etching stainless damascus with handle attached

Michael Black

Michael Black

Joined
Jun 29, 2014
Messages
415
Quick question I hope:

I finished up a Damasteel gyuto completely including the etch and handle, and stupidly forgot to do my cut testing when I normally do, and now I'm unhappy with the geometry and want to thin it out further. This shouldn't be a problem by hitting it up with the disc sander and some hand sanding, but I'm not sure about getting a second clean etch in muriatic with the handle attached without damaging it. Any tips? Will normal masking tape work to cover up the handle or should I use a different method to protect it? I don't use muriatic acid very often and it's much more aggressive than I'm used to with ferric so I want to be extra careful. Thanks!
 
I think you’re going to have problems, just the vapors from muriatic acid is going to affect the handle. I also think any resist you use that’s strong enough to resist the acid will have some affect on the handle too. I wish I could offer a good method but you may be in uncharted waters here, I know ferric chloride doesn’t affect G10 but muriatic is a whole different animal. I wear a respirator when I do Damasteel because just the fumes are so bad. I use enamel paint on Damasteel as a resist but even it fights to not get eaten by muriatic. blue painters tape might survive the vapors for a short time, just don’t let it touch the acid.
 
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I've done something similar before. What I did was paint the whole handle with testors enamel, re-etched and then used a lot of paint thinner to remove the testors. The first time I used bright red paint so that I could make sure I got it all off, but it seeped into some of the seams/cracks in the stabilized wood handle and so now I only use clear.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
It would help to know what the handle material is.

My only suggestion would be to dip the handle in melted wax and coat it well. Clean the blade of all wax and etch. Then remove the wax.
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The quickest and easiest way to do this is tape the blade, being careful to have it meet exactly at the blade/bolster junction, dip in wax, then remove the tape.
 
Get some clear nail polish and paint a few coats on the handle material. Will hold up fine to the muriatic. Acetone to remove and a good buff will leave it like new.
 
I never thought about wax dipping...nice!
 
Thanks for all the input! I finished thinning it and am hand sanding it again now. The wax sounds like a good idea but I don't have that much wax on hand. I think I'll give the clear nail polish a try and report back!

Here's the knife in question:

*edit* it's a G10 bolster, with African Blackwood spacer and stabilized Masur birch handle.

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HSC /// said:
protect with vaseline petroleum jelly?
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That sounds slippery haha! I use that all the time for bedding tangs, and I could see it working. Especially since I don't actually plan on dipping the handle into the acid, so it will really only be protecting from the fumes.
 
Jak Epp said:
Don’t have much to add other than to say: Good looking knife!
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Well thank you! Hopefully it looks as good the second time around...

I covered the top of the handle with clear nail polish and have it in the muriatic now. I'm not heating up the acid like I normally do in hopes that it keeps the fumes down as well, even though it will etch a lot slower this way. I'll post up how it turns out when it's done.

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