CD Scratch Repair / Cleaner

[Ninanina]

I hope I've put this in the correct section of the forum.. if moderators think it's in the wrong place please shout !!

Does anyone have any recommendations on cd scratch/repair/cleaner system's without spending a fortune as I've got fed up with cd's skipping.. I'm not known for handling my cd's with 'kid gloves' but I'm not that bad, but lately I seem to have had quite a few skips and jumps..and it's making me mad :steam:

[walpurgis]

Are you sure it's the CDs Bev. It could be dust on the player's laser lens.

[Ninanina]

I think it's the cd's Geoff as they seem to skip on the same part of the cd... if not will a laser lens cleaner disc work ? like one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allsop-ProLens-Laser-Diagnostic-Cleaner/dp/B000CM47KU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422573371&sr=8-2&keywords=cd+lens+cleaner

[walpurgis]

I think it's the cd's Geoff as they seem to skip on the same part of the cd... if not will a laser lens cleaner disc work ? like one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allsop-ProLens-Laser-Diagnostic-Cleaner/dp/B000CM47KU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422573371&sr=8-2&keywords=cd+lens+cleaner

No better than one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Multimedia-CD-DVD-Blu-Ray-Lens-Cleaner-CD-Disc-in-Jewel-Case-Fast-Shipping-/390757011558?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Cleaning _Equipment_Kits&hash=item5afaeed066 At a third of the price.

I use a similar one occasionally.

Avoid the wet clean ones, they'll bugger things up.

[Ninanina]

No better than one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Multimedia-CD-DVD-Blu-Ray-Lens-Cleaner-CD-Disc-in-Jewel-Case-Fast-Shipping-/390757011558?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Cleaning _Equipment_Kits&hash=item5afaeed066 At a third of the price.

I use a similar one occasionally.

Avoid the wet clean ones, they'll bugger things up.

Thanks Geoff I'll order one of those as well.. Any recommendations on cd cleaners/restorers ?

[struth]

Yes more likely to be the lens or the runners. you are usually best cleaning them manually(presuming you are able) . clean and re graphite the laser runners as it seems to be at the same area of discs thus the same approx spot when the lens moves down. A good graphite pencil is ideal to get them nice and smooth and slidey ;)

if the cd doesn't look bad then just wipe it with a soft lint free cloth

[Ninanina]

Yes more likely to be the lens or the runners. you are usually best cleaning them manually(presuming you are able) . clean and re graphite the laser runners as it seems to be at the same area of discs thus the same approx spot when the lens moves down. A good graphite pencil is ideal to get them nice and smooth and slidey ;)

if the cd doesn't look bad then just wipe it with a soft lint free cloth

I'm sure I could have a go at that if necessary. I'll try a wipe down of the cd's first to see if that improves things. I could also go back to using the Pioneer 717 to see if things still skip in the same spot.. ;)

[walpurgis]

Thanks Geoff I'll order one of those as well.. Any recommendations on cd cleaners/restorers ?

Be very careful what you do with CDs. Once done, it can't be undone.

I've occasionally used jeweller's rouge to bring Cd surfaces up to a shine, but it's such a fine polishing medium, it takes a while (better than using something too abrasive).

[struth]

In the olden days of cd we used to resurface them with brasso. it worked very well and made the cds playable again in the juke boxes. They were of course better coated then so I wouldnt advise it now except on a knackered one as a trial.

[Ninanina]

Jeweller's rouge... that's a great tip, I hadn't thought of that... thanks.. ;)

Brasso sounds a bit harsh for my precious cd's ;)

[walpurgis]

Jeweller's rouge... that's a great tip, I hadn't thought of that... thanks.. ;)

Brasso sounds a bit harsh for my precious cd's ;)

I sometimes wash CDs in a very weak detergent/warm water and once dry, give them a buff up using clear spray furniture polish that contains wax (put on a cloth first). The wax fills 'micro scratches' making the CD easier for the player to read without errors.

[Ninanina]

Thanks for all the tips, really appreciate it.. :)

[Yomanze]

Brasso or T-Cut and 2x cotton balls, one to polish on and one to polish off. Works a treat and you won't damage your CDs. Focus on the damaged areas.

[struth]

Brasso or T-Cut and 2x cotton balls, one to polish on and one to polish off. Works a treat and you won't damage your CDs. Focus on the damaged areas.

yep thats how we did it...you can also use the wadding..best going from in to outer and back though and not round ways. new cds are not as heavily coated so best testing technique etc on old ones first.
cd jukes can be very rough on cds so it was a method developed over time and it does work

[Tim]

+1

Used to use Brasso but switched to T-Cut a number of years ago, never fails (unless the aluminium layer is damaged). Around half the CDs I buy are second-hand and often scratched and need reviving. Cleaning solutions are only good for surface muck, if they are scratched you need to get rid of the scratch. Always work across the CD in straight lines and concentrate on the area marked, test frequently as you don't want to go too far. I then wash the CDs in mild washing up liquid and warm water to remove the build up of cleaner and polycarbonate. T-Cut will mark and discolour a perfect CD surface, but if it skips then it's no use anyway.

I have also used this method in the past when I still played CDs - rip it using EAC to a lossless file which has fantastic error correction, then burn the file back to a CDR for a skip free CD. I don't need to do that now as I never actually 'play' CDs, just rip them to files, but I always have a bottle of T-Cut handy after a visit to the charity shop.

[Haselsh1]

If you take even a brand new CD and breathe on it so that it mists, you will notice a crazy pattern on the surface of the disc. If you then wash the disc in very hot water and detergent and dry with a piece of kitchen roll, you will notice when you breathe on it again that this crazy pattern has all gone. Nearly all of my CD's are washed this way when I buy them new. Does it change the sound of the music...? I don't know, try it...!

[Audio Advent]

Take it to somewhere like Game (computer game store) who might have a professional polishing machine for CDs/DVDs/Blurays and of course games.. Their website is under maintance so here's the google cache'd site: GAME Disc Repair Service (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:h-NKRZcnfwEJ:www.game.co.uk/en/info/Disc%2520Repair%2520Service%3Fbrdcrmb_trail%3DHelp %257CProducts%2520and%2520Services+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk). There are other places I'm sure on the high street, some by post for cheaper.

Then take extra care of it for the future as there will limited amount of times the surface can be skimmed like that (which is what brasso will be doing too, but in a localised manner, not the whole surface). I'd hesitate if it was a very early CD from the 80s that was prone to the information surface coming off (the picture layer) though..

Seriously, I've seen other people's after such a service and they come back as if they were new - try THAT with vinyl! haha.

[dowser]

Duraglit:)

[Yomanze]

Duraglit:)

Will try it out! Loads of great treatments for CD surfaces.

[dowser]

I used to carry a wad with me when doing field service way, way back - amazing how many bought the durability of CD pitch and used to use the things as drinks coasters :) CD reads from inside out, so pretty easy to tell whether it's scratch related - if yes, always clean vertically from inside to outside (or visa-versa) - round and round has more risk if you are digging deep into the plastic. As above, label side scratches are normally terminal - but I had some success with silver foil tape, but mostly with Philips machines, unreliable on other mechs.