Do a multiple etch on a knife blade.

2finger

2finger

Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
149
Acid etching is a chemical process. The acid solution literally eats away steel and non ferrous metals.

What you need.
-A technical pen or nibs.
-A needle
-Paint brushes
-Pencil
-Mineral Turp
-Brusable bitumen paint
-Alcohol or any other cleaner/degreaser.

u6cq3mA.jpg


You also need a plastic container for the ferric chloride (that's the acid).
I use one in which the blade will be held horizontally. It gives a better etch than a vertical container, as the dissolved particles of steel may leave marks on the blade.

VfJBcPy.jpg


Let's get started.
There are ways to transfer a design onto a blade, but I'm doing this one free hand, using a pencil to draw the first part of the design.

The blade is RWL34, polished to 1200 and hasn't been heat treated.

Fytqsv9.jpg
 
Using the technical pen (Rotring filled with thinned down bitumen paint), I go over the pencil lines.

rBhvols.jpg


Then, using a paint brush, I fill up all the parts that I want to protect from the ferric chloride and add a few more details.
2 coats is safer than one.

ejupHe3.jpg


Once the paint has dried, I use a needle to scratch the details of the skull, like the bandana and the teeth.

ctfuxBv.jpg
 
The blade is ready for its first etch. I use a clamp made of g10 and plastic pegs to keep it in place. Note that the design has to be facing down.

rb0dzzq.jpg


The blade is now being etched. To speed up the process, and remove particles without having to touch the design, I have a small fish tank pump that blows air into the tank.
Every etch will take 25 minutes.

4RLM1Mu.jpg
 
The blade has been buffed to make sure it's still smooth, and then cleaned.
Make sure YOU DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS ON THE BLADE AT ANY TIME.
Oil from the skin may affect the result.

Ish7lLn.jpg


I paint over the first parts of the design, as I don't want them to be etched any further, and I add 2 swords behind the skull and my maker's mark.


1XVYy0w.jpg
 
After following the same steps as for the first etch, this is what it looks like after the second etch.

tqXV0nD.jpg


Here comes the third and last step. This time I add a flag behind everything I've done so far, and it goes for a bath one more time.

em9tAdz.jpg
 
After the third etch, this is what it looks like.
Since the blade is made of stainless steel, the etching is done before the heat treatment. After the blade is heat treated, it is impossible to guarantee a good result, as the blade may not etch evenly.
With a carbon steel blade, etching should be done after, when the blade is finished.

V2yAFD3.jpg


After heat treatment, the blade and its handle are put together and that's done.
 
Wow.

Message to short but still that's all I've got. Wow.
 
Thank you for showing that. I'm definitely going to give it a try when I finish my current orders.

Warren
 
That skull needs some breasts :D

How fun, that has some great possibilities
 
Great stuff, 2finger, thanks.




BladeScout said:
That came out well.

Very interesting process. Food for thought.


:D
.... + some guns and a Cummins diesel Ram running over a Prius.
Click to expand...

LOL to you and Avigil. :D:thumbup:
 
Even I can understand that. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Bookmarked!

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 
Thank you for the kind words.
If drawing isn't an option, you can always print the design to size, and transfer onto the blade with old fashion carbon paper. It only leaves a very faint impression that isn't easy to see on the blade but it works.

For those who have quite a bit of time, one of my mates made this video a couple of weeks ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWyU-RIdQsw
 
That came out absolutely fantastic. No way I could do that freehand, reminds me of a tattoo artist's work.
 
That is amazing! You make it look easy. Thanks for sharing.
Next one, more breasts and Ivory please! :thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top