Best bright paints to repair the engraved numbers on lenses

[fabulousrice]

I'm trying to find what would be the best paint to repair engraved numbers on my lenses
A lot of the cameras I use from the 70s to 90s have fluorescent paint as here:

There are generally three colors used across lenses from this period: green, pink and orange.

I could only find this article about repairing (or creating) lens lettering in this fashion, but the results he shares seem duller than the results I'd wish to get (might be because of his photos? hard to tell).

When shined under a black light as in my picture, the numbers really pop. I'd like to be able to reproduce to repair but also build a lens I'm working on.

Has anyone had success repairing or creating lens numbering that closely matches what is seen on this picture, and what precise inks or paints did you use? Thanks!

 

[gone]

It's easier than one would think. Maybe practice up a bit, put some acrylic paint on a tiny brush or toothpick, fill in the number/letter, wipe quickly and lightly w/ a cloth, and the paint in the recess should stay. Just scrape off any smears after it dries w/ a fingernail. Enamel or lacquer paint may hold up better over time, but the acrylics are usually easier to use for most people the first time, although they do dry very fast.

Make sure all the surfaces are very clean before starting. Call around, your local art store or even Walmart should have Florescent paints, they're usually acrylics, you may have to settle for Hot Pink or something, but you can mix the paints to match just about any color you could imagine..

 

[Truzi]

This probably isn't the most useful response, but I think we had a thread here years ago on this subject, though it wasn't necessarily fluorescent paint - just different ways to redo the numbering. I can't seem to find the thread at the moment, though.

 

[shutterfinger]

Golden Artist Paints https://www.goldenpaints.com/products
I've used/use Heavy Body carbon black #1040 for shutter curtains and bellows pin holes, Fluid Titanium White for standard numbering on cameras.
Their Fluorescent colors may work for you but there is no white in this line of paints.

 

[AgX]

There are special paints in paste or stick form to rub into engravings.

 

[Sirius Glass]

There are long threads covering which paints to use and how to fill in the engraving in the old APUG Photrio threads. It be well worth the effort to search for the thread.

 

[beemermark]

Freestyle (I think) used to sell a crayon with white paint. Worked really well. Rub the crayon (not really the right word) across the numbers and then wipe off the excess. Worked great and lasted forever. Still have it and use it. Another source is sporting outfits. Small vials of paint of every conceivable color are sold to paint the front sight on a pistol to improve aiming.

 

[fabulousrice]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Here's how I ended up doing it, in case it can help people:

1- I used Ikea Mala paints because they're cheap and come in 5 colors that will react to black light for less than $10 and have a needle point bottle

2-Daub paint on the numbers or letters you wish to paint after putting some tape to cover other areas, avoid making bubbles

3-Scrape excess paint with a piece of cardboard like a business card which is flexible. Wipe the other areas either immediately with fingers or qtip or wait for it to be dried to chip it off

4-The painted glyphs will now be more legible under low light and pop out under black light. Here the orange paint I used very closely matches the one that was originally there on the zone focusing markings:

Disclaimer: no functional lens was damaged in the making of this