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I have been given a nice scope that has been painted with blackboard paint (to reduce the glare). Any ideas on how to remove the paint and touch up the white numbering?
Thanks and regards, Charls

I would think that you could remove the paint with paint thinner, but I would do it with small amounts and not get any on the glass. Touching up the white paint? How steady is your hand? If you are going to re-do a lot of touch up white paint, I would probably let that go if you can read the numbers without it. Good luck.

charls,
I've seen some nice old scopes turned purple with time...maybe take a peek at the bottom first.

Jimmy -- Had an old Noske steel-tubed scope here some time ago that had been painted a flat black - - including the rest of the rifle. I assumed a lacquer base and wiped it off with a cloth not so saturated with lacquer thinner that the thinner ran on contact with the steel. I used a tooth brush on difficult to reach areas. Worked fine. I tried to keep the thinner off the glass and generally, to not let it pool to the point that it might penetrate into the interior.

Good luck.

As to the restoring the white in the lettering:
While it depends on the depth of the stamping and location of the numbers,you might try applying a thin white paint to the numbers and immediately wiping across the area so as to remove the paint from the smooth portion,leaving the thinned paint in the depressions.I have done this on a Weaver and the result after several coats didn't look too shabby.This is a variation on chalking the markings on firearms prior to photographing them.
Best Regards
Gene