust on paint.
FUNX650
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Hi Jon:
I'm curious about the progress on your new car care product line. What say ye?
Bob
Italian Iron
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Vinegar has 4 or 5% acidity and it will do damage if left to sit on paint for an extended length of time..Why would anyone want to handle HCI when there are other products that may do the job without the dangers of acid..
JonMiles
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Hi Jon:
I'm curious about the progress on your new car care product line. What say ye?
Bob
I've got a handful of polish formulations put together, but there are a few variables that i'm not 100% happy with as of right now.
I'd like to get my formulations as close to perfect IMO as possible. I have been able to achieve similar results to much of the lines out there right now, but I know if it is going to be profitable my products need to be better than the competition or similar but more cost effective.
FUNX650
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Sounds like you're on the right track....I'd be willing to purchase/test your products once you've reached the formulations you desire.
Keep us posted. Thanks!
Bob
Flash Gordon
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I think that dude was smoking crack
RTexasF
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Nope, he dropped acid :laughing:Im the MAN
ShineTimeDetail
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LOL I was in fl a few weeks ago talking with a guy thay worked at GM for years. He said when some one would scratch a car on the assembly line they would use a product, rub it on and the scratch would disappear....there is a product called Crazy grape....google it! lol
Mike Phillips
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- Dec 5, 2022
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I've seen detailers use HCI to remove Type I water spots, that is mineral deposits sitting on the top of the paint, not Type II or Type II
Type II are etchings or craters and would be similar to scratches if in fact this idea worked.
The problem with HCI is you don't want to get it on your skin because it will be absorbed into your body and it's dangerous. Just Google Hydrofluoric Acid and read the warnings.
I like what Renny Doyle says, if it's on your skin it's in you.
Just to note, I touch on using Vinegar to remove water spots in this thread...
Tips for removing Type I Water Spots
I think I even asked Jon about this topic as well as Dr. David Ghodoussi when I wrote the above article. Due credit where credit is due.
Work safe...
Type II are etchings or craters and would be similar to scratches if in fact this idea worked.
The problem with HCI is you don't want to get it on your skin because it will be absorbed into your body and it's dangerous. Just Google Hydrofluoric Acid and read the warnings.
I like what Renny Doyle says, if it's on your skin it's in you.
Just to note, I touch on using Vinegar to remove water spots in this thread...
Tips for removing Type I Water Spots
I think I even asked Jon about this topic as well as Dr. David Ghodoussi when I wrote the above article. Due credit where credit is due.
Work safe...