Research Into RECOVER LFT for Developing Fingermarks on Stainless Steel Knives Yields Positive Results
Despite their frequent involvement in major crimes in the UK and beyond, a recent study is the first of its kind to focus solely on the effectiveness of the RECOVER LFT method on developing fingermarks on stainless steel knives.
While previous scientific research, and our own testing, included analysis of the RECOVER LFT method on stainless steel amongst other substrates, this study delves deeper, drawing on evidence from a sample of over 250 knives and close to 3000 fingermarks across the main study and preliminary proof-of-concept work.
The paper, published by Kirk et al. of Dstl and the Metropolitan Police concluded that while performing similarly to carbon-based powder suspension, RECOVER LFT outperformed other standard visualisation processes on stainless steel substrates, such as superglue fuming (with and without Basic Yellow 40 dye staining), Basic Violet 3, and Acid Violet 17.
The research, published in Science & Justice this year, concludes that RECOVER LFT “is a promising technique for the visualisation of fingermarks on stainless steel knife blades”, and that RECOVER LFT can “add benefit at the end of a processing sequence to improve existing marks or visualise additional marks.”
Fingermarks developed using RECOVER LFT during our own testing
Learn more about RECOVER LFT
RECOVER LFT is a cutting-edge chemical vapor fuming process to develop fingerprints on a range of difficult surfaces including those that have been exposed to extreme heat (discharged bullet casings, for example) and items that have been washed ‘clean’ in an attempt to prevent identification.