Like many of you out there I love my RIM Blackberry BOLD 9000. It can do so much! What started out as more of a TOY has become a TOOL! I kept my Bold in my pocket without a case or screen protector along with my keys and my screen got really scratched up. It was still perfectly visible when the screen was on, but it was more of a OCD sort of thing where I knew it was there and just bothered me. My next thought was to try trusty google and search for some remedies. I came up on some info that smearing some toothpaste onto the screen and then letting it sit for a while before wiping it clean may help. It didn't.
This led to more digging through google and clicking on the search results. Eventually I stumbled across the crackberry forums and there were tons of people out there with similar problems but there was no real viable solution besides being a replacement lcd with the lens. This is the perfect solution, however it costs anywhere from $35-75+ to do this and I wanted to figure out a more cost effective way. The main problem is that the lens is glued directly onto the lcd and if you pry it off with force you will crack the lcd. Countless forum members had tried and said it was virtually impossible and your best bet would be to just buy the whole replacement part online. This is where my stubbornness kicked it and I wanted to try to defy the odds though they were definitely against me. I bought a lens replacement online and took my Bold apart to start my adventure.
This led to more digging through google and clicking on the search results. Eventually I stumbled across the crackberry forums and there were tons of people out there with similar problems but there was no real viable solution besides being a replacement lcd with the lens. This is the perfect solution, however it costs anywhere from $35-75+ to do this and I wanted to figure out a more cost effective way. The main problem is that the lens is glued directly onto the lcd and if you pry it off with force you will crack the lcd. Countless forum members had tried and said it was virtually impossible and your best bet would be to just buy the whole replacement part online. This is where my stubbornness kicked it and I wanted to try to defy the odds though they were definitely against me. I bought a lens replacement online and took my Bold apart to start my adventure.
If you need any help on taking the Bold apart click on the following link as it is a great tutorial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD_RbZg8rdI
* I'm not responsible if you break your bold while disassembly and this will void your warranty. If you still wish to continue in the process you are doing it at your own risk *
Here are the items you will need:
- Replacement Lens
- Q-Tips
- Creamy/Smooth Peanut Butter
- Business card/Price tag in my case (thin stiff cardboard like material)
- Cloth/Tissue
- Double Sided Tape
- Patience and about 20-30 minutes of your time.
Step 1:
Your bold should be now fully apart and you have the lens in your hand. Now before you do anything inspect the lens and there should be a spot somewhere where there is a minor gap and this is where you will insert your business card/price tag. Now that the card is slightly in there lay the lcd onto a soft cloth or bubble wrap in my case. with the lcd facing upwards and card insert start to apply some pressure and work your way to the center by pushing the card in slowly yet firmly. You will start to see this white residue build up inside. This is just the glue that was used to hold the lens and lcd together with so don't be alarmed. You will continually work on sliding the card all the way through until the the whole lcd eventually comes off. (The key here is to do it in intervals. Slide the card in and then slide it right back out after you gain some ground. I wouldn't recommend trying to this all in one shot. It takes some patience.) This process took me about 2 minutes and this is the result.
Step 2:
I just quickly put it back together to make sure the lcd was not cracked and still worked fine. You can skip this step if you wish, but I just wanted to make sure it still worked before I proceeded.
I just quickly put it back together to make sure the lcd was not cracked and still worked fine. You can skip this step if you wish, but I just wanted to make sure it still worked before I proceeded.
Step 3:
Disassemble your Bold again so you are only handling the LCD again. At this point grab some q-tips and peanut butter (yes peanut butter, and not to make a sandwich). Put a small dab on peanut butter onto the q-tip and spread it onto the LCD. The peanut butter acts as an agent that just picks up the residue left over by the glue perfectly. You can clean it until your happy with it and wipe it clean with a cloth or tissue to get rid of the oil left behind by the peanut butter.
Disassemble your Bold again so you are only handling the LCD again. At this point grab some q-tips and peanut butter (yes peanut butter, and not to make a sandwich). Put a small dab on peanut butter onto the q-tip and spread it onto the LCD. The peanut butter acts as an agent that just picks up the residue left over by the glue perfectly. You can clean it until your happy with it and wipe it clean with a cloth or tissue to get rid of the oil left behind by the peanut butter.
Step 4:
Get some double sided tape and put a strip near the top of the lcd and another one near the bottom. Then carefully place the lens back onto the LCD so that everything is aligned. Give it a gentle push so that the lens and LCD stay attached. Reassemble your phone and VOILA! You should have a perfect scratch free phone that looks brand spanking new!
Get some double sided tape and put a strip near the top of the lcd and another one near the bottom. Then carefully place the lens back onto the LCD so that everything is aligned. Give it a gentle push so that the lens and LCD stay attached. Reassemble your phone and VOILA! You should have a perfect scratch free phone that looks brand spanking new!
Step 5:
Enjoy your "brand new" Bold and remember to put it in a case or apply a screen protector as this could have all been avoided in the first place LOL.
Moral of the Story: If you have the will there is always a way, NEVER let anyone tell you you can't do something kids! Hard work does and will eventually pay off!
if you would like to reward me for all my hard work feel free to BEER ME through paypal with a small donation with the link below. =) Have a nice day!
Enjoy your "brand new" Bold and remember to put it in a case or apply a screen protector as this could have all been avoided in the first place LOL.
Moral of the Story: If you have the will there is always a way, NEVER let anyone tell you you can't do something kids! Hard work does and will eventually pay off!
if you would like to reward me for all my hard work feel free to BEER ME through paypal with a small donation with the link below. =) Have a nice day!
