[drc]

I went out and bought 3 grease pencil and wrote on stuff. The infrared saw a bit better the black one-- not a lot better--, and saw worse with the blue andd orange. So, at this point, the infrared may or may not be an aid in reading.

For the CSI investigations, where they're trying to pick up and photograph all subtle clues, they have a powerful forensic light machine. The light machine goes through many small gradations between UV and IR, and the investigator runs through all gradations until he picks up stuff. He looks for the the light wavelength that creates the starkest contrast between the item (hard to read writing, eyelash, blood, fingerprint) and the background. This contrast makes the item easier to see (read if it's writing), identify and photograph for evidence. I plan on upgrading my equipment in the near future, and maybe then we can CSI that bat. Other than there's no crime involved, reading and photographing your vault writing is exactly the type of thing a big city CSI forensic specialist is paid to do do.