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    Invelos Forums->General: General Discussion Page: 1 2  Previous   Next
Repairing a scratched DVD
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantBill MacNeill
Bill
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 360
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Just brought the disc to Hollywood Video. They have a machine that buffs out the scratches on the surface. Just put it in the DVD player and it worked flawless. I think this is the best solution of all. Best of all they did it for free.
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantrpmendez
Registered: April 7, 2007
Posts: 22
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Peanut butter.

I swear, peanut butter!

I read in a boating repair manual that peanut butter is the best way to polish a boat's windshield after it has lots of scratches and scuffing and it worked great.  So I got to thinking that a boat's windshield is made of a plastic and needs to be optically clear and clean just like a CD so I grabbed an old Doobie Brothers CD from like the first year CD's were available...yeah that old. 

The disc was completely unplayable for about 10 years because it fell out of a portable player and I stepped on it and it slid (face down...OF COURSE) on concrete while I was shovelling snow.  I kept it around just for sentimental value.

I applied the peanut butter treatment 3 times and the disc plays perfectly to this day and that is all that I have used for all my CD and DVD repair since!

Simply take a small dab of peanut butter on your finger and smear it on the disc in very small circles (about the size of a nickel or a quarter) like you're applying car wax.  After the disc is coated, start applying some pressure and continue the small circular buffing.

When you feel like you want to give it a try (usually after 3-5 minutes) carefully wipe the bulk of the peanut butter off with a soft cloth, WIPING FROM THE CENTER OUTWARDS ONLY.  DO NOT WIPE IN A CIRCLE AROUND THE DISC OR YOU MAY CAUSE MOR DAMAGE!.  Afterwards rinse the disc in water to remove any remaining peanut butter then dry cafefully with a soft cloth using the same wiping technique.  When dry, give it a try.  If it doesn't work yet, give it a couple more applications and retry until it works.  My worst ever disc (the aforementioned Doobie Brothers) took 3 applications and about 20 minutes.

*** BY THE WAY: DO NOT USE CRUNCHY ***
(just in case that wasn't completely obvious!)
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantRossRoy
Registered: March 13, 2007
Posts: 793
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Quoting rpmendez:
Quote:
*** BY THE WAY: DO NOT USE CRUNCHY ***
(just in case that wasn't completely obvious!)


While you're at it, you should add:

*** DO NOT USE THIS TECHNIQUE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS! ***

 


Not that peanut allergies is any laughing matter 
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantrpmendez
Registered: April 7, 2007
Posts: 22
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Quote:

While you're at it, you should add:

*** DO NOT USE THIS TECHNIQUE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS! ***


Good Point!
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6
 Last edited: by rpmendez
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantDonald
Registered: March 18, 2007
Posts: 6
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Go to www.asseenontv.com and go to search and ask cd and you will see
cd clinic.... this will repair scratched DVD

Donald
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantErin
AKA 'PastorErin'
Registered: April 10, 2007
United States Posts: 68
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Quoting rpmendez:
Quote:
Peanut butter.

I swear, peanut butter!


I just tried it on an old CD my son had that was completely unplayable (why he kept it, I'll never know) and it woks perfectly now.  Of course my finger smells like peanut butter... but the CD works.  THanks!

I don't have any DVDs that don't play right now... and I hope I never do.  And I have a concoction made by a local company that makes light scrathes/wear-and-tear completely disappear. So I'm not convinced that I'll pull out the peanut butter for a DVD.  The idea of slathering peanut butter on one of my DVDs just goes against every thing I believe in.

But who knows what the desperate will do in times of need. 
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantMark Harrison
I like IMDB
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: Great Rating
United States Posts: 3,321
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I'm surprised that boiling hasn't been brought up yet.  That's a favorite over at DVDTalk (hit the main DVDTalk board and do a search for boiling).  Most people have great luck with it.

Boil some water, drop the disc in, wait for 2-3 minutes, buff it dry.

Don't worry about melting.  I think the plastic has something like a 400 degree boiling point.

I've tried it with Gamecube games that belong to my kid.  I've not tried this on my own DVDs yet.  But I do my best to make sure it's not an issue in the first place.  As always, do this at your own risk.  I won't be responsible for any damage done to your movies.

We've also tried the professional scratch repair services.  Most places simply buff the disc really good.  But I know of a user record store near where I live to literally remove the top layer of plastic and apply a brand new coat.  They actually resurface the discs instead of simply buffing them.  If you go this route, make sure you know which method they use.  I don't recall prices, but both methods were just a few dollars.
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 Last edited: by Mark Harrison
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantnuoyaxin
prev. known as ya_shin
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
Taiwan, Province of China Posts: 3,436
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Quoting Mark Harrison:
Quote:
Don't worry about melting.  I think the plastic has something like a 400 degree boiling point.

I I worry about melting, wouldn't the melting point be more important than the boiling point?  

However, if people at DVDTalk swear by it, I'll give it a try (I actually have a disc right now, that I can try this with...).
Achim [諾亞信; Ya-Shin//Nuo], a German in Taiwan.
Registered: May 29, 2000 (at InterVocative)
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantDan
Registered: March 17, 2007
Posts: 14
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I'm surprised more people have not mentioned Brasso - I use this all the time for scratches on my DVD's and those that I rent that my finicky DVD player wont play.

I have only come across one disc in about a year (since i discovered the brasso trick) that I haven't been able to fix.

Also I used brasso to clear up my sister in-laws scratched up iPod screen - did a very decent job - took a few applications though 
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantbobb
Registered: March 14, 2007
United States Posts: 489
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I started this thread and thought I would ad the resolution to my question. After trying Pledge, Taking it to a DVD reseller and put it through their rebuffing machine, Using the 2 solutions my friend at American Airlines uses to repair scratched cockpit windows nothing worked! So I may have a very localized instance of the Dreaded DVD rot. I love this DVD, and even though I have to order it from a specialty web store, at least they now sell it separately from the box set that was $125+ a few years back.

And thanks for all the tips along the way.

Bobb
Do Cheshire Cats drink evaporated milk?
 Last edited: by bobb
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