Scratches and Structural Integrity of Carbon fibre frame

Does anyone know if scratches on a carbon fibre frame will affect the structural integrity like the stiffness n performance of the frame?

 

Define "scratches".

 

A scratch in the clearcoat is purely cosmetic, but if it is a true crack you need to take a serious look at it.

 

You "score" glass (a deep scratch) in order to make it break along the score line. You don't want a scratch that penetrating. Not that carbon and glass are the same, but either is weakened along the score line by the scratch.

 

The scratch is deep enuff to cause the paint to come off.. feels like someone juz keyed it or someting .. is that considered scored?

 

Sounds like it is worth touching it up with a clear coat to try and prevent stress concentration. Are any of the fibres hanging out of the wound?

 

No I dont think theres any fibres hanging out .. looks like paint that has come out to me but the scratch is deep enuff to be felt even thru a cleaning rag as I try to wipe n polish it .. what is stress concentration? have not heard of this term before ..

 

Stress concentration is what happens when you worry that your expensive CF ride might be mortally wounded.

 

oh meaning stress on myself mentally and not the bike huh? yeah it sure bugs the heck out of me... it appears to have gotten there thru rear wheel removal n the cassete somehow scraped it or sometin.. it wasnt due to a crash for sure .. so i figure that if that is the case it shuld be juz cosmetic ?

 

It's what happens when you score a ceramic tile or a pane of glass and then bend it across the scored line.