Paint touch up

[Dmichels]

My car was painted with a basecoat and a clear coat. I have a quart of paint the was not reduced. They guy at the shop said it would be fine for touch up. I have used it for scratch repair but it is not shiney and "lumpy" when dry. Can some one tell me how a pro would fix a scratch. I have some ideas but want to hear the correct way.
Thanks Dave

[hemi-hampton]

I have access to small amounts of clear at any time usually so what I do is mix a little clear with hardener in a metal cap off a empty gallon can, then mix into clear & cap same amount of the base paint. This will produce a 50/50 mix of paint with clear mixed in. First try it with your unreduced base paint. the clear will thin it, but if still to thick reduce base paint 25% & try again. with the clear mixed in it will dry with a shine & not dull. LEON.

[Dmichels]

I have touched up a few spots. Can I use ultra fine paper to smooth the repair and then spray on clear? Then buff out the repair with compound?
Thanks Dave

[hemi-hampton]

I'd have to see & evaluate the damage/spot repair, ect in person to advise. LEON.

[Dmichels]

I would call it a deep scratch that will catch a nail. I can lay paint in there with a fine brush. from 3 feet it looks fine. But it is dull and not smooth. Can I carefully sand the high spots and spray some rattle can clear and buff it out. What does a pro do?
Thanks Guys
Dave

[Canadian1968]

If you have access to ,what you need is activated clear . I would go over the colour with the clear let cure fully , u can then try to carefully wet sand and and buff up the spot . It will not give you a perfect finish , and there is a lot of room for error but hey it's a touch up !!

I would not suggest the rattle can method .

[hemi-hampton]

What a Pro does is repaint. I paint cars for the big 3 Manufacturers Auto Show cars. After 1000 people jump in & out of a car at the autoshow it comes back to us all scratched up. Sometime we'll have to paint a whole door, or panel or side to get all the scratches out. Pic below of a similar scratched 1/4. LEON.