Etching 1095

M

Mr.Wrong

Joined
Aug 5, 2004
Messages
197
I Know that someone already has a thread that is similar to this one but..... I have not been able to answer my question by that thread or any others that came up on the search :( . Im working on a peice of 1095 that I edge quenched. I finished the blade up to 1500 grit then went to etch it.I then put the blade into a F.C. solution of 1Tbsp : 1qt. tap water. After two min. the dam thing turned dark I could see the hammon but the blade looked like smeared sh@$ :barf: !!!! :mad: :mad: Could anyone please tell me what I did wrong. Thanks in advance :rolleyes:

Pj
 
you probably did nothing wrong, ferric tends to etch like that, try distilled water, you may have some things in your tap water that affect the etch. i use white vinegar with a few drops of dishsoap, heated to about 140-150 degrees, it is a much less drastic etch, with less oxides to clean off the blade, ( the black smeared look). the only problem with vinegar is you usually will have to etch it 3-4 times depending on how much contrast you want in the hamon.
 
nothing, rub it with 000 steel wool, and etch it again. repeat often. I actually use a worn out piece of 800 grit sandpaper, but most people will tell you to use steel wool. Normally I repeat the same thing about 7-10 times or until the hamon starts to pop. The blade will be a bit dark, mostly grey, but the grey is oxidation, and it helps prevent rust. It is the same thing on a smaller scale as gun bluing. Just continue the same thing over and over until it is where you like it.
 
Ok. Tried it 8 times and one side took it better than the other. Is this normal?? if not what can I do to fix this? Also can I polish this blade after I etch?
 
Cant say that I have ever had a difference between sides. I am not sure what is causing that. You can put a mirror polish on it after the etch, but it kinda negates the reason for the etch. I did it once because I accidentally hit the blade with the buffer while buffing the handle then just continued to buff the blade out. here is what it looked like. you can still see the hamon, but it doesnt stand out the same way. not the best pic, but you can see what I am talking about.
 
Side to side difference may be due to smearing the steel when polishing or overheating it when polishing.
 
I etch in a pretty dilute solution of FC and water (can't even remember what the concentration is it's been so long since I made it) and if I've hand finished to 800-1200 grit, I put the knife in the solution for about 30 seconds, then wash in warm water and soap, then rub the hell out of it with 0000 steel wool. That will produce this (two views of the same knife):
hamon1.jpg


option1-4.jpg
 
Thanks guys for all the help Ive got the blade done. Ill post pics of it when I get off work tommorow.

Thanks,
PJ
 
If you are getting a different etch from side to side you may not be gettting all the grease removed before etching. It works better if you clean the blade well with a degreaser of some sort. I use dishwashing soap and scrub the blade with a toothbrush. Then clean the dish soap off under running water with the toothbrush. From there I go straight in to the etch.

To remove the black gunk I make a paste of backing soda and scrub the blade well with it. This also nuetralizes the FC. Then rub it with flitz polish.

Hope this helps.

Craig
 
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