Black Light Test Article

[Dietrich Maerz]

I was asked to provide this article for the readership as a downloadable pdf. The article was published in No. 2, Volume 2 (Summer 2011) in the International Militaria Collector.

[herrgeezer]

Dietrich, thank you for the link.

[cobra-2001]

Hi Dietrich thank you . Cliff

[Norm F]

Yes indeed, much obliged.

While nicely disproving the reliability of UV-glowing as a sign of post-war manufacture, the article doesn't specifically address the next obvious question, i.e. does UV-negativity have any role is supporting a claim of pre-1945 manufacture?

To answer that question, one needs to know post-1945 how widespread was the use of fluorescent whiteners in the industry for white fabric? If, as a theoretical example, all mass-produced white fabric produced 1950 to 1980 was processed with fluorescent whiteners, then a negative UV test would suggest the white cloth item was produced pre-1950 or post-1980.

But I suppose we don't really know exactly when the use of whiteners in white cloth manufacture really "took off", whether they were universally adopted and whether their use varied over time, so for now a negative UV-test is probably equally uninformative.

Best regards,
---Norm

[ben bijker]

Starch also causes a response to blacklight
I once had an original KC ribbon that did respond to blacklight, but it was 100 % authentic.

[brooksbz]

Good to have a pinned thread. Here is another link.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...0&highlight=uv

#1000

[brooksbz]

Another good link.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=109361

[Step98]

Totenkopf authentic????

Looks like good stitching, skull is shaped oddly, same with jaw, does not show any UV effects... Peppered with shine on the skull, but not on the bullion wire.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJCFZSUDuDy

[Sal Williams]

Looks like good stitching, skull is shaped oddly, same with jaw, does not show any UV effects... Peppered with shine on the skull, but not on the bullion wire.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJCFZSUDuDy

bad

post it in the ss cloth section if you want more opinions

[espenlaub]

If you once washed with modern soaps and powders. It became glow. Sometimes, rarely but it's hapend- old over 100 years old items is glow, even unwashed. Also the cat's urina is glowing too. If your cat made any stainings - it will glow.

[Regen]

Colleague Dietrich thank you

[Robert H]

Article is correct based also in my knowledge and tests back in the 90's. Rock solid provenance LW insignias stock of ex tailor shop certiain white piped Material was also positive for UV light, same with certain modern washing chemicals.

[P.A.K.75]

Great article , hopefully one day we will have a foolproof test but I won't hold my breath . At least this should prevent genuine articles being discarded or sold as reproductions .