I have a set of '07 Reba SL's.
Just been washing my bike when the damned thing slipped and slid down a wall, putting a nice 6mm scratch – well groove really – into my non-air side stanchion.

I'm unemployed, can't afford a new set of uppers so what can i do?

This really isn't going to help the depression i tell ya….

Sure someone will come with a handy tip based around Nail polish or some such..

If you can feel it with your nail, then it will after time wear at your seals and oil will leak.

Wet and dry and some clear nail varnish or araldite will sort it, not pretty but will do the job.

I'll leave someone else to tell you how to do it as I haven't been unlucky enough to try it out.

Here you go;

Buff scratch with 1500 grit wet paper until you can only feel the valley . Make sure there are no peaks. Fill with nail polish or opoxy whatever is handy. Let stand for and hour or so. Buff excess with 1500 but don't use water this time. Keep buffing until it's smooth. Don't use any power tools (dremel, sander whatever). It's not a race to fix it! By hand is the way to go.

Like KINGTUT says, helped a mate "fix" a scratch this way. Took our time and it worked well, not as pretty as before but who cares. You sould be okay, good luck.

Clean it with something like IPA or meths then get it nice & warm with a hair dryer before applying the filler of choice

should of bought a lefty

how rough does a mark have to be in order to knacker the seals? will even a small rough patch do damage?

Yes even a small rough patch will accelerate wear on the seals.

I'd recommend using a flat sanding block with your 1500 grade paper, sanding with your fingers usually ends up removing the wrong material and rapidly. A smooth flat side will let you pinpoint the epoxy lump only.

Get a part time job so you can stil claim and earn some pocket money towards new forks.

I want a full time job!!!

I've put some super glue on it, we'll see how it dries.

Superglue isnt ideal, it's not going to last long. Really you wanted to use a hard bonding agent like an epoxy.

Superglue is not a "filler". You need something that is. Although I am skeptical that it will damage your forks that quickly…and even if it does, just keep using the uppers till they die FFS.

KINGTUT – Member
If you can feel it with your nail, then it will after time wear at your seals and oil will leak.

Really? Given there's no oil under pressure at the seal, how? Does much come out?

It must be a day for it. My Talas forks having been lovingly resprayed and re sealed I broke the foot nut off the lower talas side after misreading the distructions.
Bugger I fell for you.

Would a small carefull applied coat of car body Lacquer be any good? You can smooth it down with T cut without damaging the surface till it's very very smooth?

Gonna have this to do on my Talas' this weekend. I asked the same questions about what damage is likely to happen, seems to be a case of knackering the seals and getting crud inside rather than immediate death.

Going to try the nail varnish option, got some 1500 W & D ready to go, just need a good film to watch while I'm whittling away.

I found some liquid metal two part filler in the shed, so i've applied a little layer and i'll see how it goes.

Think i went a little over board with the sanding 'cos i've now got a slight flat patch – smooth though.

Hopefully the filler will do the job.

Really? Given there's no oil under pressure at the seal, how? Does much come out?

Some of the 15ml of oil in the the lowers will migrate past the seal if they are worn, I've got a set of U turns that are leaking at the moment.