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How to touch up scratches on a black anodized aluminum flashlight?

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3

One of my flashlights that has a black anodized aluminum housing has a couple of scratches on it, all of the way through the anodized coating.

How can I cover up the scratches so that its completely black again?

gear-care flashlights

share|improve this question

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Is this for aesthetic reasons or to preserve the properties of its anodization?
  
  – John Hughes
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JohnHughes Mostly for looks
  
  – Charlie Brumbaugh
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I've seen some chemicals you can apply that create a similar look to anodization. I'll see if I can find them again later.
  
  – Qudit
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And lose the street cred???
  
  – Jason
  3 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

One of my flashlights that has a black anodized aluminum housing has a couple of scratches on it, all of the way through the anodized coating.

How can I cover up the scratches so that its completely black again?

gear-care flashlights

share|improve this question

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Is this for aesthetic reasons or to preserve the properties of its anodization?
  
  – John Hughes
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @JohnHughes Mostly for looks
  
  – Charlie Brumbaugh
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I've seen some chemicals you can apply that create a similar look to anodization. I'll see if I can find them again later.
  
  – Qudit
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And lose the street cred???
  
  – Jason
  3 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

One of my flashlights that has a black anodized aluminum housing has a couple of scratches on it, all of the way through the anodized coating.

How can I cover up the scratches so that its completely black again?

gear-care flashlights

share|improve this question

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

share|improve this question

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

share|improve this question

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

asked 10 hours ago

Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh

55.1k1717 gold badges157157 silver badges322322 bronze badges

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

2

"How can I [make] it completely black?"

Cover it with something black.

Drawing on it with a black marker will work, but that might rub off after serious use. You could use black spray paint, but that requires etching into the rest of the anodized part. Black electrical tape would be great, and makes it a little more grippy when wet, but gets gross after a while.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Black marker, and accepting the need to refresh the touch up job, is what I've found best (work stuff - my bike lights etc. are allowed to look battered)
  
  – Chris H
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

I have a small can of Bar-B-Q-Black, a Rustoleum product that we have used on scratches or dings on black metal objects, such as a wood-burning stove or a iron garden bench. This particular can says it resists heat up to 1,000 degrees F, which performance limit you are unlikely to need.

If you Google Bar-B-Q-Black, Rustoleum you will find an array of products at an array of prices at many places. It may be more expensive than nail polish (see answer of Ken Graham) but not necessarily.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

add a comment | 

1

How to touch up scratches on a black anodized aluminum flashlight?

Try using black nail polish on your flashlight 🔦. But make sure it is a good quality nail polish and not something from the Dollar Store. People have used nail polish to remove scratches on cars for many years now.

Some people may only know nail polish as something women put on their nails as a form of an accessory. However, nail polish has a lot of uses, and one of these uses includes being a great scratch remover. As you can tell with the other DIY fixes, you will need to buff and sand. However, with nail polish, you will just need to clean the area before applying it. Nail polish helps cover up the scratches instead of doing a lot of legwork to “remove” the scratch. Furthermore, nail polish comes in a variety of colors, so it’ll be easier to match a color with your paint. This makes it a really effective way to remove scratches on your car paint. So, you should look for the closest color to your car paint that you can find. Apply the polish as evenly as possible so the scratch will no longer be seen. If you still see the scratch afterward, you can just apply another coat of nail polish after it has dried. - Nail Polish

share|improve this answer

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

add a comment | 

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2

"How can I [make] it completely black?"

Cover it with something black.

Drawing on it with a black marker will work, but that might rub off after serious use. You could use black spray paint, but that requires etching into the rest of the anodized part. Black electrical tape would be great, and makes it a little more grippy when wet, but gets gross after a while.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Black marker, and accepting the need to refresh the touch up job, is what I've found best (work stuff - my bike lights etc. are allowed to look battered)
  
  – Chris H
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

"How can I [make] it completely black?"

Cover it with something black.

Drawing on it with a black marker will work, but that might rub off after serious use. You could use black spray paint, but that requires etching into the rest of the anodized part. Black electrical tape would be great, and makes it a little more grippy when wet, but gets gross after a while.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Black marker, and accepting the need to refresh the touch up job, is what I've found best (work stuff - my bike lights etc. are allowed to look battered)
  
  – Chris H
  7 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

"How can I [make] it completely black?"

Cover it with something black.

Drawing on it with a black marker will work, but that might rub off after serious use. You could use black spray paint, but that requires etching into the rest of the anodized part. Black electrical tape would be great, and makes it a little more grippy when wet, but gets gross after a while.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

answered 9 hours ago

John HughesJohn Hughes

8331010 bronze badges

2

I have a small can of Bar-B-Q-Black, a Rustoleum product that we have used on scratches or dings on black metal objects, such as a wood-burning stove or a iron garden bench. This particular can says it resists heat up to 1,000 degrees F, which performance limit you are unlikely to need.

If you Google Bar-B-Q-Black, Rustoleum you will find an array of products at an array of prices at many places. It may be more expensive than nail polish (see answer of Ken Graham) but not necessarily.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

add a comment | 

2

I have a small can of Bar-B-Q-Black, a Rustoleum product that we have used on scratches or dings on black metal objects, such as a wood-burning stove or a iron garden bench. This particular can says it resists heat up to 1,000 degrees F, which performance limit you are unlikely to need.

If you Google Bar-B-Q-Black, Rustoleum you will find an array of products at an array of prices at many places. It may be more expensive than nail polish (see answer of Ken Graham) but not necessarily.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

add a comment | 

I have a small can of Bar-B-Q-Black, a Rustoleum product that we have used on scratches or dings on black metal objects, such as a wood-burning stove or a iron garden bench. This particular can says it resists heat up to 1,000 degrees F, which performance limit you are unlikely to need.

If you Google Bar-B-Q-Black, Rustoleum you will find an array of products at an array of prices at many places. It may be more expensive than nail polish (see answer of Ken Graham) but not necessarily.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

edited 42 mins ago

Ken Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

ab2ab2

14.6k33 gold badges4545 silver badges116116 bronze badges

1

How to touch up scratches on a black anodized aluminum flashlight?

Try using black nail polish on your flashlight 🔦. But make sure it is a good quality nail polish and not something from the Dollar Store. People have used nail polish to remove scratches on cars for many years now.

Some people may only know nail polish as something women put on their nails as a form of an accessory. However, nail polish has a lot of uses, and one of these uses includes being a great scratch remover. As you can tell with the other DIY fixes, you will need to buff and sand. However, with nail polish, you will just need to clean the area before applying it. Nail polish helps cover up the scratches instead of doing a lot of legwork to “remove” the scratch. Furthermore, nail polish comes in a variety of colors, so it’ll be easier to match a color with your paint. This makes it a really effective way to remove scratches on your car paint. So, you should look for the closest color to your car paint that you can find. Apply the polish as evenly as possible so the scratch will no longer be seen. If you still see the scratch afterward, you can just apply another coat of nail polish after it has dried. - Nail Polish

share|improve this answer

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

add a comment | 

1

How to touch up scratches on a black anodized aluminum flashlight?

Try using black nail polish on your flashlight 🔦. But make sure it is a good quality nail polish and not something from the Dollar Store. People have used nail polish to remove scratches on cars for many years now.

Some people may only know nail polish as something women put on their nails as a form of an accessory. However, nail polish has a lot of uses, and one of these uses includes being a great scratch remover. As you can tell with the other DIY fixes, you will need to buff and sand. However, with nail polish, you will just need to clean the area before applying it. Nail polish helps cover up the scratches instead of doing a lot of legwork to “remove” the scratch. Furthermore, nail polish comes in a variety of colors, so it’ll be easier to match a color with your paint. This makes it a really effective way to remove scratches on your car paint. So, you should look for the closest color to your car paint that you can find. Apply the polish as evenly as possible so the scratch will no longer be seen. If you still see the scratch afterward, you can just apply another coat of nail polish after it has dried. - Nail Polish

share|improve this answer

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

add a comment | 

How to touch up scratches on a black anodized aluminum flashlight?

Try using black nail polish on your flashlight 🔦. But make sure it is a good quality nail polish and not something from the Dollar Store. People have used nail polish to remove scratches on cars for many years now.

Some people may only know nail polish as something women put on their nails as a form of an accessory. However, nail polish has a lot of uses, and one of these uses includes being a great scratch remover. As you can tell with the other DIY fixes, you will need to buff and sand. However, with nail polish, you will just need to clean the area before applying it. Nail polish helps cover up the scratches instead of doing a lot of legwork to “remove” the scratch. Furthermore, nail polish comes in a variety of colors, so it’ll be easier to match a color with your paint. This makes it a really effective way to remove scratches on your car paint. So, you should look for the closest color to your car paint that you can find. Apply the polish as evenly as possible so the scratch will no longer be seen. If you still see the scratch afterward, you can just apply another coat of nail polish after it has dried. - Nail Polish

share|improve this answer

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges

answered 6 hours ago

Ken GrahamKen Graham

7,42211 gold badge2626 silver badges5353 bronze badges