Etching a knife through decarb

W

WilsonKnivesCo

Joined
Feb 3, 2022
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Do y'all know if a personalizer will etch through the decarb left on a blade after heat treating?

I know I can have a local company use a fiber laser and etch my logo through the decarb, but I'm wondering if I can etch through it.

I like the look of the decarb and leave it on the upper half of my knives. The problem is that I can't mark through that decarb and I need a way to put my maker's mark on my knives.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you!
 
I can't imagine that it wouldn't work... You're not etching with acid, but pulling the metal off with electricity. Decarb is still conductive, so it should work. might work a bit differently, but it should work!
 
Ok, kurouchi/blacksmith finish/Brute-de-forge.

Just a note, the actual scale needs to be dissolved in a pickle to remove it. The decarb is what is left. I don't think you will be able to etch through actual scale, as it isn't metallic anymore (various iron oxides).
 
I have done this, and with a Personalizer, on both oil-quenched and air-quenched steels.
If there is FLAKE decarb/scale, forget it. If you scrub the surface with steel wool, you can usually get a "clean" (but dirty) surface to etch through. It's not as consistent as with clean steel, but I've made it a regular thing when I want to do "lazy" finishing (usually more pre-heat prep). You can do the etch with or without blackening. If you do it without *before* tempering, then you get a golden sheen inside the mark (which works for my branding!).

The steel surface will be softer than if you polish away the decarb, for either type of process/steel, but depending on the context that may be fine with you. Just tape the blade while doing the handle work (which I always do to protect a polished finish anyway). You can even do it on an uneven forged surface, but results will be very unpredictable! But sometimes that's acceptable, depending on the style and what you want.

Cliphart in black 1084 and dyed micarta

If you research the apocryphal bushcraft legends, you learn that Kephart had a lesser-known brother. This brother had some unresolved anger issues. A Cain to Horace's Abel, if you will. Well, this brother couldn't leave a good thing alone, and while he could not argue with the sheer utility of...
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AuK5 (Kephart) in AEB-L and azobe

This belt and kiln finish AuK5 is built on 0.130" tapered-tang AEB-L with azobe scales and a hidden lanyard hole. Similar dimensions to the BK-62, but with a bit more swell in the belly and longer ricasso.
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

If you do it too long, you might end up with a clear patch in your surface. I've mostly dropped the blackening step since:

Kitchen Kwaiken #3

6.125" of 1/16" AEB-L, linen micarta, G10 frame, stainless pins. Thanks for looking.
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Purists don't like it, but customers do. ;)
 
Last edited:
daizee said:
I have done this, and with a Personalizer, on both oil-quenched and air-quenched steels.
If there is FLAKE decarb/scale, forget it. If you scrub the surface with steel wool, you can usually get a "clean" (but dirty) surface to etch through. It's not as consistent as with clean steel, but I've made it a regular thing when I want to do "lazy" finishing (usually more pre-heat prep). You can do the etch with or without blackening. If you do it without *before* tempering, then you get a golden sheen inside the mark (which works for my branding!).

The steel surface will be softer than if you polish away the decarb, for either type of process/steel, but depending on the context that may be fine with you. Just tape the blade while doing the handle work (which I always do to protect a polished finish anyway). You can even do it on an uneven forged surface, but results will be very unpredictable! But sometimes that's acceptable, depending on the style and what you want.

Cliphart in black 1084 and dyed micarta

If you research the apocryphal bushcraft legends, you learn that Kephart had a lesser-known brother. This brother had some unresolved anger issues. A Cain to Horace's Abel, if you will. Well, this brother couldn't leave a good thing alone, and while he could not argue with the sheer utility of...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

AuK5 (Kephart) in AEB-L and azobe

This belt and kiln finish AuK5 is built on 0.130" tapered-tang AEB-L with azobe scales and a hidden lanyard hole. Similar dimensions to the BK-62, but with a bit more swell in the belly and longer ricasso.
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

If you do it too long, you might end up with a clear patch in your surface. I've mostly dropped the blackening step since:

Kitchen Kwaiken #3

6.125" of 1/16" AEB-L, linen micarta, G10 frame, stainless pins. Thanks for looking.
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Purists don't like it, but customers do. ;)
Click to expand...
Nice work! Thanks for the info!
 
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