John C. Ling
Member
Can anyone tell me how Ernst Leitz Wetzlar accomplished their silver lettering on black-painted Leica cameras and lenses made in the 1920s and early 1930s? The lettering was raised and not engraved (i.e. filled-in with white paint). It was raised and not engraved with filled-in silver paint. Does anyone in Germany or Europe able to duplicate this technique nowadays?
Wismut (bismuth)
Cameraworks-uk.com can do this
Cameraworks-uk.com can do this
Dralowid
Michael
As said they used Bismuth. I understand that the item was painted, then engraved and the engraving filled with bismuth (also called Wood's metal) . The secret is that the bismuth has a lower melting point than the paint.
There is a risky procedure that can bring the lettering back a bit. It involves heating the object (from the back if possible), so that the bismuth softens and reforms without melting the paint. I have seen the results of this and it does work but to you'd need to practice on something first and I don't think any of us have a pile of old black Leicas on which to try...
Do Camerworks really do this?
There is a risky procedure that can bring the lettering back a bit. It involves heating the object (from the back if possible), so that the bismuth softens and reforms without melting the paint. I have seen the results of this and it does work but to you'd need to practice on something first and I don't think any of us have a pile of old black Leicas on which to try...
Do Camerworks really do this?