Etching equipment ???

B . Buxton

B . Buxton

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
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Does anyone know where I can buy etching equipment and supplies for marking blades. Has anyone tried etching their name or mark on a blade with muratic acid with any success, if so how did you do it.
I've tried dipping the steel in wax,scribbing in my name and then added acid with no luck.

Thanks
Bill
 
f you look into some of the other knife dicussions there is information on builing your own machine. I described how to make a fine operating machine with not much more than a 6 volt flashlite battery, a couple of pieces of wire and a small piece of stainless steel. sure works swell, even for $500 knives. Frank.
 
O.K Frank I findly found the post that you was talking about,after about 3 hrs of looking, I just happen to luck into it. Chris, I don't know where it was, I had looked at so many posts,When I found it I quickly copied it off.
Now heres my problem, I can't find any stainless 3/8" thick or any copper 1/4" thick for the plate. Does it have to be these materials to work properly,or would a piece of 1/4" aluminium plate work for the plate and 3/8" plate steel work for the wand. also if it will work do you have to insulate the wand where you grab it, to press it to the blade, to keep from getting bit.:eek:

Thanks
Bill
 
O.K Chris here it is.
Assuming you have a stencil and the proper electrolite for the type of steel a very simple etching machine can be made in the following manor.Cut a piece of 416 or 304 about 3/8"x1"x2" long.certainly you can clean all sides but go to a polished or near polished condition on one end. On the opposite end attach a softer piece of wire about 18" long.To one end of a piece of copper about 4" long x1"x 1/4" attach another piece of wire the same length. Place a piece of felt cloth- the common type- over the polished end of the stainless steel block or wand. Attach the wire of the wand to the (-) minus side of a 6 volt flashlite battery or charger. Attach the wire from the copper plate to the (+) side of the 6 volt flashlite battery or charger. Place the knife on the copper plate and attach the stencil with scotch tape.Moisten the felt on the wand with the electrolite, Bring the wand in contact with the stencil and count 1,2,3, and remove wand. Do this 3 times and then check by lifting end of stencil. Repeat if necessary. Using too much electrolite may flood the stencil edges and cause a print around the edge of the stencil. Holding the wand down for a long time may cause the print to smudge or the stencil to be destroyed as may occur with more voltage. Heat is created. The end of the wand will darken with use. Simply clean with some fine steel wool.
 
Thanks much Mr. Buxton for finding that posting. I think I posted it in two places. I'm a one finger typer- can you imagine the time and the errors? No there isn't any chance for a shock.You do not have to cover the wand or the ground plate. You Can touch, or hold it with no shock. Yes I,m sure you could use a piece of aluminum for ground strip and of course it can be thin. I believe just about any type of stainless can be used for the wand and I think you may be able to use a piece of aluminum for the wand but I haven't tried it. How the aluminum reacts to the reaction and heat created I just don't know but why not give it a try? Don't oversize your wand. You do want to concentrate the power in a small area. You can do a longer name or item by just moving the wand. As a matter of fact one of my knife maker friends who made this little system told me he is now able to place designs on stainless bolsters with the use of tape. He just told me about this yesterday. By the way did I say another friend named Bill Maxwell whom I believe now lives in Calgary Alberta figured this etcher out. Regards and if I can help more let me know. Frank Niro.
 
Thank you Frank for posting the instructions for this simple type of etcher,I'm going to give it a try tomorrow.
Bill
 
We'll I tried the etching machine today, didn't get but a real faint mark and that was after holding the wand on the blade for over a minute. I just used salt water for my etching solution through and I figure thats my problem. It puts out a real good spark, I'll try something different tomorrow. Frank, do you make your own etching solution or buy it. I was trying to etch 5160.;)

Bill
 
Well I told you my typing is one finger here is the rest .I just prepared another answer to the forum and you andI don't think it went anywhere. Now you know the rest of the story,- I'm also very computer illiterate. However, usually we can learn even if it does seem very slow for me. I had a fluid to do carbon steel. It definetly was different than that for stainless. The electrolites are not expensive.I read in one of the forums that iodine free salt-pickling salt- maybe 2 tablespoons in a galon of water might work but I never gave it a try. I do know that that little machine will do a fine job. Hope you make out and that this posting goes through. If I may be able to help you further please just let me know. Regards Frank.
 
Well, I tried it again today with lots of table salt, not much luck. so I tried a copper sulfate solution and it was better but still not the best. Does anyone know a recipe for etching into carbon steel.
Frank, I would buy the electrolytes for etching carbon steel but I have to order it, so if I can come up with a way to make it, it would just be a lot handier. If anyone has the recipe for carbon steel etching solution I would sure appreciate it.

Thanks
Bill
 
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