Thread: Refurb Q: Lacquering tang stamps?

I finally have the last couple of months worth of acquisitions honed up, and it's time to start learning to re-pin, and re-scale the ones that need it.

So, of course, I immediately think of something completely unnecessary to divert my attention from the tasks I should be working on.

Any thoughts on painting black lacquer into the tang stamps and buffing off the surface excess to highlight what's left of the original stamping? (Will it even stick?)

Thanks,

Originally Posted by mbaglio100

Any thoughts on painting black lacquer into the tang stamps and buffing off the surface excess to highlight what's left of the original stamping? (Will it even stick?)

Thanks,

It would stick if the area is well degreased first.
Probably some kind of matt black stove finish or similar would work.

I have heard about people using cold blue chemicals for this - like onimaru55 says, the piece has to be thouroughly degreased first. You then aplly the cold blue selectively (it goes a deep blue/black colour) then buff away the surface, leaving the blueing in the depressions. Probably sounds easier to do thhan it actually is - cold blue doesn't adhere fantastically well, but even so I would think a mechanical buffer would be an advantage to buff it off.

This question comes up a lot in camera forums - the enamel (especially the coloured stuff on old leica lenses and bodies) flakes off and lots of people try to replace it. A lot of camera restorers use the waxy lacquer sticks you can buy. You clean the piece, wipe the stick over it to fill in the engraving, then wipe off the excess - with paper, not cloth (cloth will get into the engraving and take off some lacquer). Leave the lacquer to dry (takes a while - maybe 1 or 2 days), then remove any traces of lacquer you dont want with paper moistened with acetone.

Incidentally, the blackness of the engraving was originally produced by swithching currect from DC to AC (or switching the polarity of the electrodes) - it plates a small amount of blackened metal back into the engraved line.

Regards,
Neil

I have done something similar to this with scales. After cleaning, the gold paint in the stamp on a set of scales disapears. I have replaced this brass dust suspended in epoxy and then sand and buff. I'll let you know how well it works when I find the time to finish this little project.

Yes it works quite well with just Lacquer paint,,,

What Neil said about wiping it off with "Paper" is the trick that works, also how well it works, is dependent on how clean, and how deep the stamp is...