Ferric Chloride for etching

[amacks]

I have a cable-damascus blade that I bought partially finished, and now want to etch. Where should I look for the ferric chloride for the etching?
Aaron

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Why did you stab that girl?
You won't believe this, but I had too much coffee!
-Edmond by David Mamet
aaronm@cs.brandeis.edu

 

[Drop point]

You can get it at Radio Shack for about $3.00 a pint. They call it PC Board etchant.
Keep it off your fingers or it will turn them orange.
Hope this helps
Mike C

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mconner@luminatorusa.com
Killing the dog wont cure the bite.

 

[Tom Militano]

I use ferric chloride for etching also. I mix it 3 parts DISTILLED water to 2 parts ferric chloride. I leave the blade in for 10 minutes, remove it, spray it with windex, wipe it clean with a piece of 0000 steel wool and put it back in. It usually takes about three times to get the etch as deep as I want it. Everybody has their own way of doing it I guess, but this works for me. It will probably give you a starting point.
Tom

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Using acid to etch blades is a craft in itself. The beter the finish the better the damascus looks after the etch. Also take a small stiff brush and ever five mins. or so brush the grooves. This takes the gunk out of the cracks and makes a cleaner etch with sharper lines.
I hand rub to 2000 grit betfore and after etching. This makes great sharp lines in the dmascus pattern..

 

[Ansoknives]

I use ferric cloride and H2 SO4.(Not at the same time)
Fc gives a grey etch and H2 SO4 a black etch.
Depends on what you like and the design.


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Jens Anso, ansoknive@usa.net
(check out my homepage)
http://home6.inet.tele.dk/ansoe/ansoknives

 

[SquareD]

I generally dilute the ferric chloride with distilled water to about 15% the strength it comes from radio shack. A slow etch will give you the best results. remove it every fem minutes to clean it so the ferric can get a better bite. before you handle it and when your done etching it, neutralize it in a solution of distilled water and TCP, that is a cleaning agent that comes in powder form at your local hardware store. When you dip the blade in it you will see the etching solution turn to salt as it neutralizes, keep cleaning and etching till you get the desired depth.
Good Luck,
SquareD

 

[Alan Folts]

SquareD, dont you mean TSP??

Tri Sodium Phosphate??

If not, whats this other stuff?

I keep TSP around for damascus cleaning as well as coloring Titanium, versitile stuff...

Alan Folts...