Etching scenes in the blade

[milesofalaska]

One of the aspects of knife making I enjoy a lot is the etching of scenes with acid after the blade is functionally finished. Below are some etchings on D2 steel, one of the harder steels to get to take the acid since it is semi stainless. Handling this steel successfully is exciting!

The close ups below show how deep the acid cuts

Some polish scratches show in close up. I usually do a final blade work after handle goes on. Some polishing is required after an eth to remove burs and slight acid undercut of wax resist.
Below is acid etch on pattern weld steel

below shows how I mask where the etching is and a second etching brings out the Damascus pattern with a smooth transition

Below more D2

Below Damascus over copper forged into the steel

Below one of Randy at HHH blades acquired here on the forum

Below copper forged into pattern weld with etch for interesting look

Thanks for looking!

 

[S.Alexander]

I like the goat etch. Do you do them all by hand?

 

[milesofalaska]

Yes I hand draw my designs. Possibly there are new techniques that can duplicate what I do, copy what I do on many knives, but that would be costly, and take away the 'one of a kind' and 'unique' aspect. I'm drawing on wax with a sharp tool. This means no erasing, no glitches. It needs to be drawn without a pattern freehand one shot at it. Or re-wax and begin again. This technique could be adapted for signing, and putting freehand logo on custom blades without equipment at low cost. Bees wax, Radio shack etchant, an exacto knife and Q tip, is all a person needs. And talent? Naw, it's not hard. There are books on the subject, maybe even U tube video. I'm a retired 60's hippie baby boomer. Cant even understand these new stupid phones. I just hand it to the wife and have her figure it out and hand it back to me. (smile)

 

[shihonage51]

I love youre work, looks very nice. What an old hippie can do haha

 

[stereo.pete]

What type of wax are you using to protect the areas of the blade from the etchant?

 

[milesofalaska]

For those interested in the etchant. I make my own. 95% pure bees wax and 5% powdered asphaltum . There is a product made called asphaltum varnish, but it hazardous to ship. One way around that is to buy just the powdered asphalt as a scientific powdered dry chemical (on Ebay) then add this powder to melted bees wax. The powder mostly makes the wax black so it is easy to see the scratch marks made. Paraffin will work if it is all you can get. Gasoline or diesel removes the wax when done. The wax goes on a warm blade best, using a swab in the melted wax. I run a quick torch flame over the final to even the wax coat and make excess drip off. Anyone who wants more specifics can contract me.