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Coca Cola
- Thread starter flava
- Start date
. I've used acid so far, but now I got a cool damascus bar and want to go with a SLOW etch to play safe. Has enyone tried it?
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- Dec 2, 1999
- Messages
- 9,910
I havent tried the coke etch but I do know that archer etchant (ferric cloride) with water works good if it is diluted about 1part etchant 5parts water. Its a very slow etch
RHINOKNIVES
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2000
- Messages
- 6,404
apple vinager is what i use. heat it in the microwave and let the steel soak over night. i can do this inside and dont have to mess with the caustic acids.
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2001
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- 6,648
CocaCola is phosphoric acid, very dilute. It should work to etch a blade, as it will dissolve a nail if left in there. Please let us know what your results are.
One note about nuking vinegar is that acetic acid is volatile, so heating it anywhere near boiling will drive off the acid and weaken it. also, acetic acid is listed as "combustible", which means if the concentration in the atmosphere inside the 'wave gets high enough it has a potential ignition hazard if you have an ignition source around, like a cig-butt in your mouth, when you open it up. . Not much of a real hazard, but under the right conditions it can be.
Ferric chloride is a relatively strong acid, but won't burn skin as fast as a mineral acid such as hydrochloric (muriatic=80% HCl) or nitric acid. I do my etching with the vessel in the basement tub sink and it is not dangerous. Prolonged exposure will damge skin a bit, but it washes off readily. Rubber gloves are a good idea. 1:3 to 1:5 parts Etchant:water is the common concentration. Dilute it 1:10 or 1:20 and it will simply reduce the etch rate. For that matter, whatever you use, simply dilute further and it'll give you a more pronounced difference in the etch rate of the two steels.
BTW, caustic usually refers to a chemically "basic" compound like lye or caustic soda, ie, Draino, Liquid Plumber, etc. In the chem industry it usually refers to sodium hydroxide.
One note about nuking vinegar is that acetic acid is volatile, so heating it anywhere near boiling will drive off the acid and weaken it. also, acetic acid is listed as "combustible", which means if the concentration in the atmosphere inside the 'wave gets high enough it has a potential ignition hazard if you have an ignition source around, like a cig-butt in your mouth, when you open it up. . Not much of a real hazard, but under the right conditions it can be.
Ferric chloride is a relatively strong acid, but won't burn skin as fast as a mineral acid such as hydrochloric (muriatic=80% HCl) or nitric acid. I do my etching with the vessel in the basement tub sink and it is not dangerous. Prolonged exposure will damge skin a bit, but it washes off readily. Rubber gloves are a good idea. 1:3 to 1:5 parts Etchant:water is the common concentration. Dilute it 1:10 or 1:20 and it will simply reduce the etch rate. For that matter, whatever you use, simply dilute further and it'll give you a more pronounced difference in the etch rate of the two steels.
BTW, caustic usually refers to a chemically "basic" compound like lye or caustic soda, ie, Draino, Liquid Plumber, etc. In the chem industry it usually refers to sodium hydroxide.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 1999
- Messages
- 672
Shorten your etch times to about 3 minutes each. Neutralize and scrub with steel wool under running water between each etch cycle. Your etch won't get away from you this way. I use FeCl at 1:4 ratio with water.
Brett
Brett
There was a thread on this in rec.knives a few months back, see google: <url> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...O-8859-1&q=cokerizing&meta=group%3Drec.knives </url>
Fitzo, muriatic acid isn't always 80%, it depends on the brand. The stuff at my local Ace Hardware is only 33% but they only charge $3/gallon. I bet you pay more for the good stuff.
Bill H.
Fitzo, muriatic acid isn't always 80%, it depends on the brand. The stuff at my local Ace Hardware is only 33% but they only charge $3/gallon. I bet you pay more for the good stuff.
Bill H.
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2002
- Messages
- 934
I use copper sulphate. It is also called blue stone. you can use it on your citrus fruit trees to improve the fruit. It was once used to put in drinking water in very small amounts.
The good news is it is not corrosive to the skin. Mix a couple of spoons full to a litre (2 pints)of water put the blade in and just let it sit for about 20 min. If it is cold you will get a better
etch by using hot water. The chemical reaction will make your blade look like a pink hairy monster and as you wipe the muck off it will look black. The advantage is if you use a sticker logo it will not come of. All the acid etch I have seen get under the stickers and lift them off. If you don't have a sticker logo you may like to cut a
suitable oval or similar shape stick it on the balde and etch it. you are left with a clean flate surface to stamp or engrave.
If you wipe the blade too frequently before the thick layer builds up sometime copper will stick to the metal.
The extra messing around is worth it to me first because I use a sticky logo and second I hate the idea of acid fumes in my lungs I've only got one set to last me.
Ps drop a couple of dirty copper coins in coke and that will show you how quick it cleans metal.
The good news is it is not corrosive to the skin. Mix a couple of spoons full to a litre (2 pints)of water put the blade in and just let it sit for about 20 min. If it is cold you will get a better
etch by using hot water. The chemical reaction will make your blade look like a pink hairy monster and as you wipe the muck off it will look black. The advantage is if you use a sticker logo it will not come of. All the acid etch I have seen get under the stickers and lift them off. If you don't have a sticker logo you may like to cut a
suitable oval or similar shape stick it on the balde and etch it. you are left with a clean flate surface to stamp or engrave.
If you wipe the blade too frequently before the thick layer builds up sometime copper will stick to the metal.
The extra messing around is worth it to me first because I use a sticky logo and second I hate the idea of acid fumes in my lungs I've only got one set to last me.
Ps drop a couple of dirty copper coins in coke and that will show you how quick it cleans metal.
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2001
- Messages
- 6,648
Bill H.,
Actually, I was speaking of the "technical" grade acid we used in the chemical plant. The actual concentration of typical concentrated HCl is 36% by weight for the laboratory reagent. Thus, the 80% tech grade acid is about 29% by weight, the remainder being water. I'm interested now to know if the brick-cleaner sold at hardware stores is an absolute percentage (very concentrated) or if it's a percentage of typical max (ie, about 12%). Interesting little tidbit...thanks.
As for the cost, we are paying outrageously for the packaging and the store overhead. The stuff in the bottle is dirt cheap, compared to the final price, much as all hardware store solvents are. Acetone and methanol are such terrible screw-jobs pricewise I gag everytime I have to buy a jug. :barf:
Actually, I was speaking of the "technical" grade acid we used in the chemical plant. The actual concentration of typical concentrated HCl is 36% by weight for the laboratory reagent. Thus, the 80% tech grade acid is about 29% by weight, the remainder being water. I'm interested now to know if the brick-cleaner sold at hardware stores is an absolute percentage (very concentrated) or if it's a percentage of typical max (ie, about 12%). Interesting little tidbit...thanks.
As for the cost, we are paying outrageously for the packaging and the store overhead. The stuff in the bottle is dirt cheap, compared to the final price, much as all hardware store solvents are. Acetone and methanol are such terrible screw-jobs pricewise I gag everytime I have to buy a jug. :barf: