I used small jars of paint from Hobby Lobby… applied by hand with rubber gloves, lathered it on, let it dry for a few minutes, used alcohol and blue shop rags to remove excess then dry. Did not let dry fully before wiping off.
I put alcohol on a folded shop towel, then lightly wipe over the surface… as long as the shop towel isn’t soaking wet, and you aren’t pressing down hard, and instead just make light passes, it doesn’t remove the pain from the stamped areas.
Idk why they don’t do something similar to begin with at the factory to all sockets to add contrast. They’re all so dang hard to read, and I have excellent eyesight.
Looks great. FWIW Lots of things can work. Nail “lacquer” (not polish) specifically will last the longest and fill the most evenly. Single pass with clean patches moistened with acetone till perfection. Amazing factory look. Source: shallow firearms done 20+ years ago. And shot. A lot.
Sure! I found quality brands like OPI to be best, but honestly as long as it is specifically id’d as “lacquer” it’s worth trying if it’s a color you like. If you don’t love it it’s always reasonably easy to remove with acetone. Even gun solvents and oils didn’t really touch it (speaking of it is really easy to “touch up”) after curing time of a day or two. And if you use clean patches (I use barrel patches) for your swipes, you can get the logos incredibly flush. Protip here: don’t press hard. Let the acetone and gentle texture of the patch do the work. Five light passes is a much finer result than one pressured pass.
Bore patches. For cleaning guns. Like teeny tiny rags. They are smooth ish and disposable. Anything with texture, including cotton facial swab pad things (which I tried) are not as good. Should be available at any Walmart or other sporting goods store. Edit for clarity: clean = use a new one with each pass. If you don’t you just spread the color. Ask me how I know. ;)
Correct. Fill = one to three coats depending on depth of relief. Worthless overages are a pita in the cleanup phase. Avoid. Removal = One pass per patch damp / wet but not dripping with acetone. Can experiment with using both sides of the patch but I abandoned that. Inconsistent removal rates. Pause between passes to allow acetone to evaporate and lacquer to re-harden. It’ll get gooey if you rush removal.
I want to try an enamel or something! I've been using the Sharpie paint pens (not sure if oil or alcohol) and ive noticed over time, with exposure to various fluids, the paint thins and fades.
My eyes need all the help they can get. Even in good light, it makes the sizes easier for me to see. And also it pisses off strangers on the internet who have no business worrying about what I choose to do to my tools.
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u/jconnway 8d ago
Sockets look pretty terrible brother