Dents By Hand

Since 1996, Michael Hand and Dents By Hand have been crafting quality in Paintless Dent Repair (PDR). What started as a detailing venture in a Broomfield driveway has grown into a legacy of dent repair mastery. Here’s the story of how Dents By Hand became Boulder’s trusted PDR provider, deeply rooted in the community for nearly three decades.

The Dents By Hand Story

In 1995, I was a restless 20-something, having tried 12 different jobs in a year while studying at CU Denver. I was searching for something that sparked my passion. Cars were my escape—I’d been tinkering with them since before I was 16, fixing them up on a tight budget in my hometown of Broomfield, CO. That year, my dad approached me with an idea. He suggested we go into business together. A co-worker of his, at a Broomfield car dealership needed auto detailing help, and I jumped at the chance. That’s how “Mike’s Detailing” was born, operating out of my parents’ driveway. A friend’s sister later suggested the name “Details By Hand,” and it stuck. This laid the foundation for what would come.

Detailing was my entry into automotive reconditioning. However, it wasn’t without challenges. For instance, I’ll never forget a gray carpet with a stubborn red stain that refused to budge, no matter what I tried. When I returned the car, the dealership manager casually mentioned re-dyeing it. This revelation opened my eyes to what was else may possible. Consequently, I started learning to repair burns in velour upholstery using ground-up fibers. Then, I mastered leather and vinyl repairs. I built a route, visiting dealerships from Pueblo to Fort Collins as a subcontractor for a franchise specializing in seat burn repairs. Those interactions pushed me out of my introverted shell. They also taught me resilience through both rejections and successes.

Discovering Paintless Dent Repair

One day, a recon manager at a regular dealership suggested I try Paintless Dent Repair (PDR). Back then, it was a craft shrouded in secrecy. I’d glimpsed PDR techs working behind curtains performing hail repairs, guarding their techniques. Intrigued, I bought a VHS tape, a set of PDR tools, and a junkyard hood. I strapped the hood to a 2×4 stand I built. I’d put dents in it and then try to push them out. However, progress was slow because I had no mentor. So, I attended a PDR school in Kansas City.

Before modern innovations like glue pulling, every dent was a test of grit. I had to work from behind the panel, navigating braces or limited access areas with long wire tools. I often manipulated dents several feet away. Over time, those tools became an extension of my will, bending metal to my intent.

Focusing on PDR and Building a Legacy

By 1996, I had my first shop for detailing. Yet, one dealership demanded everything—high-end detailing, paint touch-ups, interior repairs, and PDR. Working seven days a week, I was drowning. A friend’s advice hit hard: “Be a jack of all trades or a master of none.” I reflected on my mobile setup. It included an air compressor, paint toners, interior repair fibers, dyes, and PDR tools. I realized it was all too much. So, I dropped detailing and let my then-wife take over touch-ups. I also phased out interior repairs. Thus, Dents By Hand was reborn, focused solely on PDR. This set the stage for a legacy of dent repair mastery in Boulder, CO.

Mastering the Craft Through Challenges

Car dealers, looking for cheaper options, often pushed me to try larger, more complicated dents that belonged in body shops. I learned to see them as an opportunity that set me apart from the competition, which was often fierce. They would be approached on a weekly basis by other service providers looking to get their foot in the door. I knew that I had to set myself apart to retain their loyalty and by learning to navigate the dealership dynamics, I began to build my reputation.

Working year-round on dealer lots wasn’t easy. Winter’s bite forced me to move fast while gripping cold metal tools. Meanwhile, summer heat meant dousing glue-pull dents with cold water to set it for pulling. These conditions sharpened my speed and adaptability. As a result, I developed skills that set me apart from the competition. This also forced me to be become more shop-based as I could better control those conditions and provide higher quality repairs. I began to do less and less mobile repairs and focus on my retail clients.

Learning the Art of PDR

For me, PDR became more than a job—it was a spiritual practice, connecting with the metal to shape it by hand. I learned to read the energy of the impact, understanding how larger dents mirrored smaller ones on a grander scale. I learned to see dents as waves of energy—when an object strikes metal, it carries an impact across the panel, flowing like a fluid before solidifying based on body lines, curves, or inner obstructions. By tracking these forces, I could unlock and reverse the dent’s creation, refining techniques that set Dents By Hand apart.

One key is in releasing that locked pressure, using tap-downs. I ease the trapped stress from the outer edges, known as crowns, which makes working the center of a dent much easier to push.

Innovating and Growing in PDR

My craft deepened in 1997 when I partnered with Tom Price, a PDR pioneer I met at a training school. Years later, we produced 17 training videos. These covered metal theory, repair demonstrations, and access techniques. The videos were sold in 34 countries and are still used by some PDR tool suppliers today.

Over the years, I’ve tackled countless dents and many hail storms, each one a type of forge testing my resolve. I’ve also endured the strains of growing a business, managing employees and subcontractors under pressure. Just as metal is shaped through heat and force, these challenges hammered my skills into the sword of mastery.

The metal, the clients, and the community have broadened me in ways I never expected. I’m grateful to all our past, present, and future customers who have placed their trust in me and my wonderful team. Thank you for 29 years of support and the chance to build a legacy I hope my children will carry forward. Every dent tells a story, and I’m proud to be part of yours.

Based at 6270 Arapahoe in Boulder, CO, Dents By Hand now serves Boulder, Denver, Longmont, and beyond with eco-friendly PDR, hail restoration, and signature hand washes. The metal, the customers, and the community have broadened me in ways I never expected. I’m grateful for 29 years of support and the chance to build a legacy I hope my children will carry forward. Every dent tells a story, and I’m proud to be part of yours.