I appreciate everyone’s warning about the dangers inherent in working with possible contaminated equipment and apologize for being such an old curmudgeon. Lacking any radiation detection equipment, I will assume that the P4A paint is radioactive. In light of that assumption, I have been handling the compass very carefully with latex gloves using an OSHA approved respirator. I resealed the compass with a silicone based sealant, which is approved for alcohol resistance.

Thanks to all.
Ray