Etching the SRKW logo before stripping

T

Turbomammoth

Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
226
Long story short, I recently bought an HRLM on here (Heya Shanny!). Black Micarta with black coating, in a really superb mint condition. I like that knife a lot. The size, the belly, even the elf choil (okay, could be a tad larger)... but gawd I hate the black coating. All my Rats are either satin, CF or muddy... and seriously, black leaves me dead cold.

So, I figured I'd man up, and do the right thing: strip it.

However, I like the SRKW logo and I want to keep it. I think I've read anything about etchant and electro-etching. However, where I'm seriously lacking and couldn't find any really pertinent information is the blade prep. From the look of it, it looks like the logo is kind of golden, so, I suppose the engraving is covered by either a layer of another kind of coating, or by some other means, protected. I sure as hell can be wrong on that tho. If the logo is covered, wouldn't etchant be ineffective?

So, anybody got some advice?
 
When I did mine I taped off the handle scales and the logo, then painted the edge to protect it from the etchant. That was all the prep I did and it turned out great.
 
I've etched several of them. I just tape off around the logo and apply etchant solution with it setting level on a counter top. I usually do 4 times and let it set an hour each time. It's a good idea to tape off the edge good because it's the only other part that could be effected by the solution. After I get it etched, I apply gun blue, then strip the finish. They look great.
 
Thanks Ucpopo (I swear to Hog, someday you'll have to explain the meaning of your name to me!).

As I said on another a far less respectable forum full of misfits, miscreants and ancient Aussies (Rat Chat), my next weeks schedule has filled in some unexpected manner and the project has been pushed aside. BUT that HRLM will soon be seen NEKKID!!!
 
Here is a Ratweiler that I etched, blued the logo, stripped and applied a scotchbrite finish to a few months ago. :

 
When you etch the stamped SRKW logo you just pool/rub the PCB Etchant onto the logo and allow it to soak for awhile? Is that the etching process? Then after the blades stripped the etched logo remains correct? If so at what point does the blueing process take place?
 
I let the etchant solution simply set in a pool on the exposed raw steel logo. That is the etching process. It reacts with the metal and begins to basically eat away at the raw steel. Once I get it to the depth that I want it, then I blue it which only take a few minutes. After it is blued, then I strip the paint. The bluing is not effected by the paint stripper so it remains blued after the paint is removed.
 
Ok thank you UCPOPO that clears a lot up for me. So the SRKW Stamp is actually exposed bare metal I did not know that I thought it was a stamp on the outside of the crinkle coat. Now I know what to do on my Ratmandu I want to strip:D

Your Ratweiler is a beauty.
 
Zymologist said:
When you etch the stamped SRKW logo
Click to expand...

The logo must be lasered into the coating and slightly into the steel. A stamp would go much deeper into the steel, and be coated as it would be done before coating goes on. The logo is smooth, and a 'no questions asked warranty' would be ever given for knives with a stamped logo.
If you want to go to the Becker subforum, after a search you should be able to find that majority of breaks happened to stamped blades at the stamp.
 
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