what is this sample from? It looks like a sign engraving font?

Jason C

PF Din Text Pro is close, so this could be one or another form of DIN.

It has somewhat rounded edges like Helvetica Round. But if you look closely at its ends, they are not fully round. Plus the l makes it look mono-spaced, but it's not. Actually, a few letters are not like Helvetica.

It looks as if was a home-made stroke font, not a professional outline font, as most if not all designers make today.

Don't get me wrong. As a stroke font, it's very good. I would be shocked if it isn't a stroke font.

In a way, a stroke font is easier to make, for our PostScript-like font format, the stroke font will always be equal stroke widths. In Prof. Knuth MetaFont/Tex technology, every font is a stroke, not an outline, but the designer can apple multiple widths to a stroke.

Can you, John, provide a link to a DIN font?

It looks like akkurate (sp?) or national.

Simon, can you give a link to an akkurate (sp?) or national?

It's not quite Akkurat or National or PF DIN or FF DIN.

Mercury by Radim Peško