CD Scratch Repair Kits


I buy a lot of used CDs on the internet and was wondering if
anyone has found a good system to remove CD surface scratches without doing excessive damage to entire CD surface? I would only use this if CD surface had many scratches or heaven forbid actually had a skip. Anyone tried the Skip Doctor?
128x128megasam
None of the scratch repair kits do much good in my experience. If the cd doesn't skip leave it alone to avoid putting more scratches on the surface and possibly degrading the sonic quality. Steve
I used to hear about folks using Crest toothpaste to repair wrist watch "crystal" or glass - filling the scratches, then polishing. ...Wonder if something similar would work for CD's. I also recall my father buffing and polishing scratches out of a CD with Brasso or similar (with mixed results).

…Anyone else with other (hopefully positive) experiences?

Cheers,

Mike
I bought a kit on this site for $20 or so called "CD Wipeout" that completely repaired an XRCD disc that was skipping on the last track. Under the light I could see a small mark on the outside of the disc. I followed the instructions on the Wipeout kit (you only apply the microabrasive goo on the actual visible scratch, not the whole disc) and presto! disc plays perfectly again. Also, the marks that were there are no longer visible. Good product, in my opinion.
This isn't a CD repair item per se, but I use something called Mikro-Smooth routinely on ALL CDs (CD-Rs too) to remode digital edge and, yes, fix minor problems on used CDs. It's not for the faint of heart because it involves scrubbing the hell out of them for 30 seconds, but it has never caused the slightest problem and works very well. It's avail from Mapleshade on a 30-day moneyback. No, I have no connection with them, just a satisfied customer.
The Discwasher stuff I mentioned is similar to CD Wipeout as far as how you use it and how it looks.
I have used the CD doctor or skip doctor or Data doctor or whatever you want to call it. Its a cheap piece of plastic #$%^, and arrived partially broken, but it actually works!!! It buffs out scratches, some so severe that the disk would skip or stick at various points. Its a pain to use and rather laborious, but it has paid back its price in salvaged CDs and CD-ROMs rather quickly (I have a 12 y.o. son).
IMHO, cursory impression only, the Skip Doctor appears to do an absolutely phenomenal job in restoring lightly scratched disks. Got turned on to it by the late, great, Harvey "Gizmo" Rosenberg. I say cursory, because for the most part, my kids are the ones who have used it on their abominably mishandled disks. I haven't done any exhaustive listening to their finished product by which I might be able to report on any content degradation, but I can attest that the before and after physical appearance is wholly astonishing. Disks with countless spider-like webs of light scratches come out looking virtually as new. I can state I've personally tried it on one single CD of my own that I was intending to throw away because it did have a skip and the good Doctor eliminated it entirely. Their Web site is http://www.digitalinnovations.com/products/doctorMD.html. BTW, to allay the anticipated...no, I have no association whatsoever with the company.
I have also used the Skip Doctor on scratched and skipping CD's. It is a pain to use but it works. I usually use either the auric illuminator or automotive plastic polish kiton the easy scratches. I also tested the skip doctor on a new Reference Recordings CD and compared it to another new one. If you fully polish the CD I could detect no loss due to the poishing.
The Maplshade Microsmooth works great.My friend had 6 discs that either skip or don't read.I treated them with this product{3 times per disc} and the skips and optical read problems were gone.This stuff does wonders on all CDs and improves th sound quality on CDRs {treated before recording}.It's like polishing silver,in fact it is a polish.An abrassive agent suspended in a lubricant.Just polish and rinse under a water source,dry-PRESTO!
If you are considering this product,contact me and I may have a lead.
I hope the recommendation that the Skip Dr. works are right. Due to the previous threads, I just went on line and ordered it. I primarily wanted it for my 7 year old son's computer games which are no longer readable.

Thanks
Richard
Obviously, it will depend on how badly they are scratched. In one case, the aluminzed layer was gouged out and no amount of polishing could fix that. But otherwise, it has fixed every CD or CD-ROM I've tried it on.