Etching Questions

[kuraki]

I'm etching my mark with an AC/DC power supply. I don't ever use the AC to darken my etches, mostly because the one time I tried it didn't really do anything that I could tell and I like the way it looks without it. I etch at 24v and the amp meter on the psu never really pegs past .5 amps.

I've been having some trouble lately. When getting stuff together to do this, I read a number of threads here that alluded to "saltwater and vinegar" as an etching solution. But no specific formula. So I dumped some white vinegar and water and a table spoon of salt into a mason jar and tried it out. It works. The problem I'm having lately is I'm getting a pink discoloration around my mark. I have to polish the mark to remove that discoloration. I've had the same jar of vinegar saltwater for months now, should I make a fresh batch? What ratios?

Second problem is parkerizing. I get get a deep clean clear etch with visible depth on clean steel, or fc etched steel, but on clean blasted steel or parkerized steel, it doesn't work for crap. Any tips or tricks for this? I'm blasting with 80 grit garnet. I'm almost thinking of leaving an area protected to etch. If I etch before blasting, blasting wipes it out. If I etch after blasting, I have to polish the pink away and that changes the surface profile. If I etch after parkerizing, it just looks like hell.

 

[KnuckleDownKnives]

Have you tried contacting the parkerizing mfg? Sounds like I'd use a different solution. I use straight saltwater and don't get a pink residue. I get a small amount of black residue that comes off pretty easily and I think I am using too much salt. I'm thinking of making a new batch with less in it. I'm also using 24v ac/dc and don't use the ac.

 

[kuraki]

Well I can try without the vinegar easy enough. It really started doing this worse as of late, I don't remember any at all the first few times I etched.