Ferric Chloride effect on G10?

[Misanthropia]

Hey guys, I'm going to try acid etching a fixed blade of mine soon that has non removable scales. Is there any negative effect of the interaction of the G10 and the Ferric Chloride solution? I'm not a chemist but my guess is that there shouldn't be.

Thanks!

 

[pstetson]

I just etched and stripped my ESEE-Izula 2 last week but i had removable scales. The only effect i could think of would be it would stain the sclales but shouldnt eat it. Kinda would be a real "crappy" color for your scales.

 

[Misanthropia]

Thanks, they're jade g10 scales so methinks I'm going to have to protect them somehow, or just etch the blade.

 

[pwet]

if its a folder take the blade of and protect every area of the tang that could interfere with the action : where the washers should be, the pivot hole, the lock area on liners and frames, the lock notch and all the round portion of the tang on lockbacks ....
never put an assembled folder on ferric chloride, even if you just dip the blade, if the handle touches the liquid it may go inside by capilarity and you'll never neutralise the etchant without disassembling.

if a fixed blade i'd remove the scales if possible and protect the spine and circumference of the tang unless you can immerge the whole knife. if you dont the difference between the etched blade an the unetched tang will look terrible, and depending how long you etch it can be petty hard to get even by hand.

most advises may sound obvious but better safe than sorry.

 

[james terrio]

I'd also be concerned about the FeCl reacting with whatever epoxy or adhesive is (probably) between the scales and the tang.

I've seen plain white vinegar cause good epoxy to bubble out from under the scales (mind you, the knife was submerged in it for a couple of hours). I had to tear the blankety-blank handle off and rebuild it.

 

[Misanthropia]

I'd also be concerned about the FeCl reacting with whatever epoxy or adhesive is (probably) between the scales and the tang.

I've seen plain white vinegar cause good epoxy to bubble out from under the scales (mind you, the knife was submerged in it for a couple of hours). I had to tear the blankety-blank handle off and rebuild it.

Thanks for info, I was thinking of just submerging the handle in vinegar or something less corrosive to patina the handles but I guess I should be a little weary of that as well.

 

[Varga Knives]

I'm working on a project and it seems like the easiest thing to keep the steel edge finish around the handle consistent with the rest of the knife would be to acid wash (FeCL) after final assembly. There is advice against it but has anyone tried it? I did some experimenting and the ferric chloride had zero effect on black G-10. Also, zero effect on west systems epoxy. I also read that epoxy lined containers are safe for storage of ferric chloride. So what gives?

Edit: I should mention that a possible effect it has on the epoxy is turning it a little brown but I haven't yet tried to see if the color washes out. Either way is fine with me.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

There are some parts on some knives that you really have to be careful with. The backspacer on the Contego for instance is actually powder steel and you run the risk of internal corrosion in that case. Also the glue that holds in the carbide glass breaker. Obviously this is specific to that knife, but you must consider every component and material when using a corrosive. Best to segregate the blade (or whatever) if at all possible.