Need advice on acid

HELLGAP

HELLGAP

Dealer - Purveyor
Im using 1 part ferric chloride and 3 parts water for etching my damascus . I have not done a damascus blade for nearly a year I opened the container and it was yellowish orange . I added a little more fresh acid and it worked but I noticed the blade had a few clumps of like a orange muck , I swished it off and continued the etch it worked fine but I am wondering if its at the end of its life and if so where do you dispose of the acid . Is it weak enough to just dump into the toilet and flush a few times??I know dealing with this stuff can be touchy. Kellyw
 
Kelly I would just strain it through some old T-shirt or the like, even a paper coffee filter should work. My acid is 5 years old and still going strong.
 
The orange stuff is rust... iron oxide!

Ferric Chloride is nothing more than iron oxide and hydrochloric acid. Over time the acid and water will evaporate letting some of the iron oxide fall out of solution. Just get some muriatic acid from the hardware store and add some back. It will take a few days to go fully back into solution. Don't add it all, just half a cup to start and see if it etches the way you like. You can adjust the etch rate and performance by the ratio of water to acid.
 
I use alot of acid, or should I say I etch alot of damascus.

And have found it does loose effectiveness. or seems to, go bad. At this point. I use to discard and start over.. or sometimes would just add more water or more acid to the mix, or both.

But the advice Clancy just gave is what I have been doing latly. I picked up some Muriatic at local hardware to etch some Damasteel. and after seeing how well it worked I tested it mixed with ferric. and it brings my old acid back to life. Be careful with this stuff. Its toxic and can be dangerous.

I have also strained it through a t shirt. then cleaned the container and that does help! Keep your container covered unless you are using it will help it last longer and have less problems with clumping or floating film on tom etc..
 
Just a suggestion from experience:
Hydrochloric acid is notoriously difficult to keep in the bottle, and literally seeps HCl gas out almost constantly. Any sign of a whitish film on the bottle means HCl is escaping.
I recommend keeping the muriatic acid bottle outside of the shop and away from being exposed to your tools or you'll end up with everything rusting.
 
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Thanks guys , I added some more ferric chloride and it etched good . I think I will strain it into a coffee filter as there is clumps I would think that is carbon and waste left over from etching . And ya Randy I can immagine you etch a hell of alot of damascus. I finished the knife the other night and tonight finished the cobra inlay sheath . I havnt posted a knife for a year so I ll go take a picture . thanks again good info. Kellyw
 
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