Acid etch over heat treat

[Csalmon]

Post HT, would I get a darker acid etch/stone wash if I didn't grind off the post heat treat scale?

 

[Matt Rochester]

It may be darker but it won't be what you're looking for I don't think. If you want the dark color with a stonewashed finish then take it to a clean 400 grit finish then etch and tumble.

 

[kuraki]

Wouldn't that just pickle the scale off?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Besides what kuraki pointed out, the hard steel will etch darker than the scale. There is nothing in the scale to react with the acid. The higher the carbon and the lower the alloying, the darker the etch. Decarb and scale are carbon depleted.

 

[Csalmon]

May have been a dumb question but now I know! Yea, that makes sense! Thanks for the science behind it! Carbon=color! Got it.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Why don't you try it and find out?

 

[Lo/Rez]

AEB-L heat treated.

After acid etch.

After grinding and stone wash. Please don't laugh at my first attempt at tanto styled blades.

 

[Josh Rider]

Looks great Lo/Rez. That's alot of work with the checkering file!

 

[Lo/Rez]

Thanks. I like to experiment.