damascus etching depth

B . Buxton

B . Buxton

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
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I know this is probably more of an individual personal preference, but on a whole how deep do most of you etch you damascus. Do you etch just long enough to show the pattern well but the blade is still smooth to the touch, or do you etch it long enough to have a good deep etch so the pattern is felt when you rub your fingers over it. Also any little tricks or secrets on how to get you patterns to really stand out? If so explain.


Thanks

Bill
 
I etch untill I can feel it...I think it gives the best working surface....does not show scratches so easy......but ofcourse that is on Damasteel (SS) so for regular carbondamascus the deep etch might have disadvantages..
 
I sometimes forget to take it out of the acid, Damn its deep then. I like a slow etch with very weak 5 to 1 acid and water. It doesnt pit the steels. If I use pure nickel and hi carbon steel I give it a mirror finish and dont etch at all. I send it away for hot bluing. The nickel comes back almost a gold color and the steel is deep deep blue/black. Its my favorite finish but nickel is not for a working knife. For hard useing knives I use 1084 and 15n20. I etch until I can feel the 15n20 with my thumb nail. This way it can be buffed for a 2 tone silver (see the B and B bowie) or let the knife dry with the acid left on after the last etch. It will be black in the low spots (1084) then use a hard backed 1200 grit sanding to just hit the high spots (15n20). Dont forget to neutralize the acid with ammonia or tsp or baking soda before sanding. Oh, Be sure the blade is 1200 grit before the etch. The etch will not remove scatches it only makes them deeper and wider. If you buff at all after the 1200 grit be sure to use a very hard buff with white or scratchless pink and dont push hard. You may even like to go to 2000 grit before buffing.

These methods are not "written in stone" its just the way I do it.
 
The depth of etch depends on the look you want.
I etched a blade all the way until it was eatin up once.
Had to make more of them because some folks thought is was sweet.
If you buff you damascus a little deeper is better.
If you want the black and silver contrast a light etch clean and fast re-etch look great depending on who made the damscus!
 
I usualy do a 20 min. etch on all my blades in 50/50 distilled water and PCB ,Tank
 
Thanks Guys for your techniques and opinions, I would sure like to hear of any other ways that all you damascus makers etch your blades. Also do you edge quench your blades or full quench, I'm curious on how you get the nice even pattern to show from cutting edge to spine and not get that bold quench line.I've edge quenched a couple and then every thing below the quench line doesn't slow very well, if I full quench and draw the spine with a torch will that give me a more even pattern to show?

Thanks

Bill
 
Damascus doesnt etch nicely unless the whole blade is hardened. I dont like the looks of hamen lines in damascus. Just me though.
 
I just etched my first damascus blade, and I wish someone would have posted the effects of edge quenching before I did it. The hardened part etched beautifully, and is very bold, the softert back, has a greyish etch that is much lighter than the hard part of the blade, I don't like it. But I guess you live and learn. By the way it is a peice of Bruce Evans random pattern damascus. I really like the looks of it other than my etching problem.
Kyle Fuglesten
 
OK Bruce heres a question then, when you harden the whole blade do you soften the spine with a torch back to a blue, and when you do this aren't you softening the spine back enough that it will not etch the same as the hardened cutting edge. Or do you bring the cutting edge up to critical leaving the thicker spine as a heat sink and then quenching the whole blade before the spine becomes critical heat. I've been making up several cable bars and a couple billets from 1095 + 15n20 so I am getting close to heat treat time and just want to try and eliminate some of the guess work.

Thanks
Bill
 
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