Post
Topic
Board Beginners & Help
Re: How do you safely keep your recovery phrase written on paper?
by
m2017
on 25/07/2022, 19:04:27 UTC
Why not write seedphrase on the booklet (or other paper or not paper only) using ink that can only be seen under certain lighting conditions? For example, ultraviolet.
Invisible inks generally have quite a limited lifespan. Most UV pens will last somewhere around 3-5 years, but it will depend on the type of ink, the type of paper, the conditions of storage (temperature, humidity, etc.), and so on. You might find that the lifespan of UV ink is significantly less than this, and you would have no way of knowing unless you tested it first and waited several years to assess for fade, which obviously no one is going to do. The last thing you want is to come back to seed phrase in a couple of years to recover your coins and find that the ink has degraded so much that you now can't make out all the words.
Ok, I understand your addition to UV inks and I admit that I didn't take into account the short "life" of such inks. Also, I didn't indicate that being limited to one recovery without copies, and only on paper, is completely unsafe. But it was supposed to. I considered writing recovery phrase with UV ink as a way to keep it easily accessible in case if needed to use it quickly (as an addition to the main). For long-term storage, it is better to use a different material, and not as "fragile" and easily destroyed as paper. Moreover, it is better in several copies.

You can engrave the seed phrases in an aluminum plate as it is resistant from fire and water exposure.
Aluminum is a poor choice for engraving a seed phrase. It has low durability, low strength, low melting point, high malleability, and high reactivity. Probably the best metal to use would be titanium, but the best balance between cost/ease of access and durability is stainless steel.
Aluminum is inferior in its characteristics to titanium and stainless steel, but still, it will be better than plain paper.