Ferric chloride questions

Bfusmc03117

Bfusmc03117

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Dec 29, 2008
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I've used FC before for small etching on some knives I have made with1095. I recently have herd that you can dip the completed knife in FC (micarta scales and all) into the acid and you can get a very dark coating or finish on the blade.

My questions are 1, is this true? If so what's the proper procedure? And
2, if the acid can be used to create a coating or finish does it help with corrosion prevention on steels like 1095 or 1084? And lastly is it wise to soak the whole finished knife scales and all?

Thanks everyone!
Semper Fi
 
FeCl can discolor anything that is lighter colored. Especially those vulcanized spacer materials. I switched to G10 BTW... So no, I wouldnt suggest dipping the whole blade. I have used a q-tip to etch the tang on a full tang knife before, just use care...

It does apply a rougher surface which can help to hold more of s protecant coating on the blade, but it alone will not add corrosion resistance. I have had decent luck etching 1095, cold bluing the steel, hitting it with 0000 steel wool, bluing again and then putting on a liberal coating of oil. Then when wiped down it seems to give it a pretty durable finish. It can be touched up easily, but I find the bluing on the etched blade is very close to the natural patina coloration so it doesn't really matter. I like a worn in blade, and this combo gives what I consider to be a good treatment for an easy to maintain carbon steel finish that will only look better as it goes.

This blade has the above listed treatment. Very light etch, just accentuating the quench line, etc. I see the new owner fairly often, and he honestly carries it every day, uses it a lot, and it Is wearing nicely. I etched the blade separately from the scales. I get to final finish or at least very near prior to glue up.

e568918e011863987bb7da43b1c7d776.jpg
 
I have always considered it a very bad idea to dip a completed knife in Ferric Chloride. When I dip damascus blades in FeCl, I do so for a strictly limited amount of time. Once the etch is done I'm very quick to clean the blade and neutralize the FeCl. If I were to do this with a completed knife there would be no way for me to know if any had gotten where I couldn't get to it.

You can well imagine that the temptation to re-etch a damascus blade could be strong, expecially if the blade gets scratched during or after final assembly. I have always resisted that temptation.
 
Strigamort said:
I'd worry about capillary draw under the scales.

Why not just do it before attaching the scales?
Click to expand...

The blades that I have done I've done them before putting the scales on. But I was just curious because i have herd of people putting the completed knife in the FC and using that as their final finish for the whole knife. But I like the look and combination of the cold blue and the FC .

When you guys soak your blades do you soak the entire blade ? If so for how long? And when you use a q-tip to etch how long do you let it atoning the blade for?
 
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Bruce Bump said:
That what I was thinking
Another option is using "removable scales"
Click to expand...

Again not saying i wanted to or have done that. Was more curious how the acid would effect the g-10, or micarta.

I was more concerned about soak times or application techniques of the FC on a blade before handle installation .
 
There's a really nice old thread on hamons that was brought back from the dead today, My Hamon Process, that has a nice etching procedure.
Skip down to the hand finishing section and start from there. I haven't used this exact process but I plan on trying it. I think working the acid with the pads might give me a more consistant etch.
I've just been dipping mine in for about a minute or so, rinsing and repeating until I think it looks decent then soaking it with windex or a baking soda slurry to neutralize.
I've done a couple with micarta handles. I just try to make sure I completely saturate the micarta with nuetralizer afterwards. Of course it's easier without handles but the acid won't damage micarta. I haven't tried any light colored micarta but the staining makes sense since micarta can be dyed and the acid is dark brown.
 
I soak my knives when they are all complete into black oxide. Handles and all, it turns out awesome as long as the prep work (sandblasting) is nice a even.
 
Jastab said:
I soak my knives when they are all complete into black oxide. Handles and all, it turns out awesome as long as the prep work (sandblasting) is nice a even.
Click to expand...

Wow that's awesome . If you don't mind can I see a picture of one if your finished knives that you did that way with the FC?

Correct me if in wrong but isn't the ferric chloride a corrosive so it actually oxidizes or almost rusts the metal very fast. And only reacts with metal which is why it's sold in a plastic bottle. So although it may stain pours materials like micarta or cotton or whatever I don't think it would chemically effect it. If I'm wrong please correct me for I'm just going off what i was previously told by a friend
 
This is what I do.
Make sure the knife is CLEAN.
I dip the entire knife into ferric chloride, I use G10 and epoxy for my handles and the acid doesn't hurt it. I use a pvc tube with a cap on the end and constantly move the knife in the acid, maybe 15 seconds or so. I have a large container with hot water and baking soda to nuetralize the acid. I then rub the blade with 0000 steel wool and wash it again. You can dip it again if needed - this is what it looks like when I'm done -
IMAG0145_zps5e1440ee.jpg


And this one
IMAG0218_zps3ab03eba.jpg
 
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NJJ said:
This is what I do.
Make sure the knife is CLEAN.
I dip the entire knife into ferric chloride, I use G10 and epoxy for my handles and the acid doesn't hurt it. I use a pvc tube with a cap on the end and constantly move the knife in the acid, maybe 15 seconds or so. I have a large container with hot water and baking soda to nuetralize the acid. I then rub the blade with 0000 steel wool and wash it again. You can dip it again if needed - this is what it looks like when I'm done -
IMAG0145_zps5e1440ee.jpg


And this one
IMAG0218_zps3ab03eba.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow that came out beautiful! That's exactly the look I'm trying to achieve when it comes to the blade. Thank you for the advice I appreciate it very much.
 
Bfusmc03117 said:
Wow that's awesome . If you don't mind can I see a picture of one if your finished knives that you did that way with the FC?

Correct me if in wrong but isn't the ferric chloride a corrosive so it actually oxidizes or almost rusts the metal very fast. And only reacts with metal which is why it's sold in a plastic bottle. So although it may stain pours materials like micarta or cotton or whatever I don't think it would chemically effect it. If I'm wrong please correct me for I'm just going off what i was previously told by a friend
Click to expand...

Your right about it being a corrosive, black oxide is roughly the same thing just without the corrosive part. It oxidizes the metal in seconds as well, maybe 15 seconds at most but I leave em for 5mins. It would work out fin using FC tho.
 
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