Remove/Hide Scratches on aluminum backplate? - Nexus 6P Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So after 6 months with no major issues two times within one week my phone picked up dings while in my holster. Once it slingshoted off my hip when getting into my SUV and once I bumped the phone into a barbell on a bench station while in the holster on my hip. Is there anyway to remove or hide the damage on the aluminum? I could always claim a dent and ding claim for Nexus Protect but I don't think it's worth that at this point.
Thanks

Related

g2 metal bezel refurbishing?

Took a bad spill as I was walking and looking down at my phone for google maps instead of noticing the jagged piece of concrete sticking up. Tripped and fell face first with the phone absorbing most of the shock still in my palm.
I fully expected after letting off a string of curse words that the screen would be shattered on my 2 week old G2, however all the damage is on the brushed metal bezel itself. I do have some deep chips and dents in my otherwise new phone, and they look awful.
What are my options for restoring or at least cleaning up these scratches and dents? I am not opposed to a few hours of elbow grease nor am I opposed to a 400-800-1200-2000-4000 grit sanding down and polishing. Has anyone successfully done this? Also I am worried about the digitizer getting scratched during my sanding.
I need options, I typically swap phones about once a year and I always keep every phone I have in pristine condition. Funny part is my phone's body kit / armor was in the mail and arrived the next day.
I also have experience with repairing cell phones, can I buy the metal bezel and replace it that way?
daganb said:
Took a bad spill as I was walking and looking down at my phone for google maps instead of noticing the jagged piece of concrete sticking up. Tripped and fell face first with the phone absorbing most of the shock still in my palm.
I fully expected after letting off a string of curse words that the screen would be shattered on my 2 week old G2, however all the damage is on the brushed metal bezel itself. I do have some deep chips and dents in my otherwise new phone, and they look awful.
What are my options for restoring or at least cleaning up these scratches and dents? I am not opposed to a few hours of elbow grease nor am I opposed to a 400-800-1200-2000-4000 grit sanding down and polishing. Has anyone successfully done this? Also I am worried about the digitizer getting scratched during my sanding.
I need options, I typically swap phones about once a year and I always keep every phone I have in pristine condition. Funny part is my phone's body kit / armor was in the mail and arrived the next day.
I also have experience with repairing cell phones, can I buy the metal bezel and replace it that way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take it apart, sand with progressively finer sand paper, polish, reassemble.

How to avoid cracks?

I just ordered a Nexus 4 a few hours ago. I was stuck between it and a Note 2 but in the end I went for the Nexus 4 and I'm hoping that I made the right choice.
The main thing I'm worried about is it cracking; apparently, some people have had the back of the phone crack without it being dropped. What would be my best bet to prevent said cracking? I imagine a full case would be best though I'd rather not have to use one if possible. Would a back screen protector prevent cracking (not from drops of course, but from normal use) or would I need a bumper as well?
Be careful and avoid any rapid changes in temperature. I am not going to case my phone, maybe the bumper at the most to prevent slippage, even non-strengthened glass is pretty tough. But yeah; don't be scorching your device with benchmarks and then set it down on a cold marble surface, juggling it, or setting it down on uneven surfaces and you should be set.
Not dropping it or bump it into anything (in your hand, pocket) and you'll be fine. Oh, and don't put it on the armrest of the couch.
The bumper can give you a extra safety boost.
I wish I was in a position to test this but in my mind something like the invisishield stuck on the glass should make it more resilient but I have no evidence other than my own logical though
That being that if you do place your phone down on anything slightly uneven the glass is having a concentrated pressure through a point in the glass. Thus it cracks at that point.
By applying an additional layer over the glass, as long as the phone isn't thrust into a single point of impact, simply laying the phone on an uneven surface the pressure would be spread over the surface more evenly.
A bit like if you try slapping your leg. It hurts. Now place your other hand on your leg and slap your hand on your leg. You still feel it and your other hand is in contact with your leg so the force should still transfer through but its actually much less.
Now someone would have to test this and find out at what thickness a film would have to be to have similar properties of protection but it should be possible. Well in my head anyway
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
That's a good point. I also realized that keeping a transparent screen guard on the back glass makes it less slippery and less likely to slide off surfaces
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
In-pocket flexing was an issue from one crack I read about. Be careful not to sit on the little bugger, or put it in your effing skinny jean pockets and do gymnastics.
I've been thinking that putting some small rubber feet on the back glass would help prevent it come in contact with surfaces. I do have a bumper case incoming which should prevent that problem anyway but I don't know when it will even arrive lol.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Even though I love the phone without the case cause it looks great, but I wouldn't use it without a case for too long. I have bought front and rear protectors for xtremeguard and I bought me a clear TPU case for now. I do want the bumper case but that thing is impossible to get for now.

[Q] Dropped Nexus 4

New here, so be kind
With all the tech reviewers saying the Nexus 4 is quite fragile if dropped, I was wondering if anyone had dropped theirs and it survived.
I dropped mine from about 4ft onto a hard surface, picked it up fearing the worst, and not a mark on it!!
Got out of my car with mine on my lap, dropped 2ft to a concrete floor, scratched on the corner, glass both sides was fine. Lucky escape.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Two sides of beveled glass, sure its fragile.. But it'll survive most "minor" drops, and a few larger ones, if you're worried (like me) just buy a case?
This case is rated to withstand 6+ feet drops (I have it)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/NEXUS-BALLISTIC-SHELL-SERIES-Black/dp/B00B5SCDN8/
Its also on sale in the US and can be found here:
http://www.goballisticcase.com/products/lg-nexus-4-ballistic-shell-gel-sg-series-case
Its an amazing case, really worth the money.
Ballistic SG Case Worth it
I have the ballistic sg case and love it.
It is a bit bulky but the hard plastic back outer makes it feel good compared to all TPU or Silicon Cases.
Have dropped the phone from 4 ft several times onto hard flooring and concrete on the corner with no issues.
Cheers,
OldTimer

Already Cracked My Screen - Such BS

Had my new ATT Nexus 6 for not even two weeks and one small drop and BOOM ...entire screen shattered. What's sad is I have the Spigen slim case armor and it didn't protect it. I dropped it about 3 feet...on tile floor...landed flat on its back. I now have to fork out $200 bucks for a new one via ATT insurance. I just ordered a tempered glass protection for the screen hoping that this will help. Just a warning...these are very very fragile.
shadowD1026 said:
I'm retarded? Why..because I put a nice case on it and it still broke the screen? Have a nice day brah.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slim armor isn't very protective. I have the Neo Hybrid. My nexus 6 fell off my desk onto a concrete floor and it is fine.
EDIT: I thought the Slim Armor was the Thin Fit.
Xelphos said:
Slim armor isn't very protective. I have the Neo Hybrid. My nexus 6 fell off my desk onto a concrete floor and it is fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both the slim and the Neo Hybrid...is the Neo Hybrid stronger?
shadowD1026 said:
Had my new ATT Nexus 6 for not even two weeks and one small drop and BOOM ...entire screen shattered. What's sad is I have the Spigen slim case armor and it didn't protect it. I dropped it about 3 feet...on tile floor...landed flat on its back. I now have to fork out $200 bucks for a new one via ATT insurance. I just ordered a tempered glass protection for the screen hoping that this will help. Just a warning...these are very very fragile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well realistically most mainstream phones are fragile, that's just the consequence of having a large glass display. It's really the luck of the draw of how it falls. My phone was naked (without any case) with a ill fitted tempered glass protector (due to curved screen) and it fell out of my pocket from about 2 feet onto a concrete floor and basically nothing happened to it. Realistically just some light scratches on the tempered glass and a very slight mark on the metal band.
shadowD1026 said:
I have both the slim and the Neo Hybrid...is the Neo Hybrid stronger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I thought the slim was that dumb clear plastic one. Kinda odd that your phone broke in that case from that height. I would say you just got unlucky.
Does anyone know if the slim is stronger than the neo hybrid?
Sorry to hear man. I never drop phones but it can happen to anyone. Reading all these small drop stories has me extra careful.
shadowD1026 said:
Does anyone know if the slim is stronger than the neo hybrid?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had neo hybrid on my last 3 phones, note 3, nexus 5, and nexus 6. Many drops and my phone has always survived.
That's one reason why i ordered from play store. I have heard they replace it free of cost even if you accidentally shatter your screen.
Don't mind the troll, nothing but a troublemaker, I already reported his posts, this is a community to help each other and exchange information, not to give each other garbage. The OP was doing his job by looking out for us due to his unfortunate event.
To the OP, sorry to hear about your N6, we'll take your experience quite seriously as I'm sure there are others that has their screen shattered from a few feet of a drop
I don't think the outcome would have been any different with the Neo Hybrid. Both cases look pretty solid.
This is just one of those freak accidents that can be caused by a number of factorsl
$200 deductible for phone is just plain ridiculous.. Plus $10 per month... In the future I suggest SquareTrade for your insurance especially for accidental damaged.. I pay only 4.50 per month and the deductible is only $75... The only positive of these carriers insurances it covers theft but of course that's probably why you're paying double then what Square Trade charges
So just to clarify: you dropped your phone from chest height (on an small person), or waist height (on a taller person), onto ceramic tile, and you're angry at the phone manufacturer for making a "fragile" product? You are insane.
First off, gorilla glass is scratch resistant, not crack or shatter resistant. So there's no help there. Second, 3 feet is a huge distance for a heavy device covered in glass to fall. In case you're not so great at Physics, at this distance, your giant glass coated rectangle is travelling at roughly 10 mph by the time it smashes into your ceramic tile floor, which on the Mohs Harness Scale ranks a 7 out of freaking 10 (diamond is a 10). For perspective, this is the same speed that the average, non-professional cyclist flies down the street. Now imagine him plowing into a solid ceramic wall. (Yes, the mass is different, but the comparison serves).
In other words, you are either an entitled, petulant 12 year old child, or as poster #2 so crudely put it, you are literally retarded.
EDIT: It occurs to me that yes, glass is at around the same level on a Mohs scale. So while it isn't that ridiculous a difference, it's still at the appropriate hardness to shatter a glass object.
I didn't buy any of the spigen cases because to me they didn't look very protective. They are good looking cases tho!
dabomb224 said:
So just to clarify: you dropped your phone from chest height (on an small person), or waist height (on a taller person), onto ceramic tile, and you're angry at the phone manufacturer for making a "fragile" product? You are insane.
First off, gorilla glass is scratch resistant, not crack or shatter resistant. So there's no help there. Second, 3 feet is a huge distance for a heavy device covered in glass to fall. In case you're not so great at Physics, at this distance, your giant glass coated rectangle is travelling at roughly 10 mph by the time it smashes into your ceramic tile floor, which on the Mohs Harness Scale ranks a 7 out of freaking 10 (diamond is a 10). For perspective, this is the same speed that the average, non-professional cyclist flies down the street. Now imagine him plowing into a solid ceramic wall. (Yes, the mass is different, but the comparison serves).
In other words, you are either an entitled, petulant 12 year old child, or as poster #2 so crudely put it, you are literally retarded.
EDIT: It occurs to me that yes, glass is at around the same level on a Mohs scale. So while it isn't that ridiculous a difference, it's still at the appropriate hardness to shatter a glass object.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sir are ignorant. The moh's scale is a relative scale for scratch resistance relative to minerals. You, sir, are referring to brittle deformation and are in the wrong realm of mineral physics. So don't condescend people unless you know what you are talking about. Us geoscientists use moh's scales to identify other minerals based on scratching other objects in the field.
You're also referring to conservation of momentum and all kinds of stuff and your argument is all over the place. Yes, when your phone hits the ground m1v1=m2v2 has to be in play, but this isn't a wall and a human being,. A phone is pretty solid, and when glass breaks it's brittle deformation. Your phone bounces off the ground a little. The other parts of your phone may have plasticity. If interested, research into the difference between plastic and brittle deformation. Your glass doesn't break just because it hits something with a relative moh's hardness. It can break falling on grass.
Anyways, yeah holding a iPhone 4 compared to the Nexus 6, this thing is a beast, but I love it's big size. Sorry your screen broke OP! Serves as a warning cases don't solve everything!
Sorry to hear. The fact is... No matter the phone... If dropped just the right way... It will break. You can't escape this. Just gotta be careful.
I hope they make phones bigger, thinner and more fragile so all of you could learn to take care of it better.
BlackBearTX said:
You sir are ignorant. The moh's scale is a relative scale for scratch resistance relative to minerals. You, sir, are referring to brittle deformation and are in the wrong realm of mineral physics. So don't condescend people unless you know what you are talking about. Us geoscientists use moh's scales to identify other minerals based on scratching other objects in the field.
You're also referring to conservation of momentum and all kinds of stuff and your argument is all over the place. Yes, when your phone hits the ground m1v1=m2v2 has to be in play, but this isn't a wall and a human being,. A phone is pretty solid, and when glass breaks it's brittle deformation. Your phone bounces off the ground a little. The other parts of your phone may have plasticity. If interested, research into the difference between plastic and brittle deformation. Your glass doesn't break just because it hits something with a relative moh's hardness. It can break falling on grass.
Anyways, yeah holding a iPhone 4 compared to the Nexus 6, this thing is a beast, but I love it's big size. Sorry your screen broke OP! Serves as a warning cases don't solve everything!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pure and utter ownage. Just fantastic.
That's why I rock The neo hybrid. Its a tank of a case.
shadowD1026 said:
Had my new ATT Nexus 6 for not even two weeks and one small drop and BOOM ...entire screen shattered. What's sad is I have the Spigen slim case armor and it didn't protect it. I dropped it about 3 feet...on tile floor...landed flat on its back. I now have to fork out $200 bucks for a new one via ATT insurance. I just ordered a tempered glass protection for the screen hoping that this will help. Just a warning...these are very very fragile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man im sorry. Ive been lucky and only shattered my N7 screen and ive had alot of phones. i had the slim armor on my N6 and it got launched across my bathroom at work and hit the wall and floor and somehow survived.

Z3 Screen Durability

Hey guys,
I have a Z3C. Love the phone obviously. It's awesome. I had my phone on the top of my desk, it fell to my keyboard tray maybe 6 inches lower and the screen shattered. I've read on the web that similar durability issues plague the Z3C. I'm wondering if your experiences with the Z3 have been similar. Can the Z3 withstand minimal abuse like what killed my Z3C, or it is similarly susceptible? Thanks
I've dropped my Z3 about 5 times already including on tile and asphalt and its not even scratched... Probably has to do with the plastic / rubber corners, does the compact design have that?
I've dropped my Z3 over five times and the glass is in perfect condition. I had tempered glass on for two of the attempts it fell and only the nilken tempered glass shattered. The nylon corner bumps work pretty well in ensuring that the Z3 is durable and shatter resistant. Although I did get scared at first (hence why I bought the tempered glass), my worries were completely unfounded and my Z3 is still in perfect condition (aside for small marks on the nylon corners).
I would say that if you drop the phone flat on the ground with the glass hitting the ground first, you will probably suffer. If you are planning to replace it, get a case to feel more secure. Otherwise, if you want to keep the aesthetics of the phone, get a tempered glass and you can feel at ease.
I've dropped mine numerous times and it survived. Keeping it in my back pocket broke the glass...
Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk
As my luck has it, the first three days of my Z3 in my ownership saw it fall at least 5 times, two of them from a desk's height and on the floor tiles. It only sufferd minimal nicks on the bronze finish, nothing else. Can't wait for the tempered glass and the TPU case I ordered alongside the phone to arrive...
It's crazy... most of my friends have galaxy phones and they've had so many cracked screens issue. In 4 smartphones I've owned, starting with LG G2x, and Z, Z1S, and now Z3, my phones have never cracked. I also use no case.
Guess i'm lucky?
Mine has come through a couple of drops unscathed, dropped from hip height on marble with no case, only standard screen protector
Sent from my D6653 using XDA Free mobile app
No cracks but I got a pretty big scratch on the screen within my first week and I never ever put it in a pocket or in a bag with other items. Since then I got one of the nillkin glass screen protectors. Not a scratch on it and I'm far less careful with it now. Why couldn't Sony just use the glass Nillkin uses?
I wonder if I can pay Sony to replace my screen down the line for a fee. Then I wouldn't worry so much.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou..._51nTw5q_mTI85ZtA&sig2=x_c947kpk-ERsY-I533rVg
I dropped mine from a chair onto a patio which is like concrete and apparently hit the corner of the phone. It cracked the corner of the back glass about an inch radially. I used some glass glue and covered it up. Its fine now still waterproof.
Sony's lame, the back should have been carbon fiber for shock proofing and the edges should have ridges for grip. When I first got it it was so slippery it was ridiculous.
Funny enough, 5 minutes after I cracked the back somebody gave me a really nice leather case for it.
Sent from my D6603 using XDA Free mobile app
I love the slippery cool glass slick feel. I would not settle for anything else. Since my iPhone 4s, the Nexus 4 and now this, I realise i'm addicted to these materials. I have dropped mine but always on carpet, no damage thank God. My brother dropped his uncountable times and onto wood floor and tile etc with no cracked glass, just metal rim damaged and scuffed.
I haven't dropped mine and do not have a case nor any screen protection. I don't excessively wipe the phone down but do wipe it when the fingerprints begin to bug me. I phone mostly wipes itself when inserting/removing from my pocket.
I've had the device or about 1.5-2 months and baby it.
The screen has zero micro scratches or any other permanent marks, but the rear panel has micro scratches from simply being placed on a hard, smooth, CLEAN surface like a table. I don't slide the phone across surfaces and put down/pick up the phone very carefully so it doesn't slide/scrape across any surface.
So while the screen appears to be fairly scratch resistant, my experience is that the back becomes easily scratched even when taking the utmost care.
My phone is black which shows these scratches more easily than a lighter color would.
I've had mine for a few months and dropped it several times, but my luck ran out today. Cold, slushy parking lot + road salt was apparently the last straw...
Have you heard of glass protection and cases? I've dropped my Z1 many times and no issues, applying the same protection to Z3.
I've dropped mine a few times now, but luckily no cracks.
dkreviews said:
Have you heard of glass protection and cases? I've dropped my Z1 many times and no issues, applying the same protection to Z3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Terrapin case and a Rhino Shield screen protector on it, but while the screen protector only had a couple.. what feel like small puncture holes? , the screen itself was completely shattered.
My rear Glas cracked today for amusingly no reason.
We'd just been out to walk the dog, as we came back an put our phones on the table, we heard a cracking sound but couldn't picture where it came from. As I went over to pick up my phone we saw all the cracks all across the rear.
How could this happen, I doubt through the difference in temperature, although it really was cold outside today.
It's a really expensive device and I am really upset about this right now. How can the glas, even if it is just the rear, crack out of appearingly no reason???
Probably from the temperature difference? Live in Minnesota but have not suffered from it so far though I have heard many instances like yours. Another XDA member got a free replacement, try talking to Sony.
I actually guess it really is from.the temperature difference.
Already spoken to my retailer about this, they're picking the device up tomorrow for a free repair or replacement.
Also confirmed that there a a lot of devices with such a problem. I thought they had enough experience by now with glas fronts and backs.
It really is upsetting
Well that's good, no worries. In fact BBC's Watchdog program did an investigation for the Z1 or Z2 for the same problem after many people complained to them. Sony agreed the issue exists and said they will do free replacements as long as it's only "a single fine crack" at the time. I think they are not so picky now.

Categories

Resources