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I work in a small medical museum specializing in the history of
otolaryngology (a.k.a. ear, nose, and throat).  On the recommendation of
the National Museum of American History's conservation department we are
using Soluvar (an acrylic lacquer) and water-soluable ink to label our
artifacts.  Specifically, a layer of Soluvar is painted onto the object,
a number is written over the dry coat with a rapidograph, and a
protective topcoat of Soluvar is laid on.  The vast majority of our
objects are surgical instruments made of nickel-plated brass,
chrome-plated steel, or stainless, but we also encounter hard rubber,
early plastics, and other materials.

My question refers to applying the number itself.  We only have enough
objects to merit numbering maybe once every one or two weeks, and
therefore spend a lot of time cleaning rapidographs, dealing with sticky
pens, etc.  Is there a simpler and reasonably safe way to apply numbers,
such as using a razor tipped, water-soluble felt-tip pen?  Or, as I
fear, is this just another area where we get punished down the line for
doing things the simple way?

Thanks for your help!
Phillip Seitz
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Alexandria, VA

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 6:58
                  Distributed: Wednesday, May 12, 1993
                        Message Id: cdl-6-58-002
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