ferric chloride

Bailey Knives

Bailey Knives

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Oct 18, 2004
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I am looking to etch a logo onto a knife using ferric chloride. I have read that is what others have been using to some success. I do not wish to spend a lot of money on an etching machine. My question is where would one buy Ferric chloride or is there anything else which works better, and where would one buy it? thanks.

P.S. this is my first post. matt
 
You can buy it at Radio Shack, it's called Archers etchant. You will want to mix it 1 part FC with 4 parts water.

Don Hanson lll

PS Welcome to the forums, good first post :)
 
Welcome aboard Matt. Ferric Chloride can be purchased at Radio Shack. It's called Archer Etchant. Don't use full strength. Dilute one part acid to 3-4 parts water. Always add the acid to the water. Not the water to the acid. This stuff is pretty safe but still be careful as it will stain your clothes and skin yellow.

Hope this helps.

Luke Smart
 
The F/C I got from Radio Shack was labeled Archer PCB(printed circuit board) etchant.

How are you going to etch your name in the blade?

BTW, welcome to Bladeforums!!:D
 
Heh, sorry for hi-jacking this thread :D

How do you etch a logo/name with ferric chloride?
 
One method I use to use for etching my logo with FC was to melt a small puddle of beeswax on your blade where you want your logo. Let the wax dry. Then I would take a sharpened brass pin (1/8 diameter) and sign my name/logo in the beeswax. Next I would carefully brush on some FC over the logo and let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes. Then spray the logo with ammonia to neutralize the FC, clean the wax off and Behold you have an FC etched logo. I highly recommend you practice on a piece of scrap a few times before you etch a finished blade. Putting a bad logo etch on a finished blade is not a good thing. Ask me how I know. :)

I hope this made some sense.

Luke Smart
 
You should actually be able to make your logo the same way you can make your own PCB for electronics. But it's many steps, including photo sensitive spray, UV light and developer etc.

So I was thinking that it might be possible to use those printer papers where you create your own designs of "iron on transfers" used for T-shirts....

Basically use MS Paint program or so- create your logo and before you print it out, you invert the picture. Cut out the logo and with a hot iron get it to stick on the knife blade... If it sticks- you should then have an area which is covered by the print and your logo shows up as exposed steel. Apply ferric chloride. Hopefully the "iron on transfer" will protect the blade...!??

An idea I just got and I have never tried it! But if I could get hold on some ferric chloride (which is not easy in Singapore) I would love to try it! :)

Regards,

Jorgen
P.S. this would only work if the iron on transfers will allow 'emty' areas! Not if the whole picture is transfered. Anyone knows how these transfers works?
 
Problem solved! There are actually iron-on toner transfer papers available for making your own PCBs- and it should also work fine for making your own logo on your knife blades:

-DynaArt's toner transfer paper
-Press-n-Peel film (http://www.techniks.com/)
-TEC-200 film

Use such paper and ferric chloride and you have your logo on your blades in a fast and cheap way.... Observe, I have not tried but should work fine. :cool:

Jorgen
 
thanks everyone. i will be using the beeswax and sharpened scribe route to make the logo. I thought i would have to go to a chemical store, didnt realize it would be right down the street.

matt
 
Let us know how it turns out. When I did this I used the ferric chloride straight. I dont know if this is correct but it worked pretty good. The key is the clean resist. try it a few times on scrap and dont rush it. I used sign vinyl for my resist though since I have access to it and can cut it here at work. I couldnt get the beesway to scratch off clean enough. You may want to ask if the ferric needs diluted though.......I may be telling you somthing that isnt the best way.
 
One thing I have done is use rub on letters. You need to make sure you have a good seal around the edges of the rub on's. Make a wax dam around the lettering and etch away!
 
beeswax didnt seem to scratch completely away, and paraffin wax wasnt flexible enough to be able to do tight curves without chipping, so i mixed the two, about 1 part beeswax and 2-3 parts paraffin. seems to work pretty well. I have some more testing to do, will keep you posted.
 
You need a resist that is harder than beeswax to do this.To make your own use 50/50 beeswax and asphaltum.The hard jewelery wax used to turn patterns works well ,too.The harder the better.The other thing that many do wrong is to put too thick a layer of wax on.Warm the blade to slightly above the melting piont of the wax ,place a few drops of melted wax on it,and let the wax flow and coat the blade.Don't just paint on molten wax.The areas that you want to add extra protection to can be built up by painting on,but the artwork area needs only a thin coating.David Boye has good instructions in,"Step-by-step knifemaking".Many jewelers books give good info ,too.
 
I cannot decide whether to acid etch (ferric chloride using the method above) or purchasing a tang stamp. I am new to knife making (FIRST POST….YEAH), and am curious as to generally what the most commonly used method is. Tang stamps are not cheap, and do not wish to jump into that cost if there is a better (and maybe cheaper) method.

BTW, I have been working with Derkins (Matt) for a little while, and his etching turned out really good. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can do what he did and be very consistent when repeating the pattern I chose (italic text with the symbol “@” in the middle of the word). Any recommendations?
 
badkatman said:
I cannot decide whether to acid etch (ferric chloride using the method above) or purchasing a tang stamp. I am new to knife making (FIRST POST….YEAH), and am curious as to generally what the most commonly used method is. Tang stamps are not cheap, and do not wish to jump into that cost if there is a better (and maybe cheaper) method.

BTW, I have been working with Derkins (Matt) for a little while, and his etching turned out really good. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can do what he did and be very consistent when repeating the pattern I chose (italic text with the symbol “@” in the middle of the word). Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

Have you given any thought to simply buying, or making an etching machine, and having some stencils professionally made?:confused:

It's not that expensive, and will last you for many years. Mine is over 20 years old and still works like new.

Quite a few of us etch our names into the blade in this fashion.
 
Terry_Dodson said:
Jorgen dont all of those require "ironing" onto what you want etched?
Click to expand...

Yes, normal ironing- same iron as used for clothes. I have not tried it, but if you are concern over the heat, I don't think it will be a problem... This since the PCB for which these transfer papers are made for has a thin layer of copper foil glued over some material- simmilar to G10 I guess. So if it gets too hot, the glue will melt and the foil loosens up.

I am very sure it will work, and I will try as soon as I can get hold on any of these films. :)

Jorgen
 
Mike, do you know where I can get a stencil professionally made, that would be as small as I would need? Curiously, why would some one choose a stamp over etching and vice versa?


Thanks for the comments, by the way....
 
badkatman said:
Mike, do you know where I can get a stencil professionally made, that would be as small as I would need? Curiously, why would some one choose a stamp over etching and vice versa?


Thanks for the comments, by the way....
Click to expand...

These people will make anything you want, any size.

I never had good luck with a stamp, and can get more info in an etch, and IMO, cleaner looking, with less stress to the blade.
http://www.lectroetch.com/
 
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