What paint for lens repair?

[tao]

What is the best paint for touching up faded red and black marking on a lens? In this case the lens is a silver Helios with engraved lettering. Thanks.

[guardian]

Re-coloring of engraved characters would best be done, I think, with enamel.

First it would be necessary thoroughly to clean the surface of what remains of the existing coloring. I'm not thinking removal of the old paint, but I should think it's surface needs to be clean so new paint will adhere. Something like Prep-Sol might work. That's a product made to prepare car bodies for new paint. Obviously application would be extremely localized and sparing. I'm envisioning Q-Tip and not dunk or spray . . . unless the lens is all apart.

The other issue with re-coloring engraved lettering is when and how to wipe . . . . to wipe away the excess paint. You wipe on the diagonal, I believe, but I don't know when.

[Lloydy]

For touching up black camera bodies I use the modelers Tamiya acrylic semi gloss black ( X-18 ) I know you're not after black but this is very good paint and in my local model shop they have a huge range of colours in tiny 10ml jars. It dries very quickly, and with the black on a camera body I gently rub the paint with my finger as soon as it becomes touch dry, maybe 30 seconds after applying, and it smooths the finish and dulls it a bit so it becomes virtually indistinguishable from the original paint. There's a thinner in the same size jars as well so you can easily remove the paint before it hardens if it doesn't look right, and clean the brush.

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/quickshop.php?ps1=340

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[tao]

Thanks for the tips. My local art supply store has no idea about enamel paints (they probably called it something else here) but they do carry a whole range of acrylic paints. I will give it a try.

[visualopsins]

These enamel paints are used for model building -- check at local hobbyist shop.

online micro-tools.com or micro-tools.de

[peterqd]

Not relevant to this question, but Tipp-Ex correction fluid is very useful for white markings.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Enamel paint, don't bother with ersatz solutions, do it properly. Humbrol are a common brand in EU. They should come in tiny 25ml tins for painting models.



Should be no more than 2eu.

[guardian]

Some of the differences between enamels and acrylics can be found here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071227160651AAl7QHu

I probably would still stick with old-fashioned enamel. But the acrylic enamels would be a strong second choice.

[tao]

Thanks for the info., guys. I have tried the acrylic paints and find that the result was quite acceptable. I have not touched a brush for 20 years but I found the paint easy to apply. It dried quickly and the excess could be scratch off with fingernail.

Next I will try enamel. I have located model stores where the paints were available. Too bad the stores are across the town so it will probably take me a couple weeks (to find time, not to travel).

Thanks again.

[Jesito]