[Madness87]

I just recently got my Bold and since my accessories to protect it have not come in, I have been "babying" it like crazy. I've yet to carry it in my pants/jeans pockets, have not let it touch or be put on any hard surface and at nighttime, I thought I was being extra careful when I wrapped it some super soft kleenex tissue. SAD i know but come on

Well today, I was using some kleenex to clean my Bold because there was some grease from hands/ears etc...And just now when I looked at the corner of top bezel, sure enough there are micro-scratches. FROM what? I was super gentle with the softest tissue I could find and it still got scratched. WTF.

Just how ridiculously cheap is this bezel? I know it couldn't be metal due to radio interference, but come on. What gets scratched from super soft kleenex tissue. I didn't even rub it hard or anything at all.

This got me wondering...is there anyone here that has a bezel that is 100% free from ANY scratches at all. Even the slightest micro-scratches or am I just plain Howard Hughes like crazy with OCD?

[digitalb0y]

Yeah, it's crappy chrome paint on soft black plastic. I want a real metal one but I don't know if it would interfere with signal. Titanium should be pretty safe in that regard. Search for a thread started by a user named Croe who was trying to make titanium bezels.

[DUB007]

Yea man mines is looking horrible right now I have seen the invisible shields that stick to the bezel so that u can maitain the factory look and be free of the dreaded black plastic that begins to show beneath...

[Madness87]

I heard the innocases might end up scratching the bezels if you are not careful putting it in or if you take it off a lot and so I ended up buying the OEM silicone skin and a full body invisible shield thing from Zagg.

Hopefully this will prevent most scratches from happening. I have two questions though, can a Bold with a silicone skin still be small enough to fit in the leather pocket? And can the Bold with a silicone skin be put into the charging pod?

I hope this invisible shield is as good as most made it look. Also, just for peace of mind, does Blackberry sell OEM bezels or no?

[xDAKx]

I got my Bold used, and the reason I was able to get it was due to the scratched-to-**** bezel it had, The top, bottom, edges and some of the sides were completely scratched, showing a large percentage of the black plastic underneath, Including a large dent right next to the mute/standby key.

I plan on getting a silicone case, along with a full body Invisible Shield on it this time, as the remainder of it is perfect.

Also, just for peace of mind, does Blackberry sell OEM bezels or no?

RIM/BlackBerry themselfs don't sell them, but sites like CNN or DealsiShop.com (where I bought mine.) do sell them, I paid 13.00 for the "OEM" bezel, which looks just like the one that came/comes on the device when you get it.

[nikolous]

Blackberry do sell replacement housings but very expensive. It comes with the midplate as well. I've heard bad things about those invisible shields so I will never get one. The guy at the phone shop swears by them but I don't see one on HIS bold. Silicone skins won't be able to fin in the charging pod so you'll have to use the USB to charge. And they definitely won't fit into the leather case either. Ny original silver bezel was scratched to s**t so I swapped it for a black bezel and its been 2 months and yet to see a scratch :-)

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[si_chindo]

I've got some micro scratches on mine but I don't mind as long as the screen is still good. Scratched screen is the worst.

I thought bout using the zagg invisible shield but I am affraid of dust collecting under it and the glue residue so I decided against it.

I think a silicone is pretty good but it kind of looks like **** IMO.

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[LittleRedDot]

"NEVER USE ANY PAPER PRODUCT ON YOUR SCREEN. EVEN SUPER SOFT KLEENEX IS MADE FROM WOOD AND WILL ALWAYS SCRATCH. ONLY USE CLOTH MADE FROM COTTON (MICROFIBER)."

I pulled this quote right out of the little booklet that comes with the device. I think the bezel is appropriately sturdy. Had RIM gone with a better material (actual aluminum) then they would have to raise the cost.

BTW, that quote about the paper products is right on.

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[fabuloso]

Lol. I stopped babying my Bold onve I popped its cherry, and added a black trackball and the Rogers Keypad. This baby can take a beating.

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[MooPenguin32]

I have been pretty careful with my Bold, but not to the extent of the OP (though I cannot say I blame them). I don't place it in my pocket. I always keep it either on a table or nightstand or in the holster if it is on me. When I do place the Bold down on a table-like surface, I make sure it is clean of dust or debris. I have had my Bold since 5/30/09 and I have not scratched it yet (knock on wood).

[Jonneh]

Lol. I stopped babying my Bold onve I popped its cherry, and added a black trackball and the Rogers Keypad. This baby can take a beating.

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Lol now that is more like it.

[TLD1]

I blacked out my first Bold...but have found that in retrospect I like the "chrome" bezel better, so I switched back. But I agree that RIM dropped the ball on the quality of construction in this area. It's a poor design, and scratches easily. I too baby my BlackBerry...but I still have mysteriously appearing scratches.

Oh well...if it gets much worse, I still have my black bezel to replace the stocker with. Could be worse.

[BastetBB]

I thought the bold bezel seemed rather sturdy compared to the 8900 I used briefly.
Now that was just sad. I got my bold 2nd hand and there is a ding on the bezel, but to date have not added any new dings (and that's after a couple of tragic falls!)
Micro scratches don't really bother me.

But if you want to talk about OCD. Aaarrrggghhh! I can never get a screen protector on right, and even if I come close I will pick at it until its ruined.
I need meds I am sure of it

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[Madness87]

Being sturdy and of cheap quality are different things... I have no problem with the weight or anything. Just the way its made... I mean seriously, a phone such as this should not be able to be scratched by light rubbing of tissue. WTF does blackberry expect to happen to the phone if, god forbid, I put it in my jeans pocket, or my girlfriend carries it in her purse (I don't let her touch my phone, she has her own), or is put on a surface that isn't as smooth as a baby's behind?

They didn't choose to use metal due to radio interference, I get that. But they didn't need to also use a cheap black plastic that looks powder coated with the weakest paint I have ever seen.

It's only been a couple weeks and the tissue caused microscratches... I can't fathom what will happen in the coming months.

Is the leather pocket lined with microfiber or no? Because if soft tissue which is lightly applied scratches the bezel, I don't want to get the leather pocket for fear of just completely ruining it's sweet chrome asthetic.

[xDAKx]

Being sturdy and of cheap quality are different things... I have no problem with the weight or anything. Just the way its made... I mean seriously, a phone such as this should not be able to be scratched by light rubbing of tissue. WTF does blackberry expect to happen to the phone if, god forbid, I put it in my jeans pocket, or my girlfriend carries it in her purse (I don't let her touch my phone, she has her own), or is put on a surface that isn't as smooth as a baby's behind?

They didn't choose to use metal due to radio interference, I get that. But they didn't need to also use a cheap black plastic that looks powder coated with the weakest paint I have ever seen.

It's only been a couple weeks and the tissue caused microscratches... I can't fathom what will happen in the coming months.

Is the leather pocket lined with microfiber or no? Because if soft tissue which is lightly applied scratches the bezel, I don't want to get the leather pocket for fear of just completely ruining it's sweet chrome asthetic.

Usually the leather holster case is lined with a soft fabric.

Personally, I think your bezel may be a bit more sensitive. Mine has already been banged once or twice against things and still doesn't even have any "micro-scratches" on it.

[fabuloso]

In retrospect, I'd rather have my Bold, then a touchscreen phone. I would hate to have to clean and baby that POS around...

What are most of you so scared of? It's a phone, not a damn baby. Keep it real! (wait...is it because some of you don't have...Insurance????) lol.

[Madness87]

It's my first blackberry, cost me more money than I have ever spent on a phone, will have to last me for a WHILE and so forgive me if I become alarmed that I already have scratches on the thing within 2 weeks due to slightly touching the bezel with some kleenex.

I see cnn.cn sells copycat bezels... anyone know what kind of quality they are? Also does anyone know if Blackberry even makes OEM replacement bezels? I know by the end of the year, no matter how much i take care of this phone, the bezel is going to look like ****.

[bmwmpower]

My screen is microscratched from the previous owner. I just deal with it. as far as the chrome around the edge... get a black bezel =) mine from cnn.cnn is a trooper.

[Teek]

Luckily I knew that the silver rubs off before my purchase. So I'm just mindful and I have no major scratches or issues.

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[JoShhh]

i cant believe nobody else thought of this idea but me. all u have do is paper and tape down the bold like u were spray painting it (assuming u know how to do it) and just have the bezel exposed. Then spray 2 to 3 LIGHT coats of scratch resistance clear spray paint. problem solved that simple. i did it the first day it came out when i got it and i dont have one single scratch on it

[DLinK]

I don't really baby my bold too much. As a matter of fact its the first phone I didn't get the invisashield for in some time. I use the leather case that came with it and I only have a few scratches on the bezel from drops. I got fed up with those screen protectors reidue and pain in the *** application methods.



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[K B]

I have dropped my phone four times and carry it unprotected in a pocket, bag, whatever I have going. I have had it for 10 months. There are some light scratches here and there on the bezel, that's about it.

I really don't care if it gets scratched and dinged. It's a phone, not a museum piece.

[papped]

Get a full body screen protector for the bezel, pretty much keeps the bezel in pristine shape.

[bumblesbounce]

What if the made a bezel out of actual metal and tied it into signal reception? The bezel would last longer and reception would improve, eh?

[LuvMyBB]

I would NEVER use ANY paper product on a shiny metal or shiny plastic surface of any kind. You just don't do it. This has been widely known for years. Why do you think no one uses paper products to dry or shine their cars? It doesn't matter how "soft" it feels to you. It is a wood product and, as such, will be abrasive to these types of surfaces.

I have no scratches of any kind on my bezel. But then I don't carry it in my pocket or touch it with any paper products. Microfiber FTW.

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