Restoring a Vernor's Patent Compass

[Canaris]

After lurking around here for a while, I was bitten by the prismatic compass bug. As a way of introductions, I am presenting my humble effort at resorting one of these:

It is a U.S. Engineer Corps compass marked CE and dated 1918. The finish is worn and the top glass is missing. After checking it with my geiger counter (AN/PDR-27S) and removing all traces of the radium, I was ready to start.
Here is some of the materials I will be using:




We begin with a complete strip down:

Etching the sighting line on the new glass (size 35.6mm x 2mm thick):





Touching up the flat black interior with laquer:


Blackening the brass in the appropriate places (using paste gun blue):


Here it is blackened and ready for reassembly:



Reassembly:




Applying glow in the dark paint:



Gluing the top glass to the bezel:


Making the rubber friction ring (1/8" red rubber gasket material):




Finished!







It was a labor of love, I also have an English Mk VIII private purchase but all it needs is the radium cleaned out, new glow added and a replacement top glass.

Information

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[gsimmons]

Great restoration, but I would epoxy the crystal in, G-S crystal cement is for use with plastic. Epoxy is a more permanent bond and is water resistant. G-S also make a uv crystal cement for use with glass.

[Canaris]

If the crystal set doesn't hold up I have a spare and I'll look at the uv adhesive.