Etching a W2 blade with vinegar

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
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All the top secrets revealed!!!! MuHuHaHa HAHAHAHAHAHA (that was evil, maniacal laughter ;) :p)

Another Wheeler Productions video with more hot carz and fast womenz! ;)

I get a lot of questions, that I think this might help answer. Or not... I don't really know. :)

This is the same W2 blade from the "hand sanding video" thread.

[video=youtube;7WGU7dV2k8Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WGU7dV2k8Q[/video]
 
There could be other ways of doing this; right? :D:p

Thanks for another video Nick I learn from every video and WIP. I enjoy how fastidious/calculated you are.
 
Dang Nick, every time I see how clean your shop is it makes me ashamed... of my kitchen.

That's a great tip. I never thought to put dishsoap in the vinegar. Thanks!

What you need to do is just put some webcams up all around your shop and stream live 24/7. Charge people $20 a month to watch. It's porno for knifemakers :D
 
tinfoil+hat.jpg

Notice how the camera was pointed so we could no longer see the vinegar? That's when he adds the crushed unicorn hoof! Another Wheeler conspiracy!
 
View attachment 238552

Notice how the camera was pointed so we could no longer see the vinegar? That's when he adds the crushed unicorn hoof! Another Wheeler conspiracy!

Now THAT was funny! :D

Yep Sam, 5%... nothing but Wal-Mart's finest!

Jason, I might make $10 a month if I did that!!! :eek: :D

Matt, as far as cycles, I think I said 5-14 on the video, but I realized I have done one that only took 3 cycles to get to where I liked it, so I left it alone. I would say average these days is 5-7. It allows me to bring out what I think is the neat, white, whispy stuff that looks like clouds and such... but not spend ten years polishing.

David- Yea yea, I'm redundant. And I repeat myself a lot. :foot: :p :D I guess I keep pointing out that I know my methods are only one way to do this stuff because I watch a lot of YouTubez stuff where some idiot acts like he invented the wheel and has the patent on the process. Then shows the audience a dog turd of a knife and proclaims how beautiful it is. I mean, "really??? isn't that for the audience to decide?" ;) :)

Since an etched blade freaks a lot of guys out before they start polishing, I wanted to show this. After 5 cycles, but before polishing the oxides off. Pretty scarey! :)

[video=youtube;NrtEZe0S7DY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrtEZe0S7DY[/video]
 
Thanks that looks great.

BTW you should say "This is the only way....so suck it!"

It is more entertaining around here when that happens....LOL Just kidding of course
 
Thanks Nick! Yet another awesome video. I am sure i can speak for many by saying thanks yet again for taking your time and showing us a cool technique :D
 
Thanks for the vids, Brother! I've wanted to try out some W2 for a bit now, I really love the activity you can get with it! Just wish it was more available in bar-stock; oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait till I have my own hot-shop!

Thanks again; I love the help/tips/tricks that so many here on BF are willing to share!
 
Thanks for the vids, Brother! I've wanted to try out some W2 for a bit now, I really love the activity you can get with it! Just wish it was more available in bar-stock; oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait till I have my own hot-shop!

Thanks again; I love the help/tips/tricks that so many here on BF are willing to share!

I have a piece of W2 bar stock sitting here waiting for me to make something with it:o I got mine through knifemaker.ca and I think he gets it through Aldo so you are all set.
 
Dang Nick, every time I see how clean your shop is it makes me ashamed... of my kitchen.

That's a great tip. I never thought to put dishsoap in the vinegar. Thanks!

What you need to do is just put some webcams up all around your shop and stream live 24/7. Charge people $20 a month to watch. It's porno for knifemakers :D

As good as that may sound, I think a DVD series would sell better.
 
One quick question Nick, You mention about the dangers to the blade using the heat gun, how about just a 100 watt light bulb? the blade could be laid out under a lamp for a few minutes to raise its temperature before etching. I guess it all depends on how hot you get the blade with the heat gun.
 
:) I am confident you guys looking at this thread can use a heat gun without worry... although a light bulb would work, just slower... REALLY hot water works fine too. I even tried a propane torch on a couple blades, and it works well but you REALLY gotta watch it with a torch! The heat gun was just fast, easy, and cheap.

I think most guys that have been around BF long enough to know why you would even want to etch a straight steel blade.... will be safe with a heat-gun. I kind of over sold the idea of ruining a blade with it, because I just knew if I didn't, I'd get an email from some youtube mall ninja in a couple months saying something like "you're stewpd vdeo runned my knive :mad: :grumpy: :mad:!!!" :rolleyes:

Sadly... I'm being serious about that. After posting some of the forging videos, I got a message from a guy wanting to know if he could use his kitchen oven to forge, and if he could reshape his Kershaw Leek that way. :rolleyes: :eek: :confused:

How do people that dumb manage to tie their shoes? I guess there's always velcro. ;) :D

I haven't personally tried any of Aldo's W2 yet, just because I bought a 1,000# skid of W2 about 5 years ago... but some of my friends that are AMAZING knife makers... like Mike Quesenberry... have used it with awesome success. In fact, I think the knives Mike posted in the Custom Forum for the Boise, ID, show... are probably Aldo's W2. So I wouldn't hesitate to get some from Aldo... he's good people, I have SEVERAL hundred pounds of other steels that came from the Steel Baron. :) :thumbup: :cool:
 
Now THAT was funny! :D

:P

Seriously though, just wanted to say thanks for all the great info. Not only are you incredibly transparent with your processes, tips, and tricks, but you go way out of your way to let everyone know exactly what they are with all your WIP, tutorials, videos, pics. It is a huge help for a lot of us on here (and definitely worth the price of admission).

Now back to my tin foil hat, and the Wheeler Conspiracy Watch Foundation.
 
Good lord Nick, a 1000# skid of W2? Now I'm jealous.

Hey, are you getting your power hammers running now that you have a new big shop?
 
I was just wondering if you could give a quick rundown of what you do between etches to get the oxides off?
 
I was just wondering if you could give a quick rundown of what you do between etches to get the oxides off?

Sorry, that info is classified and has to do with baby possum belly fur, I believe. ;) :D
 
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