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Phoxtane

Refurbish brick/tile surfaces?

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I've got some bricks and tiles that have been in my collection for a while and are starting to really show the wear and tear. I know there's a method of restoring the shine and transparency to old transparent bricks, but I'm curious about the traditional non-transparent pieces..

You know how when you open up a new set, and the tiles and bricks are smooth to the touch, and glossy, and are just pleasant to the touch overall? That's what I'd like to return my pieces to. My question, therefore, is: Is there a method of returning the glossy, smooth, 'new' feel to used bricks? (Let's assume the pieces in question have been cleaned of dust, etc. beforehand, and aren't covered in tooth marks or bent/dented corners.)

In particular, tiles are notorious for this, as they have this large smooth surface that's just perfect for attracting the micro-scratches. I suspect at least some of the loss of 'new feel' comes from the oil in our fingers, so whatever method used would be temporary - but that's perfect for taking final pictures (you'd just have to wear gloves and be willing to put in that extra bit of time to keep your model nice for the photo shoot). Anyone got a method for this?

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I used a dremel like tool with a cloth over to act as a buffer to try this. I sort of succeeded in making a small part of the brick look like new. You have to remove the top layer of plastic, I would think this is the only way, and unfortunately this will make the brick weaker and it will be very difficult to get it even across the face of the brick. For the flat area just below the studs I just used a knife to cut off the little chewed bumps so it sat flush again. I would love to hear if there are any other theories so that I can try to fix the rest of my pieces like this.

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If the scratches are not to deep brasso Will get them looking as good as new. If they have deeper scratches, sand them first, then Brasso. It is a lot of work though :)

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