Damaged, Repair, Clean, Preserve Soviet Awards And Documents.

[sovvisor]

I guess the title says it all. Please tell me how you use a black light to check for fakes and repairs and things like applied patinas.

I keep seeing references to this. What are the secrets and tricks? Are there any particularly good brands or ones to stay away from? Good dealers? Good or bad types, like hand-held versus whatever else there is?

This is a brand new subject for me. Black lights are cheap enough, it seems, but what the heck do I do with one?

Thanks in advance.

Chuck In Oregon
Currently, Chuck In Tbilisi ... but not for much longer

It´s relly easy. If the enamel is cold(plastic based) it will glow under black light in a dark or fairly dark room. If enamel is repaired with new material it will glow as well. Real enamel would not turn to any other color but stay black or unglowing. If palstic it usually becomes bright orange.
The funny thing is that all plastic glows so on a 1945 uniform the seems will not show in the dark but if it´s a fake with synthetic thread it will glow.
You can also use it on stamps in documents and the inc. It nearly allways stay black. Inventory stamps on cloth that are worn away could show up from nowhere.
Hope this helps a little.
Best