Fix a scrated DVD

January 3, 2004 4:41 PM

How can I repair a DVD with a couple of relatively deep scratches? (more inside)

I've got a DVD (actually its an Xbox game) with a couple of scratches on the shiny side, but no damage to the data layer. I've tried all the tricks that I've used on CDs in the past: car wax, rubbing compound, Bon Ami polishing compound, but to no avail. These scratches are deeper than I've ever tried to fix before. I'm considering a heat gun, but I bet that'll be nothing but trouble. Does anyone have any tricks? I know there's repair kits you can buy at the store, but from brief glances in the past, they don't look like they'd do much for a scratch with substance.

posted by duckstab to Technology (5 answers total)

heavy duty car wax, the kind that "cleanes" and restores the finish to a car's paint might fill in the scratches, but it will take a lot of elbow grease.

Be sure to only polish (repeatedly) radially, like the spokes of a wheel
posted by Fupped Duck at 5:21 PM on January 3, 2004

If the scratches are on the top of the disk (where the print is) I think you might be screwed - it's the ones on the bottom you can sometimes buff out by polishing.
posted by soplerfo at 5:29 PM on January 3, 2004

Upon reading your post a second time I understand you're talking about scratches on the bottom - sorry, I'll shut up now.
posted by soplerfo at 5:39 PM on January 3, 2004

I know you said you didn't want to buy a repair kit, but the Disc Doctor (the one with the wheel) has worked really well for me. I've gotten some pretty sizeable scratches out of used DVDs before. The good thing about it is that you don't have to buff the whole disc, only the afflicted sections.
posted by calistasm at 1:53 AM on January 4, 2004

Response by poster: I don't think anyone reads stuff this old, but anyways: I got the "Skip Doctor", which I think is the one calistasm meant. I actually sanded the disc down with 600 grit sandpaper till the scratches were almost gone, then went at it with the Skip Doctor for 20 minutes or so, and it worked! I'm pretty surprised.
posted by duckstab at 3:32 PM on January 10, 2004