Scratches in CRT face
 

Is there a process or any recommended way to try to remove scratches from the face of a CRT? I would imagine that you could only be somewhat successful depending on how deep they are of course but anything to minimize what's there is better than wasting a good tube.

My primary concern is with the non-bonded glass tubes, but I'd be interested on the newer safety glass types also.

A couple guys have mentioned having good luck doing this, but not recently. (this was common, apparently, back when crt rebuilding was a big business) I deal with different glass shops at work but have never been able to get them to sand/buff any type of glass at all, let alone something that might implode! I've looked at the glass buffing kit that Eastwood sells but it is kinda expensive to experiment with. Also, I was reading the other day in a glass trades magazine about newer techniques/products that work better than the old standbys. Okay, that's all I know!

I would shy away from trying to polish out a scratch unless it was really superficial: too scary on something that could go boom. However, I would think you could have success with one of the plastic products that they use for repairing chips in windshields. They have a refractive index close to that of glass and should be able to fill up the gap and make it disappear, then have any excess carefully razor-bladed off when dry.

I've got the same issue on my CTC-38. The only thing I can think of is that stuff they use to fill car windshields with, to try and fill in the scratches. Kind of need an experienced hand for that, or at least access to said chemicals.....

I have buffed out scratches but always end up with a little magnifying glass that shows a distorted dot pattern.

The base way I have found to fix it is move the chair further back.

Ok, you got me laughing on that one! I did take a red scotchbrite pad and it dulled the scratches some, at the expense of clouding the area. So I'm still at square one, and trying to come up with something as well as polishing/buffing it up. I don't mind a little experimenting here if it's helpful.

I've been told that Cerium Oxide is the best abrasive to polish glass with. Never tried it myself though.

I have always used toothpaste

We used cerium oxide in the jewelry business for polishing scratches and dulling nicks on the edges of gemstones with good results using a tool similar to a dremel with a cotton buffing cup attached to it. I imagine it would work great on glass.

i have used very fine sandpaper,wet!1200 grit and a delicate hand.you have to be careful.if you go too far,you may get a blotch in the screen.the blotch will be worse than the scratch