Based on some comments and feedback I received from previous editorial, I’m not the only one that thinks Samsung’s shiny plastic cases give them impression they’re “cheaper quality” than other phones with metal cases or battery covers.

To address the issue on his Nexus S, XDA-Developer AardvarkAdventure took it upon himself to remedy the “problem” — with sandpaper.

Using what we have to assume would void parts of your warranty, this crafty fellow was able to mimic a charcoal-colored brushed-aluminum finish on the battery cover of his Nexus S.

His instructions require a fair amount of elbow grease, a few different grits of “wetsand” sanding paper, and some “wax” to finish it off. Needless to say, if you opt to try this, you do so at your own risk, and risk voiding your warranty.

Overall the process is simple:

– Use coarse (60 grit) wet sandpaper to take off the shiny surface of the battery cover. (It’s worth noting that the surface is very durable and hard to get through.)

- Once you’ve made it past the shiny part, switch over to a finer (150 grit) wet sandpaper. Smooth out any inconsistencies, but don’t get rid of the linear “striations”.

- After you’ve got a consistent surface, switch to a linear motion to start putting your “brushed” lines into the cover.

- Switch to 150-grit dry sandpaper and continue your linear sanding.

- Rinse and dry the cover.

That’s it, your cover is now ready for finishing!

The author opted for lip balm (apply, buff, repeat), but we think car wax would probably be a little more durable.

The developer sums up his reasoning:

“Be reckless. You’re getting a Nexus Prime soon anyway.”

What do you think of his results? Let us know in the comments!

Source: XDA