polishing glass

[pss]

I have some nice but not perfect original BOSCH 4487 headlamp lenses with the outside script.
Anybody any idea how to polish them to remove some small wear scratches?

[jaudette3]

Many of us have tried and, as far as I know, we have all failed. There are methods that work very well on window glass that I have experimented with that didn't work on headlight lenses. Glass varies in hardness (an old parking lot hustle is selling someone a fake diamond by proving its real by scratching windshield glass with it) and my speculation is that the glass used in headlight lenses is very hard in order to stand up to the rigors of its environment.

I would be the first to get in line if someone finds a way to do this. I probably have over 200 used lenses that would benefit. I find it hard to throw away old original lenses.

Cheers,
John

[pss]

txs for sharing. Will keep on looking

[pu911rsr]

I am no headlight lens expert but it would be very surprising to me if it could not be polished using a diamond paste. There are many types of glass if we could find out what the headlight lens are made of we should be able to find a material that would polish them.

Phil

[Ivan Fuller]

Well it can be done with progressive grades of wet & dry sandpaper with hard block sanding block such as rubber or cork and lubricant like WD40. Never skip more than one grade. Work up to 1500 or 2000 - you will use a LOT of sandpaper as it loses its edge after a few swipes - dont bother with "cheap" sandpaper. I removed deep scratches that were probably made from a diamond ring as well as 50 years of stone chips/blasting - started coarse maybe 80 grit but it took all day to do one - they were almost irrepaceable 1947VW. I have little doubt that wet diamond polishing gear as used on granite would fly through the job quickly but some investment required. Headlight lenses are curved so not such a challenges as flat glass which will cause distortion if too much removed - although time will come when I try that. Around the raised letters a problem but small micro polishing tools are available.

[37yrold911]

maybe the scratches can be filled with something matching the refractive index of the glass - a clear epoxy might do it

[72t4tom]

how about the stuff windshield installers use to fill chips?

[19-911-65]

Cerium oxide glass polishing compound like this: http://www.amazon.com/Gordon-Glass-C.../dp/B007KOC1MO

It takes forever and I still didn't get all the stone chips out of my lenses...maybe half...maybe.

[pss]

txs, will try one option after the other