Damascus etching problem

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michael88

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Jul 12, 2010
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Hello I am etching stainless steel Damascus, and I want some advice as far as color is concerned. I am wanting the black with silver pattern. I am getting pewter and silver. It's also getting a super deep etch. To where it is no longer smooth. The acid has been diluted with distilled water and it's been fairly cool in my shop. I am using the ferric acids from radio shack.

What am I doing wrong? Can stainless steel achieve the deep blacks? Thank you for the help.

Michael
 
Is it hardened and tempered? How much did you grind or finish after heat treat? How old is the etchant?

Hoss
 
If it was made from hardenable stainless, it needs to be hardened and tempered. If it was made from fully austenitic steels you need to try a different etchant.

Hoss
 
This imgur album shows the process of making and etching a stainless ring made from 304 and 316 stainless (not knife steels).

http://imgur.com/gallery/Uy6O2

This guy is using ferric chloride with good results so I would scrutinize the metal composition and perhaps surface finish.
 
Ok. Did the heat treat, and then polished the ring before etch. The maker isn't getting back to me on the metal specifics.
It's a deeper darker grey now but not black for sure.
 
michael88 said:
Ok. Did the heat treat, and then polished the ring before etch. The maker isn't getting back to me on the metal specifics.
It's a deeper darker grey now but not black for sure.
Click to expand...

Like Devin said if it's a known steelits usually the HT that prevents it from etching dark black, you have to decade rb as well.

After that, you need to check your solution, mix in half white vinegar with fc
 
michael88 said:
Please forgive my ignorance I'm brand new to this. What is "decade rb"?
Click to expand...

I think he meant decarb which is a layer on the outside formed during heating. At high temps some carbon burns off leaving a layer of decarb or scale. It will not etch the same and could be your problem. It is usually a couple thousandths thick so you need to grind or sand it off.
 
From my limited experience, I may say to try a LESS dilute solution as well!

I started doing etching test in muriatic acid. I used 1095/15n20 damascus etched in solution of ten parts water to one part acid, and about three parts water to one part acid. The result, as the internet graciously confirmed later on, was that the MORE dilute solution produces a greater difference in the etch between the two metals. So when there's a higher acid level, it just dissolves both metals at nearly the same rate.

However, the 3:1 ratio mixture also produced a more grayish patina over both metals, wheras the nickel steel was shinier from the dilute solution.

How muriatic acid effects the stainless steels for a ring, I wouldn't know! But there is the possibility there isn't enough acid in the mix!

Also, just for the sake of saying it, be careful with muriatic acid - fumes are really potent and expel from the bottle fast.
 
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