Before and After

I generally value functionality over appearance in my old cameras.  Sometimes, however, the two overlap.  For instance, the engraved or machined lettering and numerals on shutters get hard to see as the paint wears away over the years.  The shutter markings on my old-model Kodak Duo Six-20 looked pretty good when I got it, but I managed to nearly erase them in the process of cleaning the shutter with lighter fluid.

Luckily, improving the visibility of shutter markings is a task that can be easily accomplished.  I just dabbed a little black acrylic paint over the letters and numerals and then wiped away the excess with a tissue.

Here are the before and after pictures:

While I used acrylic craft paint it is possible that enamel could work a little better.

The effectiveness of the repainting will vary with the depth and sharpness of the markings.  The white paint I used on the aperture markings made a less dramatic improvement in their appearance.