[Grabber07]

what is the best way to repair rock chips with touch up paint,without making a mess?

[AggieStang]

This should be an easy one. You'll get a good answer from somebody. I would just get some touch up paint but I dont know how bad the situation is.

[travis_afx]

This is how I repair rock chips. I have also used this method on scratches but it is alot more time consuming. I know some will call bs but i have done it like this many many times and 95% of the time you can't notice it unless your right on top of it. If you want to make sure the color will match, you can go to you local paint jobber and have them use "the magic eye" on your car to eliminate the cahnce of having the paint not match. What i mean by magic eye is, it is a box that you hold on the paint on your car and it reads the actual color to account for fading, color variences, already repainted surfaces that do not match the factory color perfect, etc... I have painted many cars that when i went to mix the formula there will be nine or ten different color variences from the factory, so just because you have the same paint code as the car next to you, it doesn't mean that you have the exact same color from the factory. That is the main reason pre packaged touch up paint doesn't match exactly most times. I also use one of my old pinstriping brushes(0000) to apply the paint.



Get some single stage paint for your cars color. Then just clean the area real good, you can use wax and grease remover and a fibrglass prep pen if you want to get real picky about it. After you clean, apply the single stage to the chip putting just enough paint on there to have it slightly raised above the surfacce of the paint.

After the paint has fully cured take some 2000 grit wet or dry sand paper and wet sand the "bump" smooth with the surface of the paint. The easiest way to do this would be to find a small piece of wood or something to use as a tiny block. I take coffee stirrers and cut it into about a 1" piece. Then cut s small piece of paper to wrap around the block. Don't press to hard, just place enough pressure on the block to sand the bump down. Just don't get in a hury and pay attention and you can block it down with barely sanding the origanal paint surface, which in turn will make it easer to buff . (Always let your paper soak in the water for at least five minutes before use)

After you have sanded it down, the area will be small enough that you can buff it by hand(or with a buffer if you have access to one and can use it. I have a 3" air buffer i use) with a soft cloth and compound, it will take a couple times with the buffing but if the color is a good match then once you have buffed the shine back you will barely notice it

[Grabber07]

ty i will try that method

[TROJENHORSE]

small chip, try using a toothpick to spot the area, after normal prep.