Touching up black aluminum

[Mike Johnson]

Maybe try an oil-based paint pen, like a Sharpie paint pen or a tire paint pen.

[freeradical]

Acrylic paint?

That stuff sticks to anything.

[mrbigstuff]

black tar?

[artie67]

The Sharpie Industrial pen is item no. 13801. That's a extra fine point permanent marker black. I use them for marking garden tags.

[space-time]

I have some ugly scratches on a black Bogen tripod, ...

does it affect the pictures?

[rgG]

space-time wrote:
I have some ugly scratches on a black Bogen tripod, ...

does it affect the pictures?

I think he needs to keep the scratches from catching the light and distracting the shooters he is photographing, but I could be wrong.

[TLB]

Racer X wrote:

I do a lot of competitive pistol shooting, and the firearm related aluminum touch up solutions usually end up grey-black, not black. But they do cut down on the silver glint.

Have you tried the BWC superblack marker too? I find it a lot darker than the liquid solution.

[Racer X]

I was wondering about the BWC marker. I think my plan is the Sharpie Industrial after wiping the areas down with IPA. Then if that doesn't work, the BWC Aluminum marker pen. The Sharpie I can get easily tomorrow. THe BWC pen should be at my local fun store.

Worst case is this handy little bugger from Krylon, a SEMI gloss black paint pen. Not flat, not gloss. Gotta find a single one in town. Everywhere will order a six pack only. 215123

[Racer X]

rgG wrote:
[quote=space-time]
I have some ugly scratches on a black Bogen tripod, ...

does it affect the pictures?

I think he needs to keep the scratches from catching the light and distracting the shooters he is photographing, but I could be wrong.
Nope. When photographing polished metal or glass, the surface becomes a mirror. I can get around a lot of the issue if there are no bright spots on the gear, or me. Most of the bare aluminum on the tripod is cast with a sandblasted finish. It is these big scrapes through the low gloss black paint that show up as pinpoint light reflections. Back in the film days, I messed up a shot because my black t-shirt rode up, and there was shine from a belt buckle. Didn't catch it til I saw the negatives.

The pistol shooting reference is because I do a lot of maintenance on black anodized pistol and rifle parts, so I have some experience with aluminum vs steel and what sticks and wears well.

[Buzz]

Blain's Farm & Fleet $3