How to Make a Fingerprint Dusting Kit

If you’re curious about crime-fighting techniques, you can put together your very own fingerprint-dusting kit at home using common objects. Follow these steps to assemble your materials and detect your very first print.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Graphite pencils
• Pencil sharpener
• Fine metal file
• Clear packaging tape
• Index cards
• Small, smooth-bristle paintbrush

1. Gather up all of the materials. This is all you need to collect fingerprints.
2. Sharpen a graphite pencil. Use the file to gently file away fine graphite powder from the point of the pencil. Do this over an index card to catch all of your powder. Repeat this process as needed until you accumulate about a thimble’s worth of fine powder.
3. Pick up the index card and bend it so that you can lightly sprinkle the powder. Look for the flattest and smoothest surface of the item or area you wish to test for prints. Gently sprinkle a light, single layer of powder over the surface.
4. Lightly spread the powder around with the paintbrush until you see a print begin to form. When you can identify a print, brush away the surrounding powder and scoop it back onto the index card so that you can save it for later.
5. Very gently, blow on the print if it needs to be more refined.
6. Get a piece of packaging tape that is slightly larger than the print. Press it firmly on the graphite print and slowly peel it back off.
7. Press the captured print onto the solid white side of another index card and add a label to the other side of the card if you wish.

Tips & Warnings

• It’s easy to smudge prints, so brush and blow very carefully and gently.
• This is just for fun. Leave real crime fighting to the real crime fighters.

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