Polishing a plastic window

Just wondering if I could polish the plastic window of some flashlights (you usually call it "lens" even if it's not a lens) as they have some small scratches.

If yes, how?
Thanks you

I use a product from TAP Plastics. Made by Novus, this three-stage kit contains three bottles (8 fluid Oz each). #3 Is the Heavy Scratch Remover, #2 is the Fine Scratch Remover and #1 is the Plastic Clean and Shine. If it's a common lens though, it would be cheaper to buy a UCL from Flashlightlens.com.

Getting back to polishing, use either a clean cotton cloth or a very low speed buffer (with the appropriate buffing wheel). Buff lightly, and keep checking your results. Don't use a non-variable speed Dremel or any other high-speed device because you will wind up melting the lens.
Again, ordering an Ultra Clear Lens from Flashlightlens.com is the economical route to go and you will find you won't need to buff your lens since it's glass.

Update, don't use on coated or polycarbonate plastics!

I've never tried it on a flashlight, but I have used toothpaste on a q-tip to polish a badly scratched cheap watch crystal. After I got the large scratches out, I put another dab of paste on the lens and briskly rubbed it on my jeans. It looked like new. There are other plastic polishing compounds available at your local auto or boat store, used for polishing soft plastic windows on Jeep soft tops and such. I would try the toothpaste, the price is right. Plastics and pastes vary, so try it on a junker first. -Nick

Lemon Pledge has always done a great job on my Jeep's plastic "windows" (after they have been washed with soap/warm water/clean soft cotton rag). I imagine that it would polish a flashlight's poly lens pretty well but I haven't tried it yet. :duck:

Toothpasta on my swiss Swatch watch for witches, that's a good idea to make a test that require 0 cent of investment

Otherwise, replacing the lens by a glass one is a good idea... if I figure out how to open that &@#$%£ glued head.

Thansk a lot.

I have a Mazda Miata with the convertible top. Since it's an earlier model, the back window is made from plastic and not glass.

A few years ago, I found a product made for automobile plastics that polishes 'em up very nicely. It's a plastic polish from Griot's Garage:
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=11186

This should help you with your lens/plastic window issue...

Regards,
Mike

lightwait said:

I've never tried it on a flashlight, but I have used toothpaste on a q-tip to polish a badly scratched cheap watch crystal.

Click to expand...

This works on Luxeon optics (NX-05, etc.); I don't see why not on a plastic flashlight lens. Just make sure the cloth you're using is a soft one.

I regularly use toothpaste and cue-tips with acrylic lens, never had a problem.

Anthony

Brasso. Works great!

JM-99

Micro mesh is great, in the Airforce we use it for polishing scratches from aircraft canopies. Depending on how bad the scratches are, use the 4000 grit up to the 12000 grit and finish with their polish.

Jumpmaster said:

Brasso. Works great!

JM-99

Click to expand...

I'll second that.

I did a test with toothpasta on my watch. It works, scratches were removed but window looks now a bit opacified, less crystal clear. Looking very carefully I can see millions miniature scratches. I'll need to check if it's the tip who caused them or the pasta. If it's the pasta, then, well, I will need some of higher number grain... Not easy to find . I'll try first to find a very smooth cloth.
Thanks all

Anybody ever try that stuff called "Liquid Lens" or another one called Lens Dr.? (As Seen On TV) Do they work?

Liquid Lens: http://www.alltvstuff.com/lens2.html
Lens Dr.: http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/lens_doctor.html?gid=

I'm thinking about trying that stuff out. First on a pair of old sunglasses that are too badly scratched to use, and then if it works, on my Nuwai 3-Cell 5w light (it's two year birthday is this month!).

You can find display polish in a phone shop or in a RC shop. Ebay has a lot of listings for it as well.
Displex on Ebay

Thanks Bart, I just bought it! It looks safe enough.

(I hope this isn't a double post. I just checked twice, and the one I just posted doesn't seem to be there, so I'm retyping it)

Edit: Nope this isn't a double post!

Brasso or Zaino Z-14 plastic polish ( www.zainobros.com )

Jason

I've heard that Brasso is good for polishing plastic watch crystals but I never used and can't vouch for it.

I bought yesterday on a local jewelry a product called "polyWatch polish" ( http://www.e-v-i.de ). It worked amazingly well on my watch!
I was so exited by the result that I immediatly tried on the plastic window of my flashlight, and... sad I am now
I assume it's not the same kind of plastic as it didn't worked as well as on my watch. Yes, most scratches were removed but the window lost part of its transparency. It's a bit white-ish. Nothing serious that makes the FL unusable, but for picky guys like us it's inacceptable
I guess watch windows are polycarbonate. I'll try to find the Xerapol from E.V.I., for acrylic and plexiglass. Maybe the flashlight window is that.

Note: before going to a jewelry I tried many phone shops. Vendors looked me like an alien saying that such polish products don't exist...

Wow, look at this site. The procedure to fix polycarbonates is pretty labor intensive.

It might be cheaper to buy a new replacement lens?

edit: oooops, I forgot to give you the link!

http://www.properautocare.com/scoffapgu.html

Well, it has not been very labor intensive for my watch

If I can't find the Xerapol (or similar) or if it doesn't help, that's what I will try to do, replacing the lens (if I can open the head).