Bicycle Mechanics - Scratched paint touch-up

What do you guys think is the best thing to touch up some pretty large scratches?

Nail polish? That's what everyone else uses.

Something even better than nail polish is Testors hobby shop paints. I bought mine from a hobby shop for $1. The caveat is that you have to be able to match reasonably well. I kinda stopped by to match the paint to my bike while the bike was in my truck.

I really recommend Testors. Not the acrylic, but the enamel. And not a spray, but the half ounce bottle. Then buy a whole pack of tiny paint brush for $2 or so from HarborFreight to use in touch-ups.

If an exact match is mandatory try a auto body shop. They can match almost anything.

The caveat is that you have to be able to match reasonably well.

I'm going to disagree with that part. You have to be able to match PERFECTLY.

There's "perfect match" and there's "not exactly". "Not exactly" makes the blemish more noticeable than leaving it bare. I've got a couple of bikes with fade and shade shifter paint jobs that simply can't be matched. I touch them up with clear.

After touching up and letting the paint dry, apply some auto wax and buff it out; it helps minimize the differences.

i found some nail polish that is VERY close. looks great. If it were my pride and joy i might be a little more anal but for my commuter/beater it is more than fine.

If you have a Sherwin Williams Automotive Paint devision near you you can take the fork in and they'll match up either a rattle can or bottle of brush on paint perfectly to your oem color.

I use one of those auto touchup pen/brush markers. My frame is black, so no problem with colour matching.