How to make engraving/scratching readable?

[Rik]

In the years I have been collecting I have obtained several badges/crosses with scratchings/etchings/personalisation on the back of the crosses/badges.
Sometimes the writing is very faint and nearly impossible to read.

Do you have any tips/trics to make it readable?

A member mentioned graphite. Anyone tried this before?

[juoneen]

Sometimes you can adjust lighting low before taking photos of these items ....and then use photoshop to tweak the lighting to read them better....of course something like graphite on your finger then rubbed on the markings might be a nonevasive way to bring the details out , but graphite tends to get all over everything , so maybe try taking photos first , then if you do use something to put on it be sure it is something that isn't messy and comes off without scratching the items or is easily removeable.
I think the lighting , angles of the shots and sometimes propping up the badges and moving lighting around and taking lots of shots and then go through the shots and see what you can see.

[keifer kahn]

Blacklight is very good at bringing out hard to read writing.

Very good for showing repairs and zinkpest as well.