Identification rubbed out of old knife blade

[Naphtali]

I have a carbon knife formerly owned by my wife's grandfather. Decades of usage and scouring it for cleanliness have obliterated some of its identification markings - literally they have been rubbed out.

Is there a quick, easy, safe, inexpensive way to allow me to view markings long enough to write them down? I have little interest in investing in some method that is both permanent and expensive. The permanent part I can accept; it's the expensive part that I want to avoid.

[soFlaNative]

Maybe get lucky with some powdered graphite?
Either rubbed or blown on?
Soot from a candle flame then carefully wiped?
Don't know what you're up against so kind of hard to say.

[Snapping Twig]

Magnetic filings?

Run a magnet along the other side of the blade and read it that way?

[eveled]

Light from different angles, talcum powder, skim of oil. Good luck.

Go to the web sight all about pocket knives. AAPK. Nice people over there, but slow compared to this sight. It might take a couple weeks for an answer. Post a picture somebody will recognize the pattern and tell you what it used to say.

[Marshwheeling]

Try Bladeforums. They have a section for identifying old knives. If you post your pics in the traditional subforum, there are a lot of collectors who are quite good at recognizing the products of various manufacturers.

[s&wchad]

We have a number of kitchen knife fanciers on this board. A few photos taken from different angles might help. If there's oxidation or rust obscuring the marking, I've had good luck gently scraping the area with the edge of a piece of cardboard and then wetting it with some vegetable oil.

[eveled]

Originally Posted by Marshwheeling

Try Bladeforums. They have a section for identifying old knives. If you post your pics in the traditional subforum, there are a lot of collectors who are quite good at recognizing the products of various manufacturers.

I almost recommended them, but you need third party hosting, or pay for a membership. AAPK hosts the photos.

No doubt there are people on both of who know the answer you seek.

[THE PILGRIM]

How about a picture?

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by Snapping Twig

Magnetic filings?

Run a magnet along the other side of the blade and read it that way?

I was thinking something similar.

Wet Fluorescent Magnetic Particle Inspection (usually called Magnaflux, since they invented it).

But unless you know someone in the business, it's gonna be expensive. Our shop rate was 50 bucks an hour with a four-hour minimum. And I've been out of that business for over fifteen years.

[gwpercle]

A good shap close up photo , when posted and enlarged, will reveal markings that can't be seen with the naked eye.
I posted some photo's of a WWII Walther P38 and the number of tiny faint markings that were revealed was amazing....I never would have believed they were there...but the photos must be in focus , clear and sharp for the enlargement process to work.
Partial markings can be deciphered by those who know.
Gary