mazda sent me touch up paint as a gift

everytime I use some on my hood or front bumper on chips my car looks worst.

whats the best way to apply touch up paint?????

I've read with either the end (where it rips from the book, not the tip) of a soft match, or possibly a toothpick, layering the paint a drop at a time, let it dry, then reapply. I haven't actually tried this, it's too cold to get out and have much patience. Then after filling, I believe you use some sort of polish or compound to buff it smooth.

I have used a toothpick but I never reapply or buff after

maybe thats the problem

a guy I know at the body shop says the match trick as well- just let the drop of paint fall by itself into the paint chip or scratch and then it will fill itself- also he says they (for scratches) have a VERY fine brush they basically fill the scratch with-ABOVE ALL he said to use patience-ALSO I just saw on the duplicolor site (the people that make the metalcast paint) they have some new touch-up ball-point pen- not sure about color matching though

I'm no expert, but here's what I've gleaned from various sources and my own experience: (1) The paint shrinks as it dries, so if you overapply, it will dry a lot smaller than when you started. (2) The product called Langka ("the Blob Remover") works OK to remove the excess after it's dry, but it will completely remove the touch-up paint sometimes, especially if it's not OEM touch-up paint, even if it's been dry for years. (3) Alternatively, if you overfill the hole, you can let it dry, then glue a circle of fine (1600?) sand paper to the end of a pencil eraser, and use it to sand down the excess, then polish it.

Personally, I wash the car, then use a fine paint brush from the hobby store, fill it in a couple of times to account for shrinkage, then either leave it alone or touch it up with Langka. I haven't tried sandpaper. Usually looks pretty good.

good info guys, thanks

I've seen a commercial for that ball point paint pen and it looks pretty good

Interesting thread!

I'm thinking out loud here...

If you overfill the chip, I wonder if using a razor blade at a shallow angle to the surface would allow you to carefully shave off the excess paint? Then you could carefully buff with a mild abrasive. I've had good success using metal polish to remove scratches from plastics, so perhaps the same might apply to clear coated surfaces?

Someone let their dog jump up on my Miata last year and gouged the rear bumper. I've been wondering ever since what the best approach would be to get the filled area flat again.

If you overfill just sand it (GENTLY) down using finer and finer grits. I've been doing this and then a quick polish/zaino. Still working on tecnique, but they already look better than the one sI just dabbed the paint into.

I haven't used by touch up paint yet but I did some hunting. Everywhere said use the match technique then use 2000 grit sandpaper to sand it. Punch the sandpaper with a hole puncher and glue the "holes" onto a new pencil eraser (new meaning flat and round). Apply one drop at a time and allow to dry a couple of hours then do it again. Lastly cure several weeks before waxing.

I want to do my first Zaino applicaiton but I also want to fill in one scrape and one chip first. It cold right now so I'll bet it will take more than 2 hours for each drop to dry.

OK, tooth picks and matches tend to work well. I've found that the best way to apply touch-up to the "smallest" rock chips, scratches, etc., is to find a regular fine bristle paint brush. Take and rip out "a single bristle." That's right, just one bristle. Barely dip it in the touch-up and allow it to just drip onto the rock chipped area. As posted above, the paint just "fills" the area. You may need to wipe away failed attemps, and try this multiple times before getting it right, but the "single bristle technique" has worked well for me.

The matchstick method is a good one, but in case anyone's interested, Griot's has a package of one-time applicators that do a more precise job. The sandpaper-on-an-eraser idea has also made the rounds and certainly sounds like it'd work. For "over-fills", professional body shops sell small shaped cutters embedded in a plastic block that will "shave" dust nibs and sags from new paint jobs. You can also order them from Eastwood Company online.

There is a very detailed DIY for repairing chips with touch-up paint at www.autopia.com I am not posting the instructions because they are copyrighted. You can download the detailing book at no charge.

Thanks for the info. I scratched my 8 yesteday with a hanger from the drycleaner, and coincidently, my "gift" showed up today! They must have known. I'll try the methods here to see which one works for me, and post my results. Thanks, forum mates.

Guys- Before you start sanding anything, check this stuff out:

http://www.langka.com/

I was recently keyed on my hood and fender- mildly and not very deep, but still several feet of scratches that pissed me off to no end. Anyway, I found this stuff after some recommendations on this board. I haven't done the scratches yet, but I have done a test on a small chip to get the hang of it... it's incredible.

It's basically a solvent for touch-up paint, but not OEM automotive paint, so it can smooth out the 'blobs' that touch up paint leave. The great part with this stuff is your supposed to leave a blob, so you don't have to be super careful- then come back when it's dry a few hours later and use this stuff to remove the blob excess. Scratches are a bit different, but can still be done with a little more care, which is why I'm practicing on chips : )

Their site explains it better than I do, but it's definitely the answer for my touch-up needs. You can probably find other threads on here that discuss it as well...

Originally posted by Hard 8
I'm no expert, but here's what I've gleaned from various sources and my own experience: (1) The paint shrinks as it dries, so if you overapply, it will dry a lot smaller than when you started. (2) The product called Langka ("the Blob Remover") works OK to remove the excess after it's dry, but it will completely remove the touch-up paint sometimes, especially if it's not OEM touch-up paint, even if it's been dry for years. (3) Alternatively, if you overfill the hole, you can let it dry, then glue a circle of fine (1600?) sand paper to the end of a pencil eraser, and use it to sand down the excess, then polish it.

Personally, I wash the car, then use a fine paint brush from the hobby store, fill it in a couple of times to account for shrinkage, then either leave it alone or touch it up with Langka. I haven't tried sandpaper. Usually looks pretty good.

Sorry to be redundant with my last post- I didn't see that Langka had been mentioned already.

One other idea that works well, especially with deep gouges. Try cleaning out the damaged area with a sanding pencil. It looks like a regular pencil with a fiber optic tip. It really cleans out the rough edges and lets the touch-up paint leave a smoother surface.

BTW Lankga is also sold at many Auto parts stores as McGuires with Lankga, and A few other mainstream wax co's as well, so you may find it locally. I used it, but it ended up taking all the added touch up paint off. I'm sure it will work in som instances, and at the very least allows you to undo mistakes.

That's all I needed to hear, just ordered my Langka.

I got two bottles. One as a gift and the other from the phone survey. I attempted my touch up last weekend. Nightmare first application. I quickly rubbed it off. I found that if you let it do set in the scratch or what ever it will settle, and look good. Just don't try and play with it too much. I have to look very hard to see where I put mine now.

max

Thanks mikeb and all. I'll try the Langka product. The Mazda paint sets up so quickly, that doing it with just their paint is impossible. It gets sticky in only a few seconds. If you can leave a blob, and then work with it, that is best. If it works, I'll post my results,

Originally posted by beachdog
There is a very detailed DIY for repairing chips with touch-up paint at www.autopia.com I am not posting the instructions because they are copyrighted. You can download the detailing book at no charge.

Actually its at www.autopia.org (http://www.autopia.org) not www.autopia.com. Look under the downloads section.

The .com site is for dentistry so if you have rock chips in your teeth, go there. :D

I just got an inch-long scratch down to the primer tonight courtesy of an SUV door-corner. Think the touch-up paint will be okay to use for this? I really want to avoid the whole body-filler and paint-blending thing at a shop. I can post a photo tomorrow...battery in my camera is about dead.

sorry to hear
I got something similar yesterday and I'm gonna try to wax the crap out of it

Stick pins from those folded up dress shirts you buy at Kohl's work well as drop applicators also...

You can get color matched paint pens, rattle cans and stuff at paintscratch.com Good stuff.

Touch-up paint has got to be THE WORST marketed automotive product EVER! It globbs on thick so you have to use a pin to put in in the rock chip and when it dries--it looks like ashy sh!t! So, naturally, you assume to put some clear coat paint on it, which only raises the paint up above the rest of the body. So instead of a rock chip or scratch your car, now, has either a wart or a scar! I hate that stuff! It's only good if you want to weak on small parts and make them match your exterior (e.g. mazda wheel emblems, etc.).

I wish the guy who invented touch-up paint dies in a c.f.! :mad:

Great attitude and good problem solving Phantom! I suppose you have a better idea?

Just a thought....but why couldnt you just thin down the touch-up paint and
just apply many coats?