Lettering on the top plate of the IIIf RD

[bherman]

All;

I have a nice Leica IIIf RD ST, but some of the lettering on the top plate is a bit rubbed off. I've been told that the lettering or rather than the engraving is filled in with paint or wax.

Has anyone successfully and neatly filled this in? If so, how is it done?

Thanks, Brad

 

[pphuang]

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByKeyword.aspx?word=paint+stick

Rub on, rub off. Very easy and works well.

 

[L David Tomei]

Unlike engraving on early black bodies (which were filled with metal), chrome bodies and later painted bodies had the engravings filled with paint. Often when people try to clean their cameras with solvents that dissolves the paint which is otherwise very durable. As described by pphuang, the engravings can be refilled easily. Just never use organic solvents or abrasives to clean the chrome.

 

[hexiplex]

Sweet! So you just rub that stuff on your camera, let it set and rub the unwanted smears off with some solvent later, or?

 

[greyelm]

Don't use solvent or it will just lift the paint. Use a dry cloth.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I have also done this to highlight engravings (white paint) on firearms and the stuff works great!

 

[Luddite Frank]

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByKeyword.aspx?word=paint+stick

Rub on, rub off. Very easy and works well.

Is this the common type of paint-pen, with liquid paint and a felt nib, or something more like a crayon or colored-pencil ?

Thanks !

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Is this the common type of paint-pen, with liquid paint and a felt nib, or something more like a crayon or colored-pencil
Thanks !

If you follow the link in the second post and click on the item number for the black pen, you'll see it is not. It is specifically for fill-in.

 

[pphuang]

Is this the common type of paint-pen, with liquid paint and a felt nib, or something more like a crayon or colored-pencil ?

Thanks !

It looks more like a crayon. You basically "color" over the lettering, let it sit for a little while, and then wipe off the excess with a dry cloth. Let it completely dry for a day and then repeat again if necessary.

 

[hexiplex]

Has anyone tried this with more recent Leica's? I'd like to give it a go with my M4-P whose wite inscriptions are becoming a bit faded and yellowed.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Thanks for the additional info on the paint stick...

Anyone used it on plastic knobs ? I need to redo the lettering on some knobs from a vintage kitchen rnage....

 

[pphuang]

Thanks for the additional info on the paint stick...

Anyone used it on plastic knobs ? I need to redo the lettering on some knobs from a vintage kitchen rnage....

It should work fine on any type of inscribed lettering on any object. You just need to be able to wipe the stuff off the surrounding surface without removing it from the lettering itself - the "deeper" the lettering, the better it works. And if you don't like how it looks, you could probably dig it out of the lettering with a q-tip or wooden toothpick, as long as you do it before it hardens.

 

[Livesteamer]

I used one on my old M3 and it worked well. Much like a crayon. Good Luck, Joe