Scratch Sensitive Testing

There are an unbelievable number of windows out there that absolutely cannot be scraped with a razor blade.  These are both old and even brand new.  In fact new windows are more likely to have this problem.  Which is a surface that is very sensitive to scratches.

Some windows are not scratch sensitive at all.  One very easy way to demonstrate this is with a small coin.  Once the window has been cleared of all particulate dirt and sand you can lightly run a small coin across the surface.  As I have demonstrated here.  As you play the video turn the sound way up!  There is NO music in this video so you can easily hear every pop and fizz.  It sounds very rough with many "pops".  So it would seam there are many microscopic and some larger particles actually embedded in the surface.  These also seam to be the direct cause of scratches usually attributed to the razor blade.  The reality is then that the razor is not the direct cause of any scratches but only an aid.  Further it is not the only aid.

Scratch sensitive glass surfaces are absolutely NOT necessary.  We know this simply because not all glass has this problem.  Believe it or not but there are some windows even tempered glass which is incredibly smooth.  It is SO smooth in fact that you can lay right to it with a razor and not have to fear a single scratch.  It is SO smooth that when you run a coin across the glass there is not a sound.  But only complete silence.

The use of a razor or any other tool other than a wetting wand and a squeegee changes our work from routine to non-routine window cleaning.  This type of work becomes very complicated when removing paint, silicone, or hard water spots (and more) from scratch sensitive glass.  We then must know how to use compositional abrasives, and specialty organic solvents.  There are also other very special tools and chems to do this.  I am currently looking into such products to accomplish this type of work.  But the most promising tools are those that protect glass surfaces from paint, stucco, concrete, and more.  Such must absolutely be used if this kind of scratch sensitive surface is discovered at the time just before the windows are installed.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygroverjr@gmail.com