Bicycle Mechanics - Can this be fixed?

Found a nasty scratch on my brother's rear wheel. He doesn't know when/where/how it happened. The scratch is about 1mm deep (from feel). Was wondering if this can be fixed? If so, how? Thanks.

This is not a fix, but it will smooth out the edges so it will not eat the brake shoe as fast... Get some steel wool and run it over the nick in the rim in the direction of rotation. It might take a while, but it will smooth it out at less
I think Mavic make a stone for rims, but I have never seen one

There is a product called liquid steel and I believe they also make one called liquid aluminum. They are sold at hardware stores. They are actually more like a paste. I've not used the aluminum product but I have tried the steel. With the problem on your wheel, I'd run a bead (very small) of the aluminum paste the length of the scratch. Using your fingure if neccessary, make sure the scratch is filled with the paste. After it dries, I'd use a Dremel (or other similar) tool to remove the excess and polish the surface.

There is a product called liquid steel and I believe they also make one called liquid aluminum. They are sold at hardware stores. They are actually more like a paste. I've not used the aluminum product but I have tried the steel. With the problem on your wheel, I'd run a bead (very small) of the aluminum paste the length of the scratch. Using your fingure if neccessary, make sure the scratch is filled with the paste. After it dries, I'd use a Dremel (or other similar) tool to remove the excess and polish the surface.

Hmmm... I like this idea, has anybody else done this? Thanks, Don.

I took a quick internet search for "Liquid Steel". I didn't get any hits. So I did a generic search on aluminum repair paste. Here's a web site that shows you exactly what I was talking about. The product name is different but the application looks to be the same.

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/labmetal.html?OVRAW=aluminum%20filler%20paste&OVKEY=aluminum%20filler%20paste&OVMTC=standard

I took a quick internet search for "Liquid Steel". I didn't get any hits. So I did a generic search on aluminum repair paste. Here's a web site that shows you exactly what I was talking about. The product name is different but the application looks to be the same.

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/labmetal.html?OVRAW=aluminum%20filler%20paste&OVKEY=aluminum%20filler%20paste&OVMTC=standard

Very cool. Thanks.

http://www.jbweld.net/kwik.html
its mainly a steel repair product,but this version isnt as hard as the regular jb weld.and it is widely avalable at any auto parts store or home center.for a small repair as this it might work ok

Filling it will not increase the strength, just cosmetics. I'd just hit it with some 400 grit sandpaper and some steel wool.

I would just dress down the area as mentioned. The Mavic "stone" is more like a big gritty eraser, it would not remove something like this and works best for cleaning up the rim of road grit and very minor scuffing. It does give a rim renewed bite.

Filling it will not increase the strength, just cosmetics. I'd just hit it with some 400 grit sandpaper and some steel wool.

So, do the sandpaper fist, than steel wool?

So, do the sandpaper fist, than steel wool?

Yep, thats about it. Go slow and use light strokes with the paper and do not take off any excess material if you can help it. Use fine steel wool (it is not really necessary) and only sand in the direction of the rim.

Yep, thats about it. Go slow and use light strokes with the paper and do not take off any excess material if you can help it. Use fine steel wool (it is not really necessary) and only sand in the direction of the rim.

Thanks. I'll give this a try.

Is that rim made of aluminum or steel?
I'm not a bicycle mechanic, but I am a jet fighter mechanic and have lots of experience with different metals.
If that rim is made of aluminum, you don't want to rub it with steel wool. If its steel, go ahead.
If you rub steel wool on aluminum, it will look good for a few days, but what happens is what we in the aviation industry call galvanic corrosion. It's when two dissimilar metals are allowed to contact each other for any length of time. When that happens, a tiny electrical charge occurs, causing one metal to become a cathode, and the other becomes the anode, meaning one metal will cause the other to corrode rapidly. When you rub steel wool on aluminum, you leave traces of steel on the aluminum, which will eventually cause corrosion and pitting, and in this case, the scratch could eventually turn into a crack.
A more suitable option for that scratch would be beartex, or aluminum oxide sand paper. And if you're near an aircraft supply company, you can get an acid called alodine which treats the surface of newly worked aluminum and prevents corrosion.
But like I said, if it's steel, go ahead and use the steel wool.

Wow, thanks for the info! The rim is alumium.

Is that rim made of aluminum or steel?
I'm not a bicycle mechanic, but I am a jet fighter mechanic and have lots of experience with different metals.
If that rim is made of aluminum, you don't want to rub it with steel wool. If its steel, go ahead.
If you rub steel wool on aluminum, it will look good for a few days, but what happens is what we in the aviation industry call galvanic corrosion. It's when two dissimilar metals are allowed to contact each other for any length of time. When that happens, a tiny electrical charge occurs, causing one metal to become a cathode, and the other becomes the anode, meaning one metal will cause the other to corrode rapidly. When you rub steel wool on aluminum, you leave traces of steel on the aluminum, which will eventually cause corrosion and pitting, and in this case, the scratch could eventually turn into a crack.
A more suitable option for that scratch would be beartex, or aluminum oxide sand paper. And if you're near an aircraft supply company, you can get an acid called alodine which treats the surface of newly worked aluminum and prevents corrosion.
But like I said, if it's steel, go ahead and use the steel wool.Finally a crew dog comes through!