[GUIDE] Touching up scratches on aluminum receiver

[luongoo]

Hello friends,

I'd like to preface this guide by acknowledging that I am a sissy. I like keeping my things shiny and new as long as possible, and silver scratches on a black finish triggers my OCD like nothing else.

If this sounds like you, and you have yet to come up with a decent solution to your various scratches and nicks, then you're in luck because I spent the past day and a half trying various "scratch fixes" on my VFC HK416D


1. The Sharpie method

First one is the easiest, and the one I ended up going with on my own gun. It's the most obvious solution as well. I don't recommend going over your scratches with an actual Sharpie felt pen because Sharpie has too much of a sheen/gloss to it and the pen-tip is way too wide to cover most types of scratches. I know this because I tried.

What I did instead was go to Staples and buy myself some fine-tip Staedler permanent markers. I also bought some Staples brand as well just to test them out (they were cheap). Didn't look up the markers beforehand, just saw that they are supposedly "smudge-proof" and waterproof and can be applied to any surface. Staples let me open the package and test the marker on random metal shit they had (e.g.stapler).

You don't necessarily want to draw a line over your scratch. I used the fine-tip and just made very minute dots along the scratched area, waited for it to dry a bit (5-10s), then just rubbed it a bit with my finger.

Dry erase markers don't work because... well, they rub right off, that's what they are designed to do. But the one I had matched the color superbly. You can use dry-erase markers to remove Sharpie. Or soap. Or rubbing alcohol. Comes right off.

This worked surprisingly well

Rubbing it in took off most of the "sheen", and what was left was a near perfect match of the ink to my receiver finish. This was surprisingly, amazingly close and unless you look from like 10 cm away in good lighting, you could never tell it was scratched.

I honestly think most of you should just stop reading here and just do that. It's non-toxic, won't come off easily, and looks amazingly close.


2. Touch-up pen method

Using a Birchwood Casey flat black touch-up pen (Amazon link), draw on your scratch. That's all. I never did this because I didn't want to draw larger than my scratches, so I'd end up with a darker or lighter black patch on my receiver. But apparently this works quite well.


3. Aluminum Black method

Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black (you can order it from Bass Pro Shops for about 13-14 CAD) is some clear blue toxic and corrosive liquid that turns aluminum black upon contact by some oxidization process (I'm a finance major, not a chemist). Try not to breathe in the fumes.

You don't have to worry about over-applying because this stuff only acts on exposed aluminum.

I haven't done this, I'm thinking of doing it.

Your local gunsmiths may have this and the touch-up pen, and you can probably drop by and they might even help you for free (it takes like 2 minutes).

Problem with this is, airsoft receivers aren't exactly made of the highest grade aluminum: you'll never know what color will come if you applied this. I'll report back if I go ahead and try this on my VFC.

TL;DR: OCD cure = take a fake Sharpie clone, poke your scratches, rub them in to remove Sharpie sheen.

Thanks for reading, figures this might help somebody.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, some of the scratches weren't scratches but finish transfer from... I don't know what. They came off after I rubbed some dry erase on and wiped (magic marker has some kind of solvent I guess).

[luongoo]

Sharpie method:

Before pictures: (taken by someone else)





After pictures: (taken by me)




Honestly, I could have tried harder, and I probably will. Some spots I didn't bother because they aren't black and are going to wear again anyway (all the buttons), some spots I half-assed, but from any decent distance, you can't tell. For the parts that don't show up nicely (by the bolt catch), I am probably going to use aluminum black, or just leave it.

[aeminence]

I bought a G&G 416 used and it has alot of wear on it. Might give this a try! Ill prob skip the sharpie method tho

[luongoo]

Originally Posted by aeminence

I bought a G&G 416 used and it has alot of wear on it. Might give this a try! Ill prob skip the sharpie method tho

If you have some other marker like a Staedler permanent, give it a try on a small ding. Just a small dab, wait for it to dry a bit, and rub off the excess with your finger. Might surprise you.

It's no good for large scuffs and scratches lol.

[chaz]

Why hide the battle scars? Embrace them!