Recommendation? What do you mask Damascus blades with while etching?

Kevin Wilkins

Kevin Wilkins

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Oct 7, 1998
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Thread title pretty much says it alll... I've always used nail polish but I have some stainless Damascus folder blades where I need to mask the pivot and lock contacts to keep them from etching in the acid bath. The nail polish has never been 100% reliable in preventing acid from creeping under the protected areas. I really don't want to scrap these blades and this steel needs a good, deep etch. Anybody have any tips and tricks they would care to share? The etching bath is warm sulfuric acid.
 
i've heard petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is an option (when using ferric chloride etch)
but I have not tried it.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
Thread title pretty much says it alll... I've always used nail polish but I have some stainless Damascus folder blades where I need to mask the pivot and lock contacts to keep them from etching in the acid bath. The nail polish has never been 100% reliable in preventing acid from creeping under the protected areas. I really don't want to scrap these blades and this steel needs a good, deep etch. Anybody have any tips and tricks they would care to share? The etching bath is warm sulfuric acid.
Click to expand...

Not all nail polish is equal. Try various ones.
 
Kevin, do you use plastic stencil sheet to make your mark? if so, a "washer" cut out form that stuff might be a good starting point. You would have to figure how to stick it down. Are you getting a little bit of"bleed"at the edges with the nail polish?
 
That's not the problem, when you make folding knives with damascus blades the bering surfaces cannot be etched and must be masked off very exactly and carefully, else the blade is scrap.
 
set up a way to dip the blade by hanging it to the pivot area for your deep etch and then put the pivot area in with the nail polish to darken as you like. Easy peazy!
 
How about machining the pivot area "clean" after etching? Does the pivot area have to be flush?
 
You could etch the whole thing, then mill the pivot area to final dementions after the etch using carbide cutters...
Although that may be a crap idea. Full disclosure: I don't own a mill and I've never made a folding knife.
 
A.McPherson said:
You could etch the whole thing, then mill the pivot area to final dementions after the etch using carbide cutters...
Although that may be a crap idea. Full disclosure: I don't own a mill and I've never made a folding knife.
Click to expand...
That is not a solution.
Anybody actually have masking compound or paint that they have actually used??
 
What Stacy said. There was a thread last year by an Australian guy I believe who was etching bas relief art on his blades and he did a really nice write up. He used "bithumous" paint as a resist which I could not find anywhere by that name.

But enamel model paint worked well for me. And that's etching in a tank agitated by a fish bubbler.
 
I also use enamel model paint, but let it dry completely about 4 hours and you won't get any bleed.
 
Great! Thanks guys, that's just what I was looking for, looks like I'll be heading to the model building store!
 
My neighbor, a retired printing engraver said "pitch" was the stuff used as acid resist for etching printing plates & rollers.
Him learning the trade then coming from Scotland in 1970s, I took it to mean asphalt tar. Probably coal derived.
What little etching I do, used beeswax or other sticky wax. But I dont heat my etching bath.
 
That's Asphaltum, it's hard to selectively apply, better for masking large areas then scratching away where you want the acid to etch. IIRC that's what was used in David Boye's book where the kitchen knives got an illustration etched on the blades. Not sure where you would find it today, commercial printing doesn't use stuff like that anymore.
 
The only thing I have found that resists sulfuric acid are Milwaukee INKZALL™ Liquid Paint Markers. I use them for masking off folder pivots & locks when etching damasteel.
 
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