So last week I was at a special exhibit at the New York Public Library featuring some of Goya's copper etchings from the "Disasters of War" series. I have always been amazed by the etching process and the designs artists were able to get wtih it. Then today I was watching a video on youtube about forcing a patina on carbon steel blades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZviaQkPQjw&feature=channel_page) and I thought: why not combine the two?
I've got a recently acquired opinel in front of me right now and I'm interested in etching my girlfriend's name onto the blade. I'm thinking of combining old style copper etching technique with the method outlined in the youtube video.
1. Cover the blade in an acid resistant substance.
2. Use a toothpick to carve away the desired design.
3. Dunk the blade in acid or, wrap it in a acid soaked cloth.
4. This, I'm guessing (please tell me if I'm wrong) should result in the blade developing a patterned patina only on the regions which I carved out with the toothpick. If I take good care of the blade from then on (washing it after use and applying mineral oil to it) it should keep the rest of the blade looking shiny while the patterned patina remains.
Do you guys think this would work? Also what would you guys suggest for both the acid and the acid resistant substance? I was thinking vinegar for the acid. But I'm not sure what to do about the resistant. Many artists would use wax for this but I don't know where I'd get a bunch of soft wax short of burning a bunch of candles. Would any type of tape work for this? Also which do you think would be more striking: a positive or a negative image? Etching away the design or making it so that all of the blade has a patina except for the design?
If this is an old technique that people have been doing for years already with knives please forgive my naivete on the subject. I'm not writing this to take credit for an idea, I only want to figure out how to do it properly.
I've got a recently acquired opinel in front of me right now and I'm interested in etching my girlfriend's name onto the blade. I'm thinking of combining old style copper etching technique with the method outlined in the youtube video.
1. Cover the blade in an acid resistant substance.
2. Use a toothpick to carve away the desired design.
3. Dunk the blade in acid or, wrap it in a acid soaked cloth.
4. This, I'm guessing (please tell me if I'm wrong) should result in the blade developing a patterned patina only on the regions which I carved out with the toothpick. If I take good care of the blade from then on (washing it after use and applying mineral oil to it) it should keep the rest of the blade looking shiny while the patterned patina remains.
Do you guys think this would work? Also what would you guys suggest for both the acid and the acid resistant substance? I was thinking vinegar for the acid. But I'm not sure what to do about the resistant. Many artists would use wax for this but I don't know where I'd get a bunch of soft wax short of burning a bunch of candles. Would any type of tape work for this? Also which do you think would be more striking: a positive or a negative image? Etching away the design or making it so that all of the blade has a patina except for the design?
If this is an old technique that people have been doing for years already with knives please forgive my naivete on the subject. I'm not writing this to take credit for an idea, I only want to figure out how to do it properly.
Last edited: