Etching with naval jelly?

W

wordsmith

Joined
Apr 17, 2009
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I know I've heard this is good stuff for etching (even though it always makes me think of navel jelly, which is pretty gross and might not be as good for etching). Does anyone use it, and how does it compare to ferric chloride?
 
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If you are looking for an alternative to Ferric Chloride, have you tried the PCB etchant from Radio Shack? It is easily attainable and produces good results.

Chuck
 
Naval Jelly is phosphoric acid in a gel.It's a rather mild acid and used to remove light rust.I don't think it would do much for etching steel.
 
Worsmith:

I used naval jelly as a way to check for scratches between grits when I hand rub out a blade. I have been doing that for about 35 years..the "deeper scratches" really show up. It doesn't impact the blade material much at all and once you start off with the finer grit any scratches are very visible..letting you know that you have to go back and get them out...

As far as a "primary" etching for bringing out a pattern..there are better things out there..

NVHammerHead
 
chuckinohio said:
If you are looking for an alternative to Ferric Chloride, have you tried the PCB etchant from Radio Shack? It is easily attainable and produces good results.

Chuck
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It is nearlly impossible to get anymore as they are having problems shipping it because of what it is. Tryed my local store and he even tried the his computer link to his other stores and it was tottaly unavailable. If anyone has leads on how to get it from Radio Shack I would love to know.:confused:
 
Hello:

About Ferric Choloride...you can buy the powder and mix your own with distilled water.

the last time I bought some (about four months or so back) I got it for well under 10 $$ US a pound...

Hope this helps..

NVHammerHead
 
I can buy it local in one gallon sized containers for not to much. maybe i should see how much i can get and ship them to people that want them. i just checked the price tag on my bottle at i got it for $31.95 thats a good price i say.
 
Dixieblade57 said:
It is nearlly impossible to get anymore as they are having problems shipping it because of what it is. Tryed my local store and he even tried the his computer link to his other stores and it was tottaly unavailable. If anyone has leads on how to get it from Radio Shack I would love to know.:confused:
Click to expand...

Here you are all the places to get it from this company in Fl. and you can order it online as well.

Bob
http://www.mgchemicals.com/distributors/us/distributors_us_fl.html
 
I don't know about naval jelly for etching,and i have never used it much.

I remember about 30+ years ago my dad had a shovel that had a little rust on it.Dad put him a good coat of naval jelly on his shovel and forgot about it.The next day,when he remembered,it had eaten it down so thin it was useless.

Keith
 
Naval Jelly is widely used by muzzleloading gunsmiths to "age" patina barrels and otehr iron/steel parts - left on long enough it will pit the steel, so yes it can be used to etch, but FC is a bit more controllable for blades........
 
Robert Mayo said:
PCB etchant from Radio Shack is F.C. thats why it works so good.;)
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I did not know that, you have expanded my knowledge.

I can't explain why I did not know that as I have undoubtedly read it several times. I just assumed that it was magical I guess:D

The Radio Shack near me has bottles of it all the time, and they never seem to run out. Maybe it is a local thing with the stocking problem?

Chuck
 
You know I moved a container of Naval Jelly from the garage to my shop months ago. I took it to the shop to try and now is buried who know where. There was another brand out that I think did the same thing and you could actually paint over it after it was dry. A self priming rust stopper. I had an old steel boat trailer that I used it on and it did seem to work.
 
JTknives said:
I can buy it local in one gallon sized containers for not to much. maybe i should see how much i can get and ship them to people that want them. i just checked the price tag on my bottle at i got it for $31.95 thats a good price i say.
Click to expand...

Two words for you Jarod: HAZMAT SHIPPING. Probably more of a pain than it's worth if you don't do a lot of it.

-d
 
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