I have the tmo tpu case, which is pretty decent. However, dust and friction seem to have scuffed the bezel and back plate. I plan on getting the hybrid tpu case and hopefully the tighter fit will keep my phone safer.
My question is, has anyone else experienced this and tried to polish the scuffs out? Is it even possible? I looked online and can't find anywhere that sells the bezel. I have looked and found a replacement back plate, but I'm more worried about the bezel.
Sounds stupid and anal, but this is an expensive phone and I've got a good screen protector and case. I like the quality of the glass but am disappointed by the build of the rest of the shell of this thing.
Prior to this, I had a g1 that I kept safe and scratch free other than one drop with just an invisishield kit for 2 years. I love this phone but it is fragile.
Try a metal-polishing cloth--NO CHEMICALS!
I saw a vibrant on display at a tmobile store and the bezel had been nicked and the shiny part was starting to peel off just like it was foil, so id be real careful rubbing on it. Personally id rather have no "chrome" at all, especially if its not real.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
polish plastic
Any plastic that is scratched can be polished, it depends how deep it is. Semichrome polish will do it, but make sureto test as some plastics can react to the chemical that is in the polish and it possibly could stain the finish. i ll post the other methods on "how to polish plastic".
Related
I personally love the feel of my vibrant without the silicon casing on but unfortunately, I have to go with it whenever I leave the house to protect it from knicks and knacks (plus I always seem to drop my phone...)
I have a screen protector (REALOOK) and a TPU case. I too like the way the phone feels and looks without a case but yea, it needs to be protected. My old G1 got bang up pretty bad by not using protection... LOL...
I've had my vibrant in a case since day one but still have scratches all over the body. I think the shiny plastic material is just scratch prone. If I had to do over I would have tried some of the clear body armor type product. Definitely love the bare feel, may just go without a case and hope replacement parts become available.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I have the stealthguards screen protector and battery cover protector. Both are mainly on there just for weight and grip and the front is also on to make my vibrant have a flush front.
Silicone = ****
polyurethane Is The Way To Go, Alot More Protective And A Better Fit For Your Phone
I rock mine naked. I had a hard clear case for my G1, but it really didn't do a whole lot of good and my screen didn't get scratched at all. The Vibrant has gorilla glass and you get a 2nd back cover out of the box so I decided to go without.
I've got a realook screen protector and the tmobile gel case.
My battery cover AND the faux metal bezel are pretty scratched up. Been in the case since day one, so I suspect the gel case scratches it. Go figure.
I honestly didn't like the bare feel. Too slippery and small, so now I have a rubber case in it. Fits like a glove and grips better while still sliding out of the pocket without sticking. And of course a screen protector. I kept one on my g1 since day one. Its beaten to hell, the lip part is cracked and the sdcard unmounts if you apply pressure but the screen is flawless lol
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
I use a Casemate Tough Case and have been using this style of case on all my phones for years. Usually Otterbox, but they took too long this time around so I gave the Casemate a try. I never drop my phone, but I have two kids under 5, so the cases are definitely tested from time to time. There are no better cases if you want real protection, IMO.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I've got the hard Body Glove case with the black rubberized back. I haven't tried any other cases because I really like this one. The phone just felt too fragile to me without a case, this gives it a little bulk and makes it feel a little more substantial.
No screen protector. I haven't seen the need for one. I'm not super careful with it either and will carry it in a pocket with keys and loose change pretty often. Been doing this for 2 months and no scratches on my screen. The screen is definitely pretty tough.
this is a $500 phone, and it's slippery. I drop **** all the time so i got the silicon case. it looks lumpy, but it's worth it.
mmas0n said:
I use a Casemate Tough Case and have been using this style of case on all my phones for years. Usually Otterbox, but they took too long this time around so I gave the Casemate a try. I never drop my phone, but I have two kids under 5, so the cases are definitely tested from time to time. There are no better cases if you want real protection, IMO.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same case and 3 kids under 5. Its the best option for me and feels really solid while holding.
I have hybrid TPU case, and so do allot of others here
...id vote but not listed in poll...hint hint
smutek said:
I've got the hard Body Glove case with the black rubberized back. I haven't tried any other cases because I really like this one. The phone just felt too fragile to me without a case, this gives it a little bulk and makes it feel a little more substantial.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't have said it better. I use the BG case, and love it -- the look, the kickstand, the added bulk. (The "naked" (ugh) phone is too thin to hold comfortably on a call; and others have said, it's slippery as hell.
I utilized the stealthguard front and back. So its practically naked.. but not naked
me like sexi like bikini oki
hottie girls
I'm amazed by the durability of the screen. I don't make it a habit of putting it in my pocket with anything inside, but when I have and cringed as I pulled it out expecting scratches, to my surprise no scratches.
As a rule, the harder the cover material, the more the shock will be transferred directly to the phone. The same for the sticker types which are more for protection against scratches.
I ended up buying a cover from tmo because the phone felt a little slippery by itself. Its made of silicone and think enough to absord some of the impact if it is dropped and us les likely to slip out of your hand.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
I bought the tmo black silicone case. I really like it because it adds grip and gives the phone a more solid, quality feel. One thing I've noticed is if you take the back cover plate off too much...it gets loose and creaky. They really should have gone with the slide lock type.
Sent from: my Vibrant juiced with Eugene's 2.2 Froyo JPM
Case-Mate Tough Case.. no screen protector here
I use a RealLook screen protector and one of these clear, hard cases:
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=217139826
Super inexpensive (bought 2, 1 extra to have on-hand)! Been using clear hard cases like these since my MyTouch3G and I've dropped it (the MT3G) several times onto concrete without a single scratch or damage to the phone. The case took the brunt of the impact. Put a very small crack in it, but nothing else. Ended up replacing it anyway, but that was enough to make me buy them for the Vibrant now. I just don't get that sense of protection from a semi-thin silicone sleeve. Sort of like gluing a bunch of balloons to the exterior of your car and thinking it's going to protect you in a head-on collision. Just not buying it...
Hello,
Have any one noticed that the Droid RAZR surrounding plastic border, at the back, color gets dim from putting it on your desk or table. It's not very obvious, you wont see it except in strong light, but it's obvious enough to bother me every time I look at my RAZR
I have attached a pic I found online which has the same problem as mine and I highlighted the scratched or the dim parts on the plastic border.
Is there a fix for these scratches?
What were you thinking in, Motorola. Why didn't you choose a stronger material around the phone, I mean you did a great job by choosing gorilla glass to protect the display and Kelvar fabrics on the back, and the coating which protects the internal body parts. Yet you made the material which gets the most damages and is highly vulnerable out of plastic...
If you ever owned an iPod with a stainless steel back you'd know that being plastic or metal won't change the eventual appearance of fine scratches. Glass stays shiny and doesn't scratch as easily, but we all saw the crap people gave Apple for making the back of their phone out of that.
I doubt that the scratches can be removed even if they could be you're just going to get them back by putting the phone on your desk again. If you have to go out of your way to look for it under a strong light, it sounds like you either need a case, a hobby, or both.
There actually is a method for removing scratches:
1. Fine grain abrasive paper
2. Abrasive paste
But that will eliminate the paint on your backplate and you should re-paint it with an acrylic paint (like spray paint).
If you're so brave to do that...well..do it...but consider the idea of taking your RAZR as it is and to not put it directly on your desk but like me, put it on its pouch.
The fact that it's going to be scratched is absolutely normal... it's a phone..!
The coolest thing you can do would be to take out the back plate and sent it to a powdercoater. That's what I would do but I think it will mess up the warranty. it would be so cool though.
Isn't it an excess to powdercoat it?
Hey probably in 1 year you won't have it anymore xD
....But I have to admit it would be cool.
Can't polish and compound fix it?
The ones I use for my car =D
mzaza said:
Hello,
Have any one noticed that the Droid RAZR surrounding plastic border, at the back, color gets dim from putting it on your desk or table. It's not very obvious, you wont see it except in strong light, but it's obvious enough to bother me every time I look at my RAZR
I have attached a pic I found online which has the same problem as mine and I highlighted the scratched or the dim parts on the plastic border.
Is there a fix for these scratches?
What were you thinking in, Motorola. Why didn't you choose a stronger material around the phone, I mean you did a great job by choosing gorilla glass to protect the display and Kelvar fabrics on the back, and the coating which protects the internal body parts. Yet you made the material which gets the most damages and is highly vulnerable out of plastic...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem with my first Droid Razr. Then returned it to Verizon Wireless because I got the deal from Amazon.
And on second one, I put more care over that plastic bezel and put carefully a slice of transparent tape to cover it.
Though running at the risk of scratching the plastic bezel, I still let it run nakedly because it is the thinnest phone in the world and any cover will blow that title.
Mine scratched in the same places. I used car polish (Meguires Scratch X) to remove them. Just be gentle. I keep mine in my Casemate case now to prevent more.
That! One of the reason I moved from sgs2 because the plasticky body also collect the scratch at the same area (top and bottom). But it turned out razr metal body also can collect scratch... Geezz, i always put in my left pocket together with handkerchief, never ever put any coins or metallic substances near my phone....
And now, while i look closer to my screen, it too has collect two fine scratch line. Small, but i can see it. I think gorilla glass is way overhyped... As i wander around i also found this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1358493
p.s: can we sue corning? or those guys who hammered their gorilla-glassed phone on you tube with knife?
The title of your thread implies that you already have a fix. You should have it edited.
Otherwise just buy a dang cover/case for the phone or buy little soft towels for every spot you put it down...
Cheers! Ive been looking for some alternatives before i accidentally do some major damage to my S3.
I used to have an otterbox defender for my S3 but the screen protecting plastic was all weird. It would distort the image and it would create bubbles under it which annoy me. I tried armorguard screen protector which worked great but the vinyl feel wasnt so great either.
Right now i just have a TPU case and i LOVE TPU covers because, unlike the silicone / rubber covers, they are so easy to just get out of your pockets and they protect the phone and the screen from falls (it has a border around the screen)
My problem lies in that i dont like regular screen protectors because being an OCD crazy **** I dont like the stress of applying a screen protector and there being the tiniest spec of dust i will notice immediately and throw the screen protector away.
long story short: Any good flip cases, not the original samsung one which is flimsy, that can protect my phone? Especially awesome if its made from TPU
I tried looking in Accessories sub forum but no luck I figure this is the best place to ask directly.
Ps: anything i can do to "fix" or cover tiny hair scratches?
Have you looked in the "accessories" sub forum?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
A big thanks to several members of this community, biggest thanks goes to T-R as I followed much of his instructions here
My goal was to replace the back but also place metal plates for my CD tray magnetic car holder.
I ordered three of the factory second backs from SlickWraps, the dark leather, football leather and cork. My first try was going to be with the cork as I figured it to be the most forgiving. I ordered the same plastic sheeting and 3M strips that T-R ordered.
Tools I used:
Hair Dryer to heat back
Library card to help peel off back
Pick to start initial prying of back
1/16th drill bit for microphone hole
Xacto knife to cut plastic sheet
Dremel to cut metal plate
I'm not good at step by step instructions so I apologize for not walking through what steps it took to make this happen. Feel free to ask if you are curious. My first attempt at the metal plate was too big and the back kept popping off. I put only one of the plates back over the little divot under the camera but didn't take pics before putting back on again as I didn't think it would work, seems it did.
My pros and cons and pics.
Pros:
Love the feel of the cork
Feels close to stock when not being nit picky
My slickwrap experience was great, order on Wednesday, in my mailbox on Friday
Fit of the cork back is impressively good minus one issue, see below
Cons:
Buy extra stickers, I screwed up the first and was glad to have a second but will need more if I want to change it
Mic hole is no where near where it should be on the cork back, might be part of why it's a factory second
Stickers are not as strong as the Motorola goop
Rookie mistake:
I had left the screen naked while working on all of this and scratched the hell out of it (my standards, others ask where when they look at it)
thanks for sharing. always love to see pics of what others are doing. what kind of magnetic holder do u use? any pics of the damage to the screen?
sand1303 said:
thanks for sharing. always love to see pics of what others are doing. what kind of magnetic holder do u use? any pics of the damage to the screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried taking a pic of the scratches and they don't show up well; they are probably not as bad as I make them out to be. I switched over to this mount because it has the strongest magnet I could find in a CD mount holder.
I'm tempted to switch the back out for one of the leather ones, I'm never satisfied.
No matter how nice it looks, it's certainly not worth scratching the screen for. I never put my phone face down on any surface that is not soft and I've never scratched the screen on any of my numerous phones. I hate screen protectors because they always look and feel horrible but I am super careful about the screen. That's the bit you interact with all the time and it would really bother me to have even the slightest scratch on it.
Otherwise, good job.
Was curious on how the plastic backing under the skin was holding in terms of sticking. I was thinking about doing the same thing and wanted to know how good the plastic/tape combo was at holding over time. Any lifting occur?
Jawrduhn said:
Was curious on how the plastic backing under the skin was holding in terms of sticking. I was thinking about doing the same thing and wanted to know how good the plastic/tape combo was at holding over time. Any lifting occur?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My first install was my learning exercise and I can't say it would have survived long term, started popping up on the edges. Just this past week I installed the football textured leather back and am very happy with it. Thus far it is not popping up anywhere but I had learned a lot from my last install. New learnings:
Have a brand new x-acto blade, works so much easier making the plastic template back
Scuff the plastic backing before applying the sticker, it comes shiny and smooth
I bought a heat gun and found out quickly the plastic back can warp easily so be careful when heating it
Still heat it though and hold for a good 30-60 seconds after
Leave a small gap around around the sticky tape after applying to the back, if you try to cut it perfect you land up with a bare edge
Install the plastic back first to the phone, leave it for a day if you can. If it pops up, heat the hell out of it and hold as strongly as you can for a minute or so ( I wore gloves)
Heat again after applying the leather back, heat really helps the application stick
If you buy the regular leather be aware it's not treated with any water resistance or proofing and any water will mark it.
If you are buying the Factory Second versions buy a couple, they are only $10 each and $2 shipping total.
The bump near the camera is from the metal plate I installed for my car mount, I couldn't fully conceal it.
thepktrckt said:
My first install was my learning exercise and I can't say it would have survived long term, started popping up on the edges. Just this past week I installed the football textured leather back and am very happy with it. Thus far it is not popping up anywhere but I had learned a lot from my last install. New learnings:
Have a brand new x-acto blade, works so much easier making the plastic template back
Scuff the plastic backing before applying the sticker, it comes shiny and smooth
I bought a heat gun and found out quickly the plastic back can warp easily so be careful when heating it
Still heat it though and hold for a good 30-60 seconds after
Leave a small gap around around the sticky tape after applying to the back, if you try to cut it perfect you land up with a bare edge
Install the plastic back first to the phone, leave it for a day if you can. If it pops up, heat the hell out of it and hold as strongly as you can for a minute or so ( I wore gloves)
Heat again after applying the leather back, heat really helps the application stick
If you buy the regular leather be aware it's not treated with any water resistance or proofing and any water will mark it.
If you are buying the Factory Second versions buy a couple, they are only $10 each and $2 shipping total.
The bump near the camera is from the metal plate I installed for my car mount, I couldn't fully conceal it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thanks for the tips. I'm actually using a skin from TOAST so I'll see how everything pans out.
thepktrckt said:
My first install was my learning exercise and I can't say it would have survived long term, started popping up on the edges. Just this past week I installed the football textured leather back and am very happy with it. Thus far it is not popping up anywhere but I had learned a lot from my last install. New learnings:
Have a brand new x-acto blade, works so much easier making the plastic template back
Scuff the plastic backing before applying the sticker, it comes shiny and smooth
I bought a heat gun and found out quickly the plastic back can warp easily so be careful when heating it
Still heat it though and hold for a good 30-60 seconds after
Leave a small gap around around the sticky tape after applying to the back, if you try to cut it perfect you land up with a bare edge
Install the plastic back first to the phone, leave it for a day if you can. If it pops up, heat the hell out of it and hold as strongly as you can for a minute or so ( I wore gloves)
Heat again after applying the leather back, heat really helps the application stick
If you buy the regular leather be aware it's not treated with any water resistance or proofing and any water will mark it.
If you are buying the Factory Second versions buy a couple, they are only $10 each and $2 shipping total.
The bump near the camera is from the metal plate I installed for my car mount, I couldn't fully conceal it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it a formed vinyl patterned or really leather? footballs are supposed to be made of pig leather right?
I'd like to see ostrich
LOL haven't seen Ostrich yet. It's definitely textured bovine leather not plastic and looks like it is treated as I haven't had any water stains yet.
Forgot to ask, when you said your first attempt had he edges raising, were you referring to the plastic or the leather?
lotus49 said:
No matter how nice it looks, it's certainly not worth scratching the screen for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Even the slightest hint of a scratch and I would lose a bunch of sleep. But unlike you, I use a glass protector which feels like the phone screen.
Jawrduhn said:
Forgot to ask, when you said your first attempt had he edges raising, were you referring to the plastic or the leather?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both but most of it was the plastic peeling off of the back of the phone. It was applied twice though and I'm certain that impacted the adhesion.
My Nexus with Cork back from Slickwraps.
http://kryon.smugmug.com/Purenexus/i-bRKJdsk/0/O/OPERATIONPNbanner5x1.png
Has anyone installed this without the replacement back? and if so can I get a pic?
How is the cork back holding out for you. Can you post any pics after wear and tear.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
I am at work so I can't post pics but I made the jump and got one a couple weeks ago. I like the way it looks but if you tend to work on cars or have dirty hands from working, this is not for you. My cork back is filthy but not too noticeable unless you've seen it beforehand.
I'm diggin' the cork look!
My job entails me crawling around under houses in the dirt, so I'm looking for a case that will help protect the N6 from dirt and cover the screen so it hopefully doesn't get cracked. Does the Unicorn Beetle Pro sound like the case for me?
Yeah, the built-in protector will help a bit when it comes to dirt getting to the phone, and the shell protection is good for being single-layer. Plus, it has built-in covers for the ports.
I did find that dirt can still get in in the seam between its built-in cover and the shell frame, but it didn't reach the phone easily due to the inner glue line.
I'd offer my barely used Beetle Pro case, but I removed the built-in protector when deciding to use a different screen cover - then, I went with dual-layer cases for even more shock safety.
- wader
I purchased the Beetle Pro along with a intelliARMOR PRO edge to edge glass screen protector. Is the Beetle Pro the only case with a holster or something that actually covers the screen? Used to like the OtterBox, but they don't hold up well and don't think they ever made a N6 case.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OGYP52Y/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1#
I work in maintenance and am always dirty, greasy, crawling around and under equiptment. I use my phone a lot for manuals, pics, emails and such. I had the above case for about a week. I scratched the screen protector pretty quickly and noticed grit getting under the case pretty easy. I know it's not the greatest build quality, but quickly decided that 2 piece cases blow. I've bought a used tablet that had an otter box case and the back of the tablet has scratches all other the back from being on it.
Anyway I've learned that in my line of work, that a simple jelly type case and no screen protector seem to do best. The case is good for the occasional drop and no grit to get trapped between the screen and protector. I'm just very aware to keep it in my front pocket and nothing else goes in that pocket. I do remove the case occasionally to clean the phone and case if any grit gets build up, but it is usually little too none. If i do get grit in my pockect from dirt, welding, dust, etc. I just clean out my pocket best i can and the phone goes back in. No issues or scratches so far after a couple of months.
Not sure about tempered screen protectors, but IMHO anything that I can't remove easily to clean under is just asking for trouble with scratches. My two cents anyway.
Mike