Potential fix for marks/scratches on front - skins w/pictures

[LouS]

About 1 day after I got my M1 I started seeing the annoying marks/scratches on the front of the phone from where it makes contact with the rubber/plastic pad under the flip. In my opinion this is just a crappy design from Sanyo in that the front of the phone would rest on the "stop" and also that the plastic part on the front of the phone is so easily marked up. Other than this cosmetic issue, the phone is great.

Anyway, I tried putting a small strip of a generic screen protector on this area to help stop the marks. It did but it looked cheesy. So I ordered a skin from bestskinsever.com for another alternative. They didn't have one specifically for the M1 so I got the Do-it-yourself kit which is basically just a sheet that you cut to fit your phone. I made some measurements for the front area and made a template with Visio then I cut this template out and taped it to the skin sheet. Then I very carefully cut the lines on the template using a sharp utility knife blade. After all the cutting was done, I popped the piece out of the sheet and followed the directions to put it on the phone (wet with water/soap solution and apply, etc.).

Anyway, I think it turned out really well. If you didn't know the skin was on there you wouldn't be able to even tell unless you were really looking for it. I also made one for the back battery cover because some people were saying they were getting marks there too. I wasn't but I covered it anyway just to be safe. I think it looks really good. Time will tell as far as how well it holds up but for $6.99 plus $2 shipping, it's worth not marking up the front of your phone. When you open the flip, you can really see where the marks are coming from in the skin material after you close the flip. There are small indentations in the skin right after you close it but they go away after a minute or two because the skin is so flexible. Adding the skin to the battery cover also helps the phone not slide around when you have it on a smooth surface.

If anyone wants the template, let me know and I can e-mail it or post it here. You just have to be very careful and take your time if you do this. There is enough material on the blank skin sheet to do the front area and battery cover at least twice if not 3 times. Oh, I also did the 2 small front areas that cover the outside of the hinge on each side. Here are some pictures of the finished product. Just note that these were taken in macro mode so you can see very minor imperfections that you will not normally even notice with your eyes...

Just click on pics to enlarge.

http://img18.imagevenue.com/loc570/th_79338_m1_skin_top_122_570lo.JPG (http://img18.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79338_m1_skin_top_122_570lo.JPG)http ://img21.imagevenue.com/loc483/th_79348_m1_skin_top2_122_483lo.JPG (http://img21.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79348_m1_skin_top2_122_483lo.JPG)htt p://img171.imagevenue.com/loc568/th_79360_m1_skin_side_122_568lo.JPG (http://img171.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79360_m1_skin_side_122_568lo.JPG)htt p://img155.imagevenue.com/loc494/th_79425_m1_skin_side2_122_494lo.JPG (http://img155.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79425_m1_skin_side2_122_494lo.JPG)
http://img147.imagevenue.com/loc576/th_79430_m1_skin_bottom_122_576lo.JPG (http://img147.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79430_m1_skin_bottom_122_576lo.JPG)h ttp://img23.imagevenue.com/loc450/th_79570_m1_skin_bottom2_122_450lo.JPG (http://img23.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=79570_m1_skin_bottom2_122_450lo.JPG)

[reemusk]

sweet deal. good find.

[Master01]

NICE work man, but are those skins removable after they get scratched up?

[ikandi]

yea bestskinsever has some good products, I had some skins for my ipod, worked really great, I think i'll buy the do it yourself kit myself

[jaytv]

Nice work. Sanyo should have added a bit more urethane to the finish on the front of the flip. It was originally metal like the 5500, but that was vetoed as way too heavy...ironic considering all the criticism over the "cheap, light" feeling on this phone...

[dabro]

Nice job LouS. I was thinking of doing the same thing myself, since I hate to put it into a case. It'd be really great if you could post the template you made!

[MsRandall]

My first m1 was scratched badly from the flip...I was waiting on a skin...I think I will need the template too...please post it...thanks in advance.

Bestskinever products are awesome!!!! :)

[LouS]

Here's a link to the template, folks...

http://www.box.net/public/entp9h3psx

I only made a template for the front face area since that was the area I was most concerned with protecting. For the back battery cover, I just sort of winged it by tracing out the cover while it was off the phone and then trimming it down. Same for the 2 little areas on the front at the outside of the hinge area.

If you can't open the Visio file, the Word file is the same size template. The dark lines are the cut lines and the light dotted lines are just guide lines. I recommend cutting this template out then taping it onto the skin sheet. Use a very sharp blade (like utility knife blade - and be careful!) to cut along the dark lines. Use a metal ruler or other straightedge to cut along. You use use the guide lines to lay your ruler along. Start with the cutouts for the speakers first, then do the outside last. Let me know if you have questions.

[LouS]

And yes, the skins are removable. You just can't reuse them after you take them off.

[rennyn]

NICE work man, but are those skins removable after they get scratched up?

The material they make them out of does not scratched. It is the same material ShieldZone uses for their screen protectors. You can take sharp keys or rocks to it and nothing will leave a mark, the only way I've seen to harm them is to stretch them out of shape or actually cut them. It is an awesome material.

[ikandi]

The material they make them out of does not scratched. It is the same material ShieldZone uses for their screen protectors. You can take sharp keys or rocks to it and nothing will leave a mark, the only way I've seen to harm them is to stretch them out of shape or actually cut them. It is an awesome material.yea they're awesome, I had them for my ipod and didn't need a case, I ordered some for the M1:headbang2

[KevC84]

Hmmm I should do that too. I have some scratches on the battery that are just killing me! The only problem is that I am not one of those people that are really good at doing that stuff. I will more than likely mess it up, get angry and throw everything in the garbage. LOL

[zagi-one]

Thanks for sharing your template. I skinned the battery cover on day one. The bottom part of the battery is a resting point and is subject to obuse.

[dabro]

Here's a link to the template, folks...



Thanks, LouS!

[zenaa96]

Here's a link to the template, folks...

http://www.box.net/public/entp9h3psx


Nice Work LouS!
Thanks for sharing this info and template! :wavey:

[MsRandall]

Thanks for sharing...I also spoke with Mike the owner of vision skins and they are perfecting their skin right now so help is coming soon....

[LouS]

Sure thing MsRandall. Does vision skins offer clear skins or do they have the graphic type skins?

[MsRandall]

I asked him to create a clear version because lately he hasnt....I dont know if that will happen since he used to do clear for me and said the paper wasnt available recently...

[utwarreng]

Any update on a premade skin from anywhere?

I ordered one of the create your own kits from bestskins, but haven't attempted to cut it out yet. I plan on doing it later tonight. In case I screw it up I have an extra, but if I manage to screw that one up too I'd like to just order a premade.

[IronMike74]

I made an earlier thread about scratches on my screen from doing nothing so I caved and actually ordered a ShieldZone invisible shield. So go to shieldzone.com and search for it if you want one premade.

[Burrito75]

I made an earlier thread about scratches on my screen from doing nothing so I caved and actually ordered a ShieldZone invisible shield. So go to shieldzone.com and search for it if you want one premade.

I tried one of these. By the time I had gotten the hang of putting them on without bubbles I had ruined most of it. I only have a little piece left on the front. I'm gonna have to order another set. They are strong though. And look good if put on right.

[dimm0k]

LouS, is this skin flexible enough to stay on a curved surface? I was thinking of doing the same thing you've done with this skin, but instead of just the surface of where the hinge is, I was going to cover the curved hinge area. Is it possible to do this with the skin from bestskinsever.com?

[memphis2k]

I don't suppose anyone has bought this have they? I play a lot of games on my M1, especially Monopoly: Here & Now edition, heh well every night while I'm waiting to fall asleep. With this I doubt I would need a case, may even provide some drop protection. There skins look to be pretty good. Plus, I need an iPod Nano 2nd Gen skin too.

Sanyo M1 Full Body Shield
SKU - SANM1

From ShieldZone
$25

http://www.shieldzone.com/item_description/SANM1.html

Protect the screen and full body of your Sanyo M1 from scratches and dings forever with the invisibleSHIELD, the ultimate in scratch protection. The invisibleSHIELD comes with a lifetime guarantee, which means that if your invisibleSHIELD ever gets scratched up, we'll replace it. For FREE. For LIFE. Now that's protection! Pay once, protect forever.

[LouS]

LouS, is this skin flexible enough to stay on a curved surface? I was thinking of doing the same thing you've done with this skin, but instead of just the surface of where the hinge is, I was going to cover the curved hinge area. Is it possible to do this with the skin from bestskinsever.com?

It is certainly flexible enough to use on curved surfaces. I was going to do exactly what you mentioned but I didn't because I was afraid there might not be enough clearance under the curved hinge area when you open the flip. I didn't want the skin to maybe get pulled off by opening the flip if the skin was under the hinged area. You could try it though. There's enough skin material on one blank sheet to do it both ways if it doesn't work one way.

[dimm0k]

It is certainly flexible enough to use on curved surfaces. I was going to do exactly what you mentioned but I didn't because I was afraid there might not be enough clearance under the curved hinge area when you open the flip. I didn't want the skin to maybe get pulled off by opening the flip if the skin was under the hinged area. You could try it though. There's enough skin material on one blank sheet to do it both ways if it doesn't work one way.


Do you know where bestskinsever is located? Just trying to gauge when it'll arrive in my mailbox. Other question which I believe you may have answered before is, will the skin mask the scratches made by the hinge?

[LouS]

I believe they are in Colorado. They ship by regular old mail so it could take up to a week to get to you.

Yes, the skin will do a decent job at masking the scratches from the hinge.

[dimm0k]

Thanks LouS for the info and template. The sheet that arrived was definitely enough for some trial and error, something I could have avoided if I took my time. First time around I used a razorblade, but unfortunately it wasnt sharp enough to cut through all the material without messing up the template. Second time around I decided to just cover the speaker holes rather than making the cutout for them, but decided to go it a third time when I realized the sound was a little muffled. Third time around I used the knife from my Leatherman and was able to make some decent cuts. Everything was perfect... except for a little piece of white speckle of dust near the right speaker, which I colored in with a black Sharpie...

With all the trial and error I had extra scraps so I covered the hinges like you did, as well a layer over the side buttons to give it a little extra feel to it.

One thing I've noticed about this skin though is that it attracts dust more easily than before...