etching solution

T

Travis Fry

Well-Known Member
I've got an older Marking Methods etcher, and it works pretty well. I saw some really nice deep etches at a show recently, however, and mine won't do anything like that. I talked to the maker, and it turns out he uses the same etcher I do. The difference, he said, was my etchant. I use some old stuff that I can't even read the label on, and am looking for something better.

Most of my knives have been carbon steel, but I'm moving more toward stainless these days. What etchant should I buy so that I can get really deep etches (DC) and really nice black ones (AC) on both stainless and carbon?
 
I may be wrong, but IIRC, most etching solutions do have a shelf life, especially if it's already in liquid form.

Personally, I use a homemade saline solution (I only etch 1095), but if you're looking for something over the counter, you might just try buying some new solution from Marking Methods and see if that works any better for you.

Also, you may just be using the wrong electrolyte solution for the steel your etching as well. There are different solutions for different metals, and each type will perform differently. The marking methods website should have replacement solutions available, as well as recommendations for each type of steel or metal that you wish to mark.
 
I had quite a schooling when I met with the owner of IMG Electroetch last summer.
Etch solution does have a shelf life. It's about 2 years. Most companies say a year. Etch is remarkably different. Some is designed for a deep etch, while another may give a dark etch on the same steel. Keep in mind etch solution may actually work on a wide variety of metals but that doesn't mean it is the best choice for what you are trying to do.
The pad also makes a big difference. A deep etch pad has bristles that poke through the screen and play a role in getting a deeper etch.
Finally, current type and amperage will make a difference.

Marking Methods makes a great machine so that probably is not the problem.
Get a good etch solution that is designed for the type of steel you are using it on along with some deep etch pads and try again.
 
I have used MSC1 from Marking Methods for 20 years. Still using the same bottle of it. Shelf life has not affected it. Built my own etcher. Used higher voltage to get deeper etch.
 
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