Thread: Re-blackening tang stamps with modeler's lacquer?

Ok fellas bear with me here:
I was sitting around last night looking at a Top Flight in about to finish up, and the tang stamps 1. top flight w/ the wings and 2. makers stamp on back of tang, are in very good condition, and I thought you know I really would like to restore these back to factory specs just for the heck of it. I tried the nylon brush w/ heated distilled vinegar which worked ok, but as soon as the chrome oxide on the buffer touched it it was taken right back off (I was using a loose muslin wheel). After that I wondered, what if I took some modeler's (car, plane model type) black laquer and the very fine q-tips they use for pin-striping and basically painted them back in, sanded off the excess w/ 4k grit wet/dry, then took a damp cloth and rubbed off the rest w/ denatured alcohol and went back to the buffers? Anyone try this? Was it a success, opinions, or am I presumably tinkling into a head long breeze here?

i have never tried on metal but on acrylic permanent marker rubed over ethching ect. then wiped clean with alcohol always left the area the color of the marker .. i used to do it on my duck calls and weather never had an effect ... i just got some gun bluing and was gonna see what effect it had on a blade i have cause i was thinking bout doing the tang and spine on my DD special #1 , ill let you know how long the stuff takes to start staining the blade , if its slow i think it would work on the stamps as you could wipe the tang and let the stamp stain as the solution stayed in the stamp ... i m glad you asked cause it was a ? i was gonna post .. hopefully someone can enlighten us both on a way to do it !!

Glen just pm'd me about the magic marker then sand back the excess w/ 2k grit. Think I am gonna give both ideas a whirl (i've got more waiting in the wings). Also, I am thinking about sealing it with a touch of clear laquer....so many experiments so little time.

I've been thinking about this as well. Although new to straight razors, the method I use for restoring makers stamps to knife tangs is
by using 'stove black', the matt finish paint for restoring old wood burning pot-belly stoves. I imagine applying this with the sharp end of a
toothpick might work for razors too. I like your idea though.

I think the toothpick would work well too. I went to hobby lobby and they have, I guess for lack of a better description, about 1/64 "q-tips" with the cotton end pressed and shaped into a cone, they've been pretty handy so far, with the purple heart wood wedge I am finishing w/ arm-r-seal for my current restore

Originally Posted by bongo

I've been thinking about this as well. Although new to straight razors, the method I use for restoring makers stamps to knife tangs is
by using 'stove black', the matt finish paint for restoring old wood burning pot-belly stoves. I imagine applying this with the sharp end of a
toothpick might work for razors too. I like your idea though.

If you use acrylic you can actually finish the restoration process first. Any slight overruns can be scraped off with a plastic credit card.
If the tang is blued the paint tends to adhere more &you may need some solvent & a paper card but any soft mediums tend to get in & lift the paint.

Just tried the sharpie trick on a couple of razors today after reading this thread. It took several applications using a black sharpie with pointed tip. After it dried just lightly buffed with paper towel. Seemed to work if the stamping was deep enough. No idea how long it will last, time will tell.

Bob

Originally Posted by onimaru55

If you use acrylic you can actually finish the restoration process first. Any slight overruns can be scraped off with a plastic credit card.
If the tang is blued the paint tends to adhere more &you may need some solvent & a paper card but any soft mediums tend to get in & lift the paint.

That was a nagging thought in the back of my mind, thanks for putting that to bed oni.