Justin Presson
Well-Known Member
I have seen some questions here and there on how to etch and stonewash AEB-L.
Here is how I do it.
I tried something different on this one. Usually I go to a 400 grit finish but this time I left the flats at 220 and bevels st a 120 grit belt finish to see if I could tell much of a difference. You can see the finish I stopped at in this picture.
![IMG_20180513_000143_027.jpg IMG_20180513_000143_027.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44540-6d803c0b3a31fd7ea8dc306f4aafd754.jpg)
Next I take it to the sink and was it in hot water a dawn soap and rinse off really good. Then wearing rubber gloves I wipe it down the denatured alcohol to remove any oil or residue.
Then into a mix of distilled water and ferric chloride. I leave it in there for 45 minutes to an hour...yes it takes a long time to etch the stainless steel. Here is what it looks like after the slimy black gunk is washed off. Make sure to neutralize the acid with windex or ammonia.
![20180617_135438.jpg 20180617_135438.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44541-23b7bc94816e949d614117868482c1f9.jpg)
Now I slather it in wd40 and I spray a bunch in my tumbling media. Here is a pic of the media I use it is from harbor frieght.
![20180617_140240.jpg 20180617_140240.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44542-609783d032ccd4bc60c8f0cbcd6747c5.jpg)
Here is what my tumbler looks like...yep it is just a container and I tumble by hand.
![20180617_140236.jpg 20180617_140236.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44544-0c3241fddb4e126ee2f9aa06097c4a35.jpg)
Here is what it looks like when done. I'm sure a real vibratory tumbler would work better but I think the finish looks pretty cool.
![20180617_140226.jpg 20180617_140226.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44545-69f1d6ef9cb7b9e7742369ef67a3cbbf.jpg)
That's my quick down and dirty way of doing a dark etched stonewash.
Here is how I do it.
I tried something different on this one. Usually I go to a 400 grit finish but this time I left the flats at 220 and bevels st a 120 grit belt finish to see if I could tell much of a difference. You can see the finish I stopped at in this picture.
![IMG_20180513_000143_027.jpg IMG_20180513_000143_027.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44540-6d803c0b3a31fd7ea8dc306f4aafd754.jpg)
Next I take it to the sink and was it in hot water a dawn soap and rinse off really good. Then wearing rubber gloves I wipe it down the denatured alcohol to remove any oil or residue.
Then into a mix of distilled water and ferric chloride. I leave it in there for 45 minutes to an hour...yes it takes a long time to etch the stainless steel. Here is what it looks like after the slimy black gunk is washed off. Make sure to neutralize the acid with windex or ammonia.
![20180617_135438.jpg 20180617_135438.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44541-23b7bc94816e949d614117868482c1f9.jpg)
Now I slather it in wd40 and I spray a bunch in my tumbling media. Here is a pic of the media I use it is from harbor frieght.
![20180617_140240.jpg 20180617_140240.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44542-609783d032ccd4bc60c8f0cbcd6747c5.jpg)
Here is what my tumbler looks like...yep it is just a container and I tumble by hand.
![20180617_140236.jpg 20180617_140236.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44544-0c3241fddb4e126ee2f9aa06097c4a35.jpg)
Here is what it looks like when done. I'm sure a real vibratory tumbler would work better but I think the finish looks pretty cool.
![20180617_140226.jpg 20180617_140226.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/44/44545-69f1d6ef9cb7b9e7742369ef67a3cbbf.jpg)
That's my quick down and dirty way of doing a dark etched stonewash.