Etch and Strip Threads Resource

[Aias]

Agreed Lance... and that is exactly what I am lacking

 

[tuica]

Thanks Lance...;-)

 

[theToad]

Etching and stripping a NMFSH:

Using Sodium Persulfate (called "PCB etsepulver" in Norway) to etch the logo. I let the solution work for a couple of hours.

Beeeaaaautiful crinkle coat.

Micarta after a night in Duxola paint remover.

Etched logo

Not sure what to do about the finish. I may end up taking it to be bead-blasted.

 

[tuica]

Looks great. Thanks, Sir. From a member of the Engebretson family...;-)

 

[Icky Thump]

Etching and stripping a NMFSH:

Using Sodium Persulfate (called "PCB etsepulver" in Norway) to etch the logo. I let the solution work for a couple of hours.

Beeeaaaautiful crinkle coat.

Micarta after a night in Duxola paint remover.

Etched logo

Not sure what to do about the finish. I may end up taking it to be bead-blasted.

That came out great. Looks like Double Cut finish under there..?

 

[clampdaddy]

Etching and stripping a NMFSH:

Using Sodium Persulfate (called "PCB etsepulver" in Norway) to etch the logo. I let the solution work for a couple of hours.

Beeeaaaautiful crinkle coat.

Micarta after a night in Duxola paint remover.

Etched logo

Not sure what to do about the finish. I may end up taking it to be bead-blasted.

From here it looks like they were already bead blasted.

 

[Father & Son Traditional Sharpening]

From here it looks like they were already bead blasted.

I believe if anything it was oxide (sand) blasted, if he got that knife blasted w/ ceramic beads it would be pretty much what you get with a double cut BB finish. How do I know this? Well it looks just like my stripper ASHBM that I've got listed in the exchange right now that is looking for a new home… along with the fact that if it was bead blasted it would not have been coated as bead blasting is the finishing process for Busse's double cut bead blasted finish and would have cost substantially more.

While my knife is free from any dimples/maching/decarb, it is definitely not bead blasted… which leaves a matte and smooth finish. Mine has a somewhat rough feel to it, not super low grit but definitely not the silky smooth feel with a slight sheen that you get from bead blasting steel which feels roughly equivalent to Busse's satin finish. What bead blasting does not remove is tooling marks as it is simply not abrasive enough and has more of a peening and sealing effect on the steel, therefore you need to oxide blast (basically loose Aluminum Oxide grit or other sand equivalent) to remove these marks. Hence, you essentially have what Busse would consider an unfinished knife in that it is only half way to being DCBB… or satin finish ironically enough....

I believe Busse does this to knife blanks that will be sold as both Combat Grade & Limited Edition in that the blanks are the same dimensions for each. This way, they can easily produce DCBB or Satin finish… with a bit more effort than just coating them. What a shame though, as this NMFSH along with my ASHBM is a far cry from needing to be coated IMO when they look like that underneath… especially considering the rust resistance is still adequate from what I have seen with INFI that is left this way. I for one would have loved to see them offering single cut (oxide blasted) Combat Grades that come like this, great way to keep the cost down and not have downright fugly knives leaving the shop.

Interesting, links please?

AFAIK, there are some makers who etch their logo

Well, since you twisted my arm…. but let me clarify something. Do I KNOW that PCB etchant is causing this to happen with INFI? I do not, just as much as anyone seeking to do this does not. What I do know is that it is entirely possible that it is, and could potentially be happening with chemical strippers also.

http://www.heat-treat-doctor.com/documents/hydrogen embrittlement.pdf

Considering that many of us here have paid hundreds of dollars for just a single knife in our collection, in order to be assured of quality processing of the steel… how much sense does it make to add harsh chemicals to the steel for periods of time that we cannot ultimately say is not harming the steel… especially when science has pointed towards steel as an alloy in general being susceptible to such damage. Ultimately, each person as an individual can decide for themselves.

If I do not know a chemical is not going to harm the steel, I won't use it… plain and simple. Therefore I do not use chemical 'etching' or 'milling' compounds. Also, just because other 'makers' use chemical millings… does not mean a whole lot in my book. Plenty of makers out there do not properly heat treat or process steel themselves either, that does not mean it is something that should ever be done when making a knife. Bark River's use of power grinding followed by rapid quench in water is known to cause problems with steel not designed to handle this, yet they do it anyways and proclaim that it is OK because they are 'professionals' and somehow this changes the laws of physics in their shop.

Any follow up with links? Let's not scare the piglets without some real data. You must have something, or else you wouldn't have mentioned it.

Not trying to scare anybody, but rather make them informed of potential results of their actions. As to 'real' data, I suppose my link provided above may not be a smoking gun… as I will not be paying for such studies or data… but merely poses the potential risks associated with such surface treatments.

 

[airrick2003]

I've posted this before, but just incase anyone missed it, here is my AMS.
before:


during:



after:


I just left the decarb layer on it, looks like a poor mans double cut
Took about 4 or 5 soakings in citristrip and brushing it with a toothbrush to get all of the coating off.

 

[Father & Son Traditional Sharpening]

I just left the decarb layer on it, looks like a poor mans double cut

That is not decarb, your knife has been grit blasted to remove the decarb and tool marks. See my post above…

A brief soak in plain water (30 minutes or so), should confirm this when you remove the knife and it's not rusted dramatically. Please note that if you try this, there may be a bit of light surface rust from the water… it just won't look like an auto body that's been exposed to the elements for years.

 

[theToad]

That is not decarb, your knife has been grit blasted to remove the decarb and tool marks. See my post above…

A brief soak in plain water (30 minutes or so), should confirm this when you remove the knife and it's not rusted dramatically. Please note that if you try this, there may be a bit of light surface rust from the water… it just won't look like an auto body that's been exposed to the elements for years.

I have an old HHFSH (the first run) that I plan to strip.
I expect it to have a decarb layer, dimples and toolmarks.

Will share pictures once it's done, for comparison.

I am fully aware that this is far from the first time this has been done and shared, but more the marrier I guess. [emoji2]

 

[clampdaddy]

Chemically stripped on the left. Bead blasted on the right.

 

[clampdaddy]

Here are two threads that showed the progression of my first TGLB. Nothing that hasnt been covered by others but what the heck. Cant have too many pics of neked infi.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1182711-Here-goes!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1308103-Semi-polished-(-)-TGLB