Acid etch / stone tumbler guidance

[ashwinearl]

I am experimenting with Ferric Chloride acid etch and vibratory stone tumbling. The steels I'll be using are 1084, 15N20, 80CRV2, 8670, O1

The tumbler is the small Harbor Freight
medium is the 1" triangle 5lb container from Harbor Freight
Lubrication is few sprays of Fluid film

Etch was straight Ferric chloride with a 5min dip. I think this might be too long as it looks pitted.

Any comments, suggestions would be appreciated. I searched through some past threads and saw some guidance on etching that I will try next: clean with dawn soapy water, 1min etch, dawn/0000 steel wool to get black oxides off, redip 30sec , repeat as needed

This is my first try with 1084. The grind was taken up to a cork belt prior to etching.

 

[bmilleker]

Is your issue the splotchy finish?

I do two dips in to a mixture of ferric chloride, a small amount of apple cider vinegar, and water. I do not recall my measurements.

Here are my steps:

1. Sandblast with aluminum oxide.
   
2. Clean with denatured alcohol.
3. Do an initial dip into the acid for 2 minutes. Clean off with windex after.
4. Do another dip into acid for 5 minutes. Clean up with windex.
5. If im tumbling, I spray the knife with WD-40.
6. I place in the tumbler that's filled with 1" ceramic triangles, and also the proper burnishing fluid.
7. I leave in for 5 minutes.

This leaves me results like below.

 

[ashwinearl]

Is your issue the splotchy finish?

I do two dips in to a mixture of ferric chloride, a small amount of apple cider vinegar, and water. I do not recall my measurements.

Here are my steps:

1. Sandblast with aluminum oxide.
   
2. Clean with denatured alcohol.
3. Do an initial dip into the acid for 2 minutes. Clean off with windex after.
4. Do another dip into acid for 5 minutes. Clean up with windex.
5. If im tumbling, I spray the knife with WD-40.
6. I place in the tumbler that's filled with 1" ceramic triangles, and also the proper burnishing fluid.
7. I leave in for 5 minutes.

This leaves me results like below.

Can you recommend a burnishing fluid?