Etching mask for makers mark

BryanNomad

BryanNomad

Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
416
I've been using my wifes nail polish and scratching my mark in it for etching, I'd like to use something a little more refined/professional. What methods do you guys use?
 
Tustech stencils, or the photoreactive stencil sheets are available. If you are doing one off on a blade, the photoreactive paint used for circuit board etching can be applied to the blade, exposed, wiped away and etched. Anything you can print you can etch.

Since this is coming up a lot lately, I am about to do a WIP for a way to make your own reusable stencils from any printable image, except way cheaper. Just making sure it holds up as long as I think it will. If it doesn't outlast the other stuff, no need to show and tell.
 
I have seen stencils made from glossy magazine pages and a home laser printer. I couldn't get the technique to work myself but looked interesting. Check You Tube for the video.
 
i4Marc said:
I have seen stencils made from glossy magazine pages and a home laser printer. I couldn't get the technique to work myself but looked interesting. Check You Tube for the video.
Click to expand...

That tends to have spots in the ink, and I couldn't get it to work out very well. I got to where I could put an image on anything I wanted (the HP glossy photo paper works better than newsprint) but there are little microscopic holes in the printing. 100% of the ink doesn't stick to the steel. Any etchant that gets on those holes etches a little pinhole.

I was discussing the photoreactive circuit board paint with a friend who does screenprinting. That led to me trying their emulsion which is light reactive directly on steel. It didn't stick very well if even lightly polished, so he suggested a high threadcount screenprint mesh as a medium for the emulsion and using essentially a screenprint stencil for etching. You have to press down hard and be light with your solution so it doesn't run under the mesh, but so far so good... The mesh is 300+ thread per inch and is monofiliment so it allows fine detail and is plenty strong. Planning on doing a how-to possibly this weekend if I have time.Emulsion plus fabric to do a square yard of stencils was under $20.

Cheers
-Eric
 
Eric,
I'd love a WIP on how to do your own stencils. There are bits and pieces out there but thing from scratch to using with all the details and specs.
 
That led to me trying their emulsion which is light reactive directly on steel. It didn't stick very well if even lightly polished, so he suggested a high threadcount screenprint mesh as a medium for the emulsion and using essentially a screenprint stencil for etching. You have to press down hard and be light with your solution so it doesn't run under the mesh, but so far so good... The mesh is 300+ thread per inch and is monofiliment so it allows fine detail and is plenty strong. Planning on doing a how-to possibly this weekend if I have time.Emulsion plus fabric to do a square yard of stencils was under $20.

Cheers
-Eric[/QUOTE]

We must think alike! I was getting ready to use my screen printing emulsion to make a few stencils. Are you using an etcher? I was going do use the saltwater and battery charger but couldn't figure out how to keep the water from getting under the edges of the stencil. What kind of emulsion are you using?
 
I would love it too Eric. Jeez we all sound like little kids begging to play the xbox or something :D
 
Took some pics today to put together a WIP. As soon as we get done dealing with a family illness (my mother has a stomach infection and gall bladder issues. TMI sorry...) I will post up a how to. I'm really bad about not taking or posting photos so my apologies... I have even made knives and neglected to photo before they were in their new owner's hand... oops.

I'm using Speedball Diazo emulsion. Got it for $8 I think? It sucks because you have to use it all pretty quick. It is a two part system with the emulsion and the sensitizer. You have to mix it all as the sensitizer is a tiny bottle. You mix water into the sensitizer bottle, then mix both parts. It will set up in the bottle in just a day or two at shop temps. In the fridge it will keep for a couple of weeks. My advice is to have enough stencils in mind to do a bunch at once...

I have used it with electro-chemical and FeCl etching. The FeCl tends to creep under the stencil if you are too liberal with it. But the electro-chemical is pretty good. Same thing, just can't use too much solution...

J-west, yep. If you do screenprinting you are probably handier with this stuff than me. Can't take credit for the idea really, my friend Mark owns a trophy/t-shirt/engraving and collectibles store. He mentioned it when I said I was using the photoreactive paint.... You'd think a guy would hook you up with the materials! Especially when you gave him a knife for no reason earlier in the year!! J/k. But, if you have a similar business in your area, they might give you a piece of mesh or two...

Glad to see the interest in it. With all the stencil making companies and DIY products out there I didn't know how well it would be received.

Cheers!
-Eric
 
LucyCustomKnives said:
Took some pics today to put together a WIP. As soon as we get done dealing with a family illness (my mother has a stomach infection and gall bladder issues. TMI sorry...) I will post up a how to. I'm really bad about not taking or posting photos so my apologies... I have even made knives and neglected to photo before they were in their new owner's hand... oops.

I'm using Speedball Diazo emulsion. Got it for $8 I think? It sucks because you have to use it all pretty quick. It is a two part system with the emulsion and the sensitizer. You have to mix it all as the sensitizer is a tiny bottle. You mix water into the sensitizer bottle, then mix both parts. It will set up in the bottle in just a day or two at shop temps. In the fridge it will keep for a couple of weeks. My advice is to have enough stencils in mind to do a bunch at once...

I have used it with electro-chemical and FeCl etching. The FeCl tends to creep under the stencil if you are too liberal with it. But the electro-chemical is pretty good. Same thing, just can't use too much solution...

J-west, yep. If you do screenprinting you are probably handier with this stuff than me. Can't take credit for the idea really, my friend Mark owns a trophy/t-shirt/engraving and collectibles store. He mentioned it when I said I was using the photoreactive paint.... You'd think a guy would hook you up with the materials! Especially when you gave him a knife for no reason earlier in the year!! J/k. But, if you have a similar business in your area, they might give you a piece of mesh or two...

Glad to see the interest in it. With all the stencil making companies and DIY products out there I didn't know how well it would be received.

Cheers!
-Eric
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear your mom is sick, definitely deal with that first of course, thats way more important!
 
Definitely take care of your momma. We only get one.

Btw Eric, aren't you in law enforcement? Might not want to be advertising that you bought yourself a speedball. :p

As for interest, well, if I'm honest, I've been eyeballing the a-z punch kit at Harbor Freight. Fine for the first few knives, but I'll quickly want to do something a bit more professional.
 
LucyCustomKnives said:
Took some pics today to put together a WIP. As soon as we get done dealing with a family illness (my mother has a stomach infection and gall bladder issues. TMI sorry...) I will post up a how to. I'm really bad about not taking or posting photos so my apologies... I have even made knives and neglected to photo before they were in their new owner's hand... oops.

I'm using Speedball Diazo emulsion. Got it for $8 I think? It sucks because you have to use it all pretty quick. It is a two part system with the emulsion and the sensitizer. You have to mix it all as the sensitizer is a tiny bottle. You mix water into the sensitizer bottle, then mix both parts. It will set up in the bottle in just a day or two at shop temps. In the fridge it will keep for a couple of weeks. My advice is to have enough stencils in mind to do a bunch at once...

I have used it with electro-chemical and FeCl etching. The FeCl tends to creep under the stencil if you are too liberal with it. But the electro-chemical is pretty good. Same thing, just can't use too much solution...

J-west, yep. If you do screenprinting you are probably handier with this stuff than me. Can't take credit for the idea really, my friend Mark owns a trophy/t-shirt/engraving and collectibles store. He mentioned it when I said I was using the photoreactive paint.... You'd think a guy would hook you up with the materials! Especially when you gave him a knife for no reason earlier in the year!! J/k. But, if you have a similar business in your area, they might give you a piece of mesh or two...

Glad to see the interest in it. With all the stencil making companies and DIY products out there I didn't know how well it would be received.

Cheers!
-Eric
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Eric. Speedball is not the best for shelf life and it has really long exposure times. If you end up doing a bunch you should get some ulano qtx or ulano orange. It lasts for months at room temp and has short exposure times. I'm looking forward to your pics and hope your mom gets better quickly.
Josh
 
Strigamort said:
Definitely take care of your momma. We only get one.

Btw Eric, aren't you in law enforcement? Might not want to be advertising that you bought yourself a speedball. :p

As for interest, well, if I'm honest, I've been eyeballing the a-z punch kit at Harbor Freight. Fine for the first few knives, but I'll quickly want to do something a bit more professional.
Click to expand...

Yeah I usually give speedball buyers a little stay in the 'Gray Bar Motel.' :)

I have the letter punch kit from there to mark stuff as well. I made a little jig to hold the punches for use with an arbor press. It works pretty good. I have used it to put badge numbers on a couple of things for co-workers. It will lightly mark cold hardened steel, but obviously works best on pearlite or ideally hot steel. Also works well on leather. I use it a lot there cause I don't yet have a makers stamp for my leatherwork...

Momma's getting better. Thank you. Yes, we only get one momma and mine's a good one. Hard to watch your parents getting elderly... Their gonna remove her gall bladder if she is up to the surgery... The stomach infection is clearing up with strong meds. :thumbup:

jwesthurl said:
Thanks for the info Eric. Speedball is not the best for shelf life and it has really long exposure times. If you end up doing a bunch you should get some ulano qtx or ulano orange. It lasts for months at room temp and has short exposure times. I'm looking forward to your pics and hope your mom gets better quickly.
Josh
Click to expand...

Thank you for that. I have been looking for a better emulsion. I went with Diazo Speedball since Mark mentioned it. I will have to look at the Ulano. I have a couple of yards of mesh, so gonna be doing a few of these. :rolleyes: Quite the little process. I don't think I'd be the world's best screenprinter...

Josh, after I post up pics and all please give me some pointers if you see stuff outta whack...

-Eric
 
Eric, I understand you've been busy and life happens. I hate to impose but I sent you an email and if you could get a chance, I would greatly appreciate some advice on a project I have in the works.

Thank you,
Chris
 
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