acid
- Thread starter Gahagan
- Start date
Bob Warner
KNIFE MAKER
If you search Ferric Chloride on ebay you can buy it in powdered form cheap and mix it as instructed. Then I cut it 3 parts distilled water to one part Ferric Chloride.
Mark Behnke
Well-Known Member
Remember:
AAA
Always
Add
Acid
AAA
Always
Add
Acid
Hi,
I have been a member for a little while, but have never posted. I am sure there will be some controversy over this, but here it is.
I have made damascus with a knife maker a couple of times and they way he showed me was with muriatic acid. It can be found at any hardware store.
I have done three etches with it and the results are very good.
1. straight acid in a glass jar or beaker that is big enough to hold your blade.
2. the acid needs to be heated in a double boiler to somewhere around 110 deg F. I use a metal coffee can for the water, a small camping propane burner to heat the water, and then a quart mason jar for the acid. You must do this outside and stay out of the fumes. They are not good by any means.
3. when the acid is warm, put your blade (cleaned with rubbing alcohol) clamped with vice grips (on the end) and move the blade spine to edge in the jar. Lightly tap the glass with the blade as you are doing this to knock the bubbles off the metal. Do this for about 45 to 60 seconds and then neutralize in baking soda and water for a couple of seconds. Wipe down.
4. take the blade to the buffer with small amount of rouge and do a quick buff to take the oxidation off. Clean with alcohol again to get the rouge off and return to the acid.
5. repeat these steps until you see the etch you like. I usually go 4 to 5 times.
The main key is the heated acid, but be careful. Like I said the fumes will get to you quick!!!!
I have been a member for a little while, but have never posted. I am sure there will be some controversy over this, but here it is.
I have made damascus with a knife maker a couple of times and they way he showed me was with muriatic acid. It can be found at any hardware store.
I have done three etches with it and the results are very good.
1. straight acid in a glass jar or beaker that is big enough to hold your blade.
2. the acid needs to be heated in a double boiler to somewhere around 110 deg F. I use a metal coffee can for the water, a small camping propane burner to heat the water, and then a quart mason jar for the acid. You must do this outside and stay out of the fumes. They are not good by any means.
3. when the acid is warm, put your blade (cleaned with rubbing alcohol) clamped with vice grips (on the end) and move the blade spine to edge in the jar. Lightly tap the glass with the blade as you are doing this to knock the bubbles off the metal. Do this for about 45 to 60 seconds and then neutralize in baking soda and water for a couple of seconds. Wipe down.
4. take the blade to the buffer with small amount of rouge and do a quick buff to take the oxidation off. Clean with alcohol again to get the rouge off and return to the acid.
5. repeat these steps until you see the etch you like. I usually go 4 to 5 times.
The main key is the heated acid, but be careful. Like I said the fumes will get to you quick!!!!
Attachments
Bob Warner
KNIFE MAKER
I have used muriatic acid before also. There are two things I did not like about it.
First is it is a bit more dangerous than the Ferric chloride. Get it on you and you know about it.
Second is that flash rusting is a problem that I hated to deal with.
It can be used for sure, just not my choice. In this case especially refer to the AAA as Mark said above.
First is it is a bit more dangerous than the Ferric chloride. Get it on you and you know about it.
Second is that flash rusting is a problem that I hated to deal with.
It can be used for sure, just not my choice. In this case especially refer to the AAA as Mark said above.
Last edited:
clancy
Well-Known Member
Ferric Chloride is nothing more than muriatic acid (HCl) mixed with rust (iron oxide). Etch enough rusty steel and you will have ferric chloride.
I had some Ferric Chloride that sat in a sealed tupped wear container for 15 years. When I finally tried to use it again it was nothing more than a brown slurry of rust and water. I realized that the HCl had long since evaporated, so all I had to do was add some muriatic acid and I was back in business.
ernie
I had some Ferric Chloride that sat in a sealed tupped wear container for 15 years. When I finally tried to use it again it was nothing more than a brown slurry of rust and water. I realized that the HCl had long since evaporated, so all I had to do was add some muriatic acid and I was back in business.
ernie