-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
etching a blade to find temper line?
- Thread starter rctk1
- Start date
Rctk1, to answer your question, yes you can use vinegar to etch a blade to see the temper line. Problem is it takes quite some time. (I've done it a few times). You can also use lemon juice, pineapple juice, or tomatoe of sorts, or pretty much anything acidic. Satori uses FeCl (Feric Chloride). It's much faster, and I'll let him explain that. To use vinegar, or whatever you have, I've found that if you soak paper towels in it, it's easier to keep directly against the blade. Soak them and leave them for a while. It helps if the blade is hot (hot water works). I've not tried heating the vinegar, but you could try that as well. (and clean your microwave while you're at it 
). Essentially, you just keep coating the blade with vinegar until it eats the polish off, revealing the temper line. You can do it to varying degrees. (personal preference) But when you're done, use something to neutralize the acid.
mike
). Essentially, you just keep coating the blade with vinegar until it eats the polish off, revealing the temper line. You can do it to varying degrees. (personal preference) But when you're done, use something to neutralize the acid. mike
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2001
- Messages
- 4,238
Etching Blades
Please understand that there are as many methods to etch blades as there are people that do it. Do a search on etching and read what others have to say. Here's what I do.
1. Use acetone or denatured alcohol to degrease the blade. Both are flammable, so use good ventilation and follow the safety instructions on the can.
2. Cut a lemon, lime, pineapple or other acidic fruit, and rub on the blade. Rub one side, then the other. Repeat until the pattern develops to your liking. You can also use warm vinegar. Ive found that vinegar works faster than the fruits (except maybe pineapple).
3. Rinse the blade in cold water.
4. Neutralize the acid by rubbing the blade with a thick mixture of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and water, or with ammonia, or window cleaner containing ammonia.
5. Rinse the blade in cold water.
6. Dry the blade thoroughly, and oil it well with mineral oil, or whatever you currently use to prevent rust.
An alternative is to use ferric chloride. It works quicker and sometimes brings the pattern out better, but is potentially more dangerous to the blade.
1. Use acetone or denatured alcohol to degrease the blade. Both are flammable, so use good ventilation and follow the safety instructions on the can.
2. Mix one part Ferric Chloride, available in the US from Radio Shack as Printed Circuit Board Etchant, with 3 or 4 parts distilled water.
3. Using rubber gloves saturate a rag or paper towel with the solution and rub it onto the blade. Put it on with a fully saturated rag, and wipe it on evenly. Do one side then the other, doing your best to cover the full side of the blade in one pass. Dont let the solution run down into the grip. I use a plastic trough that is used to wet wallpaper that I bought at the local home improvements store to catch the drips.
4. When satisfied with the pattern, rinse with cold water.
5. Rub the blade with a rag or paper towel saturated with vinegar. Ive read that this helps to stop the ferric chloride reaction.
6. Rinse with cold water.
7 Neutralize the acid by rubbing the blade with ammonia, or window cleaner containing ammonia.
8. Rinse with cold water.
9 Dry the blade thoroughly, and oil it well with mineral oil, or whatever you currently use to prevent rust.
Please understand that there are as many methods to etch blades as there are people that do it. Do a search on etching and read what others have to say. Here's what I do.
1. Use acetone or denatured alcohol to degrease the blade. Both are flammable, so use good ventilation and follow the safety instructions on the can.
2. Cut a lemon, lime, pineapple or other acidic fruit, and rub on the blade. Rub one side, then the other. Repeat until the pattern develops to your liking. You can also use warm vinegar. Ive found that vinegar works faster than the fruits (except maybe pineapple).
3. Rinse the blade in cold water.
4. Neutralize the acid by rubbing the blade with a thick mixture of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and water, or with ammonia, or window cleaner containing ammonia.
5. Rinse the blade in cold water.
6. Dry the blade thoroughly, and oil it well with mineral oil, or whatever you currently use to prevent rust.
An alternative is to use ferric chloride. It works quicker and sometimes brings the pattern out better, but is potentially more dangerous to the blade.
1. Use acetone or denatured alcohol to degrease the blade. Both are flammable, so use good ventilation and follow the safety instructions on the can.
2. Mix one part Ferric Chloride, available in the US from Radio Shack as Printed Circuit Board Etchant, with 3 or 4 parts distilled water.
3. Using rubber gloves saturate a rag or paper towel with the solution and rub it onto the blade. Put it on with a fully saturated rag, and wipe it on evenly. Do one side then the other, doing your best to cover the full side of the blade in one pass. Dont let the solution run down into the grip. I use a plastic trough that is used to wet wallpaper that I bought at the local home improvements store to catch the drips.
4. When satisfied with the pattern, rinse with cold water.
5. Rub the blade with a rag or paper towel saturated with vinegar. Ive read that this helps to stop the ferric chloride reaction.
6. Rinse with cold water.
7 Neutralize the acid by rubbing the blade with ammonia, or window cleaner containing ammonia.
8. Rinse with cold water.
9 Dry the blade thoroughly, and oil it well with mineral oil, or whatever you currently use to prevent rust.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Messages
- 756
I recently etched a villager pen knife by using lemon juice in the store bought container. I just soaked a cloth with it and ran it over the blade for about 5 minutes. Make sure you really degrease the blade first by using dish soap and warm water and then wash the blade in cold water and neutralize the acid with windex. Oil the blade well and you are good to go. You might have to sand down a mirror polished blade for the etch to take properly.
- Joined
- May 28, 2003
- Messages
- 1,815
Be careful and don't leave an acidic paper towel sitting ON the blade for any length of time, unless you want the 
grumpy: ) pattern of the towel etched in to the blade.
I have found that yellow mustard works well and is viscous enough to stay in place and not run all over. Mayonnaise works too. Different combinations give different colors, so an interesting patina can be developed by trial and error using the contents of the refrigerator. I can often smell sulfur when doing this process, and I think the colors are some kinds of sulfides that form on the steel surface.
grumpy: ) pattern of the towel etched in to the blade.I have found that yellow mustard works well and is viscous enough to stay in place and not run all over. Mayonnaise works too. Different combinations give different colors, so an interesting patina can be developed by trial and error using the contents of the refrigerator. I can often smell sulfur when doing this process, and I think the colors are some kinds of sulfides that form on the steel surface.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 19,810
Steve, how many times have you posted that? I have a printout of it from when I was just starting to hang around. I've printed several things you've posted, Satori, and Sarge too.
Brian how long do you leave the mustard on the blade? Any brand you prefer? (Don't suggest French's, I'm boycotting. LOL Not really I just like jabbing at the French.)
Brian how long do you leave the mustard on the blade? Any brand you prefer? (Don't suggest French's, I'm boycotting. LOL Not really I just like jabbing at the French.)
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2002
- Messages
- 1,101
If you wanrt to get quick results and check the temper line, I'd say go for FeCl3. It really shows any existing temper lines and hardening differences quite well, I have not found this to be the same case with vinegar and the likes. They look somewhat different, and you get a more 'used' finish w/ different colors, while FeCl3 gives you a very uniform finish [if the blade is cleaned properly].
Keno
Keno
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 19,810
Its good material Steve. Thanks for keeping an eye out. Sometimes the search function around here is maddening. The mustard thing is news to me. I'm going to do it just to get a rise from the Mrs. LOL.
The FeCl does give a pretty uniform tone, if you can get all the buildup off the blade. (which is a little harder than it sounds) Good polish is required. From a few of mine, I've found that FeCl yields a greater amount of detail, but the vinegar just shows you where the main temper line is. (which is really what we're after). But the biggest driving force for me, is time. It just takes to darn long to use vinegar.
mike
mike