Copper Etching Electrolyte

Daniel Fairly Knives

Daniel Fairly Knives

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Best etchant for electro etch signatures on Copper parts?

I know I can buy some but is there anything readily available I can just mix up.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Ferric chloride is used for etching copper circuit boards.
Click to expand...
I might try it, AI claims that you can elecro etch with it. I'm afraid it might get on the copper where I don't want it.

I usually stamp my copper but this is in the spot where a sig would be and the rest of the knife is G10... needs to match my sig on the rest of the run.

BTW I should say mark, I usually don't go for depth. My regular setup seemed to work then the sig rubbed right off of the copper leaving no trace.
 
FC is used to etch circuit boards with a resist where you don't want the copper removed, but that isn't what Daniel is doing. He is using a stencil and electro-etching.
Dilute FC will work (20:1). Salt water will work. Whatever you use on your steel blades should also work.
 
I finally got this to work with just regular #94 electrolyte. I am not sure why it did not initially work, I think my etcher leads had corroded... not sure if it was that or the patina the copper got after sitting a few days but it worked.
 
Update - the copper sig looked awful after a few days, we first thought we did not neutralize well but after redoing everything they looked just as bad a few days later. Fix - I stamped 'em
 
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