h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Despite all the hype about CDs being indestructible etc. they do get scratched and this can prevent the data (or music) being read properly.
A way to reduce this is to place the CD in a flat bottomed saucer or plate and pour on boiling hot water from a kettle. Then leave to cool. What happens is that the plastic melts slightly which rounds off the edges of the scratch and reduces the difraction caused thereby.
Obviously don't do this with soemone else's CDs just in case - but it nearly alawys works for me.

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Ouch! Call me apprehensive if you like but that does seem a little extreme. Sure you're not some sort of anti-music anarchist, dear boy?

I'd like to say I'm tempted to try it, but I won't be without a tad more reassurance.

You must have a couple of hundred spare MSN/Compuserve/AOL cds you can try it on first? If not, I'll "prove" it here (it isn't something I made up - I have been doing this to scratched CDs for a while - and if they're broken to start with you have nothing to lose) - but you'll have no evidence of my proof.

Perhaps we can get the PTB to do an independent test (though not on any of their OS disks obviosly )

Interesting. I shall have to try that.

One other way of removing severe scratches is a little more... Aggressive, shall we say.

Use wet & dry paper (used wet) ranging from about 600 grit (about the same size as the original scratch/es, hopefully) to 2400 grit in stages. Do keep it *very* wet, and try to avoid using your finger tips - you'll probably put a dished section in the disc. Finish off with Brasso (which is excellent for getting rid of ultra-fine scratches). There is another product around which is even better than wett & dry, but I can't remember the name of the stuff ATM. It is used by airlines to restore scratched windows, and is very, very effective.

I can only really suggest this for discs that are so far beyond use that it is no loss to use this on them - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Please bear in mind that instead of using a polish that in-fills the scratches, you are removing the polycarbonate itself in doing this!

The same suggestion applies - try it on an AOL CD first.

What is good for getting rid of scratches from ceramic hobs and might work on CDs is "Jewelers Rouge" but it is difficult to get hold of and quite expensive...but it does work on very delicate scratches indeed.
Perhaps a guide entry in the offing here?

I use toothpaste to take care of lil' scratches or skip problems on cd's.. Just a lil dab rubbed on the cd, and then wipe it off...
Learned the trick from a punk rock girlie and it seems to work, cured a few cd's that way and haven't killed one yet..

Draugr

This works well in avoiding dive masks misting up, too - but it is *vitally* important not to try using gel toothpastes instead