The Ford Barn

chrs1961815 · 03-15-2020, 01:32 PM

How do you restore original glass lenses?

MikeK · 03-15-2020, 02:05 PM

Use your favorite rust remover snake oil followed by a stiff scrub brush and detergent.

Extremely fine scratches and mars can be polished out with cerium oxide, glycerin and a rock hard hard felt pad. As with any polishing some skill is required to produce the desired result. If you've never polished out glass practice on a scrap headlamp lens first!

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 03-15-2020, 03:02 PM

Toothpaste is another good way to polish the glass.

Ray in La Mesa · 03-15-2020, 07:16 PM

I've used a soft wire wheel to clean rust & other stuff off of glass, works great just don't press hard & keep moving so you don't build up heat. it doesn't do polishing though.

Don Turley · 03-15-2020, 08:21 PM

To clean them, I've soaked them in full strength (not diluted) laundry bleach for a few days. It removed all stains, including rust, leaving them crystal clear. I've never tried to polish out scratches.

MikeK · 03-15-2020, 09:48 PM

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A bit more information on my polishing with cerium oxide comment-. That stuff actually CUTS glass, much like a buffing compound works on metal or paint. That's why I said practice on a scrap lens. Lapisists use the stuff for polishing grinding marks out of many types of cabochons, especially opals. Glass engravers use it to polish flutes and cut rims after aggressive diamond cut down. It is also used to restore windshields with fine hazing from wipers grinding road grit across the glass.

Toothpaste, diatomaceous earth, even pumice can be run aggressively against a glass lens and will remove stubborn surface deposits, including calcium haze and iron rust stains, but will not actually cut down the glass to reach the bottom of fine scratches. They may leave it looking shiny, but will never actually remove scratches.

Google "cerium oxide glass polishing" and you will find a myriad of stuff, some good, some hype and also some YouTube how-to's that are just wrong! I've use it for years to restore antique scratched glass mirrors and windows of all kinds.

chrs1961815 · 03-16-2020, 06:31 AM

Thanks for all of the advice. I used some softscrub and they look as clear as a reproduction lense. Now I have a few scratches to deal with next.

03-15-2020, 01:32 PM	#1
chrs1961815 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Spring Grove, Illinois Posts: 1,371	Headlight Lense Restoration How do you restore original glass lenses? __________________ "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

03-15-2020, 02:05 PM	#2
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration Use your favorite rust remover snake oil followed by a stiff scrub brush and detergent. Extremely fine scratches and mars can be polished out with cerium oxide, glycerin and a rock hard hard felt pad. As with any polishing some skill is required to produce the desired result. If you've never polished out glass practice on a scrap headlamp lens first!

03-15-2020, 03:02 PM	#3
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,508	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration Toothpaste is another good way to polish the glass. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

03-15-2020, 07:16 PM	#4
Ray in La Mesa Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: La Mesa Ca Posts: 1,166	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration I've used a soft wire wheel to clean rust & other stuff off of glass, works great just don't press hard & keep moving so you don't build up heat. it doesn't do polishing though.

03-15-2020, 08:21 PM	#5
Don Turley Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: GA 30809 Posts: 629	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration To clean them, I've soaked them in full strength (not diluted) laundry bleach for a few days. It removed all stains, including rust, leaving them crystal clear. I've never tried to polish out scratches.

03-15-2020, 09:48 PM	#6
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) A bit more information on my polishing with cerium oxide comment-. That stuff actually CUTS glass, much like a buffing compound works on metal or paint. That's why I said practice on a scrap lens. Lapisists use the stuff for polishing grinding marks out of many types of cabochons, especially opals. Glass engravers use it to polish flutes and cut rims after aggressive diamond cut down. It is also used to restore windshields with fine hazing from wipers grinding road grit across the glass. Toothpaste, diatomaceous earth, even pumice can be run aggressively against a glass lens and will remove stubborn surface deposits, including calcium haze and iron rust stains, but will not actually cut down the glass to reach the bottom of fine scratches. They may leave it looking shiny, but will never actually remove scratches. Google "cerium oxide glass polishing" and you will find a myriad of stuff, some good, some hype and also some YouTube how-to's that are just wrong! I've use it for years to restore antique scratched glass mirrors and windows of all kinds.

03-16-2020, 06:31 AM	#7
chrs1961815 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Spring Grove, Illinois Posts: 1,371	Re: Headlight Lense Restoration Thanks for all of the advice. I used some softscrub and they look as clear as a reproduction lense. Now I have a few scratches to deal with next. __________________ "The more things change, the more they stay the same."