# Scratches in glass **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491 "2010-02-26T05:35:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/1 "2010-02-26T05:35:14Z")
I have an old (over 100 years) display cabinet with three heavy glass panes on the top. They’re beveled and tinted, and they’ve picked up a whole bunch of scratches over the decades. I don’t have the budget to replace the glass at the moment. Is there a way to polish or fill the cracks so they don’t show so much? I’ve seen a number of spiffy products you can rub on a scratched piece of wooden furniture that disguise the scratch. I know it’s a whole different story when you’re dealing with something transparent, but is there any such product for glass? ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/2 "2010-02-26T06:05:33Z")
Well, there’s this sort of thing: [http://www.seenontvproducts.net/liquidlens/index.html](http://www.seenontvproducts.net/liquidlens/index.html) Liquid that supposedly fills in scratches on your eyeglasses and makes them invisible. Never used it, and have no idea how effective it might actually be. But it’s at least theoretically possible. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/3 "2010-02-26T13:02:43Z")
I don’t know how well it would work on the type of glass you have, but Eastwood has a [glass polishing kit](http://www.eastwood.com/glass-polishing-kit-for-deep-scratches.html) for auto glass that might work. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/4 "2010-02-26T13:31:53Z")
You have an antique with scratches in heavy glass. and **YOU** want to do **what**? This is NOT a DIY type job if you wish to preserve the value of the piece. Consult an expert as to what to do if anything. Once fouled up the value is diminished forever. OTOH if you have no special considerations as to its intrinsic value make several inquires as to glass polishing systems and/or services and plough ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/5 "2010-02-27T13:46:27Z")
Thanks for the responses. I’ll look into those polishing kits. **Spingears** , the piece in question is a fixture in my bookstore. It’s led a hard life, and is missing drawers on the back (the side the customers don’t see), and we’ve already had to replace a piece of glass on the side. It’s missing some of the original hardware, too. It’s really cool and I like it a lot, but I don’t think there’s a lot of collector value to preserve. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/6 "2010-02-27T15:32:56Z")
Its a long shot, but clear contact paper might do the trick. Where the bigger, deeper scratches are you can fill them with some kind of clear, sticky fluid before you lay down the contact paper. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/7 "2010-02-27T15:33:51Z")
The Eastwood kit is a better bet than the one for eyeglasses (which appears to be intended for plastic lenses). ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/8 "2010-02-27T15:40:57Z")
I have used the Eastwood product. Take your time, follow the directions, use safety gear. It should go well. Have you priced a replacement? ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/9 "2010-02-27T16:41:22Z")
Somewhere I read that lemon oil will disguise scratches in glass. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/10 "2010-03-01T15:33:47Z")
Eventually, I would like to replace the glass, but it’s heavy beveled panes, and they’re pricey. Not in the budget right now. My main concern is being able to clearly see the products displayed below the glass. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/11 "2010-03-01T15:44:46Z")
What about buying some THIN pieces of glass, having them beveled (actually not so much beveled as ground so as to not be sharp), putting down a very thin layer of slowly evaportating oil/liquid and laying that glass over the thick scratched grass. That will make the scratches invisible (or nearly so). Thin glass is pretty cheap. And the contact paper idea will only cost a few bucks and few minutes of your time to try. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scratches-in-glass/530491/12 "2010-03-02T17:58:36Z")
The clear contact paper idea is a good one, and that’s what I’ll try next. The thick glass is set into rabbets on a wooden frame, and putting a piece of thin glass over top would change the fit, so I’m not sure about that solution. Thanks again for all the help. I’ll let you know how it works out.