Buffing out scratches on disc games

sm04as

sm04as

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Where's the best place to go? I heard gamestop does it, but I have my reserves about doing it. I've used a disc doctor in the past, but it actually looked worse.

On a side note, when it comes to trading and someone says their discs have "No scratches, smudges, or writing on any of the disc games besides tiny scratches only visible in the sunlight from normal wear," what exactly should that mean? I don't normally buy disc games, but I'd like them to be as mint as possible and I can understand a few scratches here and there, but should I expect to have the entire disc covered with scratches?
 
I would suggest trying to check local cd/game stores. By local game stores I mean the ones similar to mom and pop stores, since a few will offer repairs to help keep the store running.

I know my local game store offers this and is decently priced at $4 a disc no matter how deep the scratch is, but the machine they have is around $1,500-$2,000.

Just remember that not all scratches can be repaired.
 
I just called the last "local" place around me, Vintage Stock, and they charge 2.99 a disc. The guy said it takes about 5 minutes per disc. I think I make 2 or 3 in next time I go in.
 
[quote name='sm04as']On a side note, when it comes to trading and someone says their discs have "No scratches, smudges, or writing on any of the disc games besides tiny scratches only visible in the sunlight from normal wear," what exactly should that mean? I don't normally buy disc games, but I'd like them to be as mint as possible and I can understand a few scratches here and there, but should I expect to have the entire disc covered with scratches?[/QUOTE]

It's interesting you mention this, because there can be different types of wear depending on the game's history. One obvious cause is someone who keeps the discs loose for the cats to play hockey with, or someone who keeps their discs in a binder; both of these are usually worse than storing the discs in their original cases.

However I've noticed another type of wear in Playstation 1 or Dreamcast discs, and that is the semi-circular scuff caused by the console itself. It's odd actually, I've never had any problems with this type of wear even though lateral scratches are supposedly more damaging.

It depends on the era as well: I think black-backed ps1 discs could take a lot of abuse, but conversely blue-backed ps2 games seem especially vulnerable to scratches.
 
[quote name='detectiveconan16']I've heard polishing with toothpaste, Pledge, and Vaseline work wonders, though it isn't a very permanent solution.[/QUOTE]

Not a really good idea since the chemicals in the products can actually eat away at the protective seal on the disc.

If you want a quick fix then go to WalMart and buy a tube of scratch out. It is very similar to what professional machines use to fix discs.
 
[quote name='clonesniper666']I would suggest trying to check local cd/game stores. By local game stores I mean the ones similar to mom and pop stores, since a few will offer repairs to help keep the store running.

I know my local game store offers this and is decently priced at $4 a disc no matter how deep the scratch is, but the machine they have is around $1,500-$2,000.

Just remember that not all scratches can be repaired.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately I don't have any mom & pop stores around me. I think all the all the larger electronic stores probably drove them out a long time ago. But I will try a tube of scratch out.


[quote name='Indigo_Streetlight']It's interesting you mention this, because there can be different types of wear depending on the game's history. One obvious cause is someone who keeps the discs loose for the cats to play hockey with, or someone who keeps their discs in a binder; both of these are usually worse than storing the discs in their original cases.

However I've noticed another type of wear in Playstation 1 or Dreamcast discs, and that is the semi-circular scuff caused by the console itself. It's odd actually, I've never had any problems with this type of wear even though lateral scratches are supposedly more damaging.

It depends on the era as well: I think black-backed ps1 discs could take a lot of abuse, but conversely blue-backed ps2 games seem especially vulnerable to scratches.[/QUOTE]

The ps1 games seem to be made of a cheaper or thinner plastic, and they definitely can easily build up a lot of wear if not handled properly. I actually brought it up because of a trade that had the potential to go sour because the seller thinks my standards are too high. The semi-circular scuff marks can be an issue, but the discs I got look like those same cats were the ones scratching them, quite randomly.


[quote name='detectiveconan16']I've heard polishing with toothpaste, Pledge, and Vaseline work wonders, though it isn't a very permanent solution.[/QUOTE]

That's pretty interesting, I think I'll have to try them out some time, but I'll use it on a disc that I don't mind losing too much.
 
[quote name='sm04as']
That's pretty interesting, I think I'll have to try them out some time, but I'll use it on a disc that I don't mind losing too much.[/QUOTE]

occasionally scratching the entire disc so that the bottom of the disc is scratched EVENLY will work, but it has a low success rate. I once did it to Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox...it looked like it had been used as a frisbee and didn't work, so I scratched it badly with a sponge so that the scratches were all even with each other (as in, no deeper scratches then others) and it worked a little bit before just pooping out entirely.

Putting toothpaste or something like that on there will fill in the scratch but if it works, it will only work for a very very short amount of time.
 
If you live near a Play N Trade, they buff discs for $5. I accidentally knocked over.my 360 with Gears 3 on it and they were able to get it to work again.
 
I have some GameCube discs that don't work. The scratches are not obvious but they're bad enough apparently to make the discs defective. I tried a self-repair kit for discs. It had a white substance and involved rubbing it with a microfiber cloth in a straight line across specific scratches. I think its an attempt to fill in the scratch. It worked on one disc but I still have four duds. I've tried toothpaste - did nothing to help. I imagine its the same concept as the repair stuff. Also tried Rain-X. Didn't help. I think I also tried various liquids in this thing I found at Target, I believe, that has a circular microfiber buffing thing in this contraption you manually spin the disc around in. The device is meant for just cleaning discs, not repairing them. Anyway, that didn't work either.

There's a YouTube video of a guy making his own grinder/buffer using a drill and some other stuff, and I think he uses a Windex-like solution. That's the most "legit" looking home-solution I've seen on YouTube. But I can't even confirm his methods work for sure. The rest all seem fake.

Unfortunately the cost of paying a shop $2-5 a disc means I might as well just try to track down working disc-only copies of these non-functional GameCube games. Or try to get a Disc Doctor, if that even works.
 
I've only buffed old scratched CD's that were literally lying in random places with no case. But they're also discs so yeah...

I use a terry cloth and those car scratch removal polishes and it works, but you need a lot of patience since you'll probably have to do it a few times. And do it from center out, not by circling the disc.

Also used it to remove scuffs from a shiny PS1 hard plastic case. :cold:
 
If you have a Family Video nearby, they do it for $2-3 a disc. If you're looking for a machine, the JFJ Easy Pro ($140 on amazon) is a pretty cheap solution, it handles light to moderate scratches pretty well...not so much on deep ones or ring scratches, and it can't do gamecube games.
 
I bought a bottle of the Gamestop scratch repair fluid (this stuff) and apply it with cotton rounds instead of the included cloths. It's worked on most everything for me, but it won't fix everything. It's not bad to have around for a quick fix on a cheap flea-market game... especially since that bottle will last for years.

I understand the issues with disc doctor- my fiance has one, and there's only 1 disc I've had trouble fixing that it didn't take care of... but that funky radial pattern is really distinctive. Anyone who looks at it will know it was disc doctored, so it hurts the resale value.

Keep in mind that some discs aren't fixable. I own 4 discs that coudln't be repaired to functional:

2 DVDs, purchased new, with freezing/skipping issues. They were pristine when I got them, so they're probably defectives.
1 game purchased new from a clearance with 3 scratches in a ring around the center. Deepest scratches I'd ever seen on a disc. The reapir fluid fixed it aesthetically, but the sound issues remained. I imagine the data layer was damaged, due to the deepness of the scratches.
1 game out of a white plastic bin at a flea market booth with no cover, during the summer. This one's obvious- you can't fix heat damage with scratch repair. Worst part is, the only place it freezes is right before the ending cutscene plays. I've finished the game 3 times and not seen the end.

On a side note, when it comes to trading and someone says their discs have "No scratches, smudges, or writing on any of the disc games besides tiny scratches only visible in the sunlight from normal wear," what exactly should that mean? I don't normally buy disc games, but I'd like them to be as mint as possible and I can understand a few scratches here and there, but should I expect to have the entire disc covered with scratches?
Click to expand...

YMMV. One person's 'normal wear' is another's 'run under a belt sander'. Use feedback in these cases to see if they've made anyone else mad, and keep in mind if you do the trade/sale, it's not going to be truly mint.
 
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