Can I make this work?

S

SGerman

Joined
Oct 27, 2007
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55
Being broke as I am I can't afford a real etcher, but....

I happen to have a power supply for my Dalmar plating outfit and I'm wondering if I could possibly cobble it into something that's able to etch a blade if need be. All I can tell you is that it's variable DC and will put out up to 5 amps and 15 volts. Anyone know if I could make this critter into an etching unit?

Tia,
Steve
 
you certainly could. All you need for electro-etching is a DC power source and an electrolyte (salt water). Bob Warner has a tutorial for a set up on his website I believe.
 
Should work. I use a 12 VDC 2.5 AMP Radio Shack power supply. Positive lead to blade steel, negative lead to QTip, QTip into salt water and rub QTip onto stencil. My set up works really well and gives a nice deep etch.
 
Smitty, do you use a stencil, or resist? I've been using resist and drawing my logo, but it's inconsistent and not the greatest looking.
 
Thanks very much for the input folks. I was worried someone would say "positively not" which would force me to save up and buy a real etcher. Now I feel much better because I can put the money somewhere else.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
 
Heck, when I started marking my knives, I used a lantern battery with wires and alligator clips, salt water, q-tips, and some vinyl stencils I had cut at a sign shop. Negative to the q-tip end, dip in salt water, positive to the blade, dab, dab, dab.

--nathan
 
I use a variable DC 1 amp 2 to 12 volt unit and a 12 V Ac unit, paid only 3$ for both. I paint a square with an industrial fast curing paint on the blade and after a couple of minutes while paint is about to dry I sign my signature on it with a needle. After the paint is completely dried I etch with a Q tip and salt water. It is not the best way I know but I like to sign each blade individually by hand like a painter signs his/her work...
 

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it is pretty deep, I use most of the time 6 V DC for about 15 mins to be safe. It takes 2-3 mins to get that depth with 12 V but the heat rises quickly that can ruin my paint "stencil". Then plug the AC adapter to blacken it only for 1 min.
 
I get my stencils from Ernie Grospitch here on the forum, I think I got the spelling of his last name right. I think I get about 7 stencls for $30. You can do 6 or 7 etches for sure from each stencil. As far as depth of etch here are some pictures, they are a little fuzzy as I am not a great photographer. If you want to go with a really tight budget for an etcher, a 9volt battery will do a great job. What ever method you use, when the QTip turns black, you should be done.


IMG_2402.jpg


IMG_2396.jpg


IMG_2394.jpg
 
T

There are 7 (I think) on a sheet, you just cut one out leaving enough space to tape it to the knife blade, using electrical tape or masking tape. You can reuse them quite a few times, just wash them off with water after use. I sometimes put them in my wifes jewlery cleaner (everthing has a knife making use) and the ultrasonic action really cleans them up, they work for 6 or 7 etches for sure and could go as high as 15 or so.
 
thanks, PD!

So waht sort of material are they made of? would it be possible to cut one out yourself?

Thanks for being patient with me!
 
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