Hello!
I found a decent size rock.chip on the front wiper blade arm. The arm looks “matte” color, while others have said “semi gloss.” I ended up ordering some matte black, and now I’m wonder if I should have done sem gloss. Any thoughts?
Wiper arms are semi-gloss. The “semi” part varies by paint manufacturer. I have always had good luck with Barbecue Black paint intended for - wait for it - barbecues. Usually Krylon brand. It gives a subtle sheen.
Do a test spray on something solid and compare it against the arm. If the “matte” you bought doesn’t match, try Barbecue Black. Paint the whole arm so any discrepancies do stand out so much.
It would stand out too much to just touch that up with a brush?
Dang, it really looked matte to me so I purchased some at AutZone yesterday. I’m glad I came on here before I touched it up, or I guess it would have really stood out
Keep in mind… it is just paint. If you don’t like how it looks, just re-paint it. It is a small piece of trim, not a door or fender.
Do a spot touch up on the chip and see how it looks. If it looks bad and drives you nuts, sand it smooth with 600 grit wet/dry paper and spray the whole arm. Prime the bare metal with self-etching primer to make the paint stick better.
That would rust if I didn’t put any paint in it, right?
Do these arms chip often? I have never experienced this before.
It likely will not rust. They are typically made of stainless steel.
In my experience, yes, they chip often if you drive on the highway a lot. Beats having whatever caused that chip bounce off and crack the windshield.
I would try hitting it with a black sharpie first, easy quick, and if you don’t like it go to plan b
Wouldn’t a sharpie wear off from the weather conditions, carwash, etc? How long would it ideally last?
My guess 6 months to a year, for a 10 second job I could live with that. Ya know there was a thread about the gray trim, I will try it on mine and let you know, using a wide permanent marker of course.
I’ll have to give it a try. I really didn’t think it would hold up that well… who would have known?!
I’ve used that technique on black surfaces. On very small chips like that it works quite well. Sometimes you need to carefully dab it into the chip, let it dry a moment, and dab it again. 
How long will it last? I’ve really never kept track. I hate to say it, but by the time it wears out there will probably be other chips or scratches in another location. 
Keep in mind that when there is a spot that you are aware of, your eyes will be drawn right to it. Others, not aware of the issue, will not notice it. 
I know how this little chip bothers you and it’s good that you are keeping up with appearance, but this stuff goes on, without your control. So don’t freak out when you suffer something a little worse. You’ll worry yourself sick. 
CSA
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