damascus etch contrast

Richard338

Richard338

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I made some katana handle fittings with Devin Thomas damascus (AEB-L/304).
I didn't heat treat them and as people have mentioned in the past, without HT the contrast didn't turn out great. I can see a hint of some nice patterns and want to bring this out.
I did a blade with this material before and after HT at Peters, the same ferric etch worked very well.
If I have to send the parts out to Peters I will, but I welcome opinions on whether a simple home procedure will work at all (obviously I wouldn't even consider this for a blade).
I have a torch and could heat the crap out of them and toss them into my water pail.
Devin's proper procedure is 1925f for 10 minutes and then 2 tempers at 350.
I could do the temper cycles in a toaster oven.
Am I likely do get any transformation with a torch? or should I send them out?

C3DjpKr.jpg
 
I'm not a professional but I wouldn't think that would be a good way to go. best way I can think of is to foil wrap them and use a kiln.. after the soak time, take them out of the foil and very lightly plate quench them with compressed air?
 
Thanks. I don't have any HT equipment myself (other than a torch). I was thinking about possibly dropping them into some warm oil, but after coming this far I think I'll finish the handle fitting and then send them out.
I don't want to risk cracking or warping at this stage.
 
Have you tried the coffee darkening technique?
 
i think they look fine as they are :thumbsup: but yeah coffee has more contrast than other etchants, so that may help in your favor since they are soft. i have also read the cheaper the instant coffee, the better it works.
 
john april said:
i think they look fine as they are :thumbsup: but yeah coffee has more contrast than other etchants, so that may help in your favor since they are soft. i have also read the cheaper the instant coffee, the better it works.
Click to expand...

I'd like them a bit darker since my tsuba and habaki are both pretty dark.
I guess I'll try the cheap instant coffee before sending them out since I have nothing to lose.
 
I'm not sure anyone has done an experiment using the coffee with unhardened steel. If you do it, make sure you post pics or your results. You may be a pioneer.
 
weo said:
I'm not sure anyone has done an experiment using the coffee with unhardened steel. If you do it, make sure you post pics or your results. You may be a pioneer.
Click to expand...

I'll try it tonight and post the result. If it isn't good enough then I will send it off the Peters...
 
I'm not sure you've ever done this, but in my experience, get the cheapest instant coffee you can. Make it STRONG. I used 1/2 a can for 1/2 gal water. The warmer it is, the faster it darkens. I've never done it with hot coffee before, but when I do it in the winter, I need to let it soak for longer (but I don't turn the heat on in my house unless the temp gets below 55 deg).
Also, I've kept my coffee in the fridge, and it seems to darken the damascus faster and darker the more I use it.
If it's your first time using the coffee, and you don't think it's dark enough after a few hours, don't be afraid to leave it in for over a day.
If it darkens the 15N20 too much (which it can) you can always scrub it clean and start over.
Also, if you have some topography with the acid etch, this is good because you can darken it as much as you want, then sand off the high spots with 5000 grit sandpaper (what I use) to get it silver again without sanding off the coffee.
 
Thanks. Coincidentally another coffee thread is active and I read some linked directions.
 
Oh yeah. One thing I forgot to mention, but you may already do this. I scrub the blade down with windex a couple of times before dunking it in the coffee. any oils from your fingers with blotch up the etch. I don't bother drying, just rinse well.
Also, unlike what Mareko says in this thread, I don't wipe the blade dry, rather pat it dry with paper towels. Wiping it can wipe off the coffee and cause it to streak, making you start over (which can be frustrating, especially if you have it just the way you want it out of the coffee.
 
Good point, I do want it to be as durable as possible.
My FC etch of post HT that I did in the past seems pretty tough.
 
I’m not sure if the coffee etch will work on stainless, never tried it.

The better the heat treat, the better the etch.

With stainless, there is a bark of 2-3 thousandths that developes in heat treating that has to come off before you’ll get an even etch. You can’t see it like scale, but you have to take it off.

Hoss
 
Thanks. I spoke to the folks at Peters today, so after a quick coffee experiment I expect to send it out.
 
Also, try etching in hydrochloric acid ( muriatic). It gives a different look to stainless. Sometimes I etch first in HCl and then in FC.
 
I tried the coffee. Cheap instant, very strong and hot and soaked for several cycles totaling about 2 hours.
No visible change at all, not worth posting another pic.
I'll finish fitting up the handle core and then send it off for HT.
 
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