Need to fix a previous key repair!

[decaman]

I have a white car and it was keyed when the previous owner had it. The previous owner then "repaired" it but did a crappy job and just put a strip of white paint over it and it looks really bad. (At least they used the correct color.) I would like to remove the paint they applied and then fix it the right way. Any detailed how-to`s on how to remove the old paint and then fix it? I found lots of info on how to fix key jobs but none on how to remove previous key repair paint. Thanks!



EDIT: I can provide pics if it would help!

[Hindsight]

I`m guessing they probably only put one coat on and it didn`t completely fill in the scratch... plus they got it outside the scratch so it stands out higher than the rest of the paint? If it were my car, I`d wet sand the area with 1500 to remove all the touch-up paint outside the scratch. Then I`d fill the scratch with a coat or two of the proper color touch up paint until I`m sure the touch up paint more than fills all areas of the scratch (so its actually higher than the rest of the paint). Then I`d wet sand it down again with 1500 until everything is on the same level, then finish up with 2000 grit wet sand, then hit it with a polisher and polishing compound, then swirl remover.



I`ve done this on several cars before with great success. Just don`t go down too far on the wet sanding and if you don`t know what you`re doing, you CAN ruin your paint with it of course.



My only problem now is that with the compound and pads I have for the 7424, I can`t get all the wet sanding scratches out. I`ll try a more agressive compound and pad next and if that won`t work, I`ll have to borrow someone`s high speed buffer. I`ve wet sanded and buffed entire cars years ago so I know it works well... you just have to have the right tools for the job. If you don`t, you may want to have it fixed by a pro since I`m not 100% sure a 7424 can remove wet sanding scratches (yet). But others here with more experience claim that it can so........

[decaman]

Yep. You got it. That`s exactly what I am dealing with. When I do the wet sand, do I tape off areas around the scratch/previous paint? Also, I assume I do the sanding by hand, and all in one direction, right? Any recommendations on type of sand paper and where to get it? Thanks!

[Hindsight]

I wouldn`t worry about taping it off, just only sand the area right around the key. I find it best to adhere the sandpaper to something fairly flat and firm like a balsa wood block or something (or use a meguires unigrit sanding block). This way you are putting a lot more pressure on JUST the raised areas of the touch-up paint and knocking it down without removing much of the factory clear around it.



As for direction.... I have read a lot of people go one direction only. When I used to wet-sand orange peel out of fresh new paint jobs, I would go two directions. But I`m certainly no expert so hopefully a pro will chime in here.



The best paper I`ve used is meguires unigrit and it`s easy to come by. I`d use either 1500 or 2000. I personally like 1500 because I think it takes the touch-up paint down while actually removing LESS of the clear around it... just for the same reason that you wouldn`t use 220 grit paper to start knocking down some body filler that just cured on a panel. I`d start with 1500 and when it looks like you are very close to being flush, finish with 2000 then finish with the PC or rotary.



Again I would like to mention that getting those sanding marks out can be tricky if you don`t have the right tools for the job and wet sanding is dangerous if you go too far and don`t know how much clear is left on the car. But, I can imagine no other way of fixing this kind of repair so whether you do it or a pro does it......

[B-Diddy]

I wouldn`t wet sand the paint off. Just use a paint thinner to remove it. The less sanding the better.

[Hindsight]

I wouldn`t wet sand the paint off. Just use a paint thinner to remove it. The less sanding the better.



If the touchup paint is cured, how would you remove it with paint thinner and not affect the clear around it? I have never used paint thinner to remove cured paint so I don`t know how that would work.