First attempt at an etch

3fifty7

3fifty7

Joined
Dec 24, 2016
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Here is the second knife Ive forged, and my first etch attempt. The steel is reclaimed 1095 that started out 7/16"X1"x6". After forging, grinding, heat treating, grinding to 400 grit, and cleaning with acetone I tested a spot on the tang with 3:1 Ferric Chloride and showed a dull smooth grey with no streaks, which would have been fine with me because a high polish finish would have clashed with the handle and the end user. When I etched the entire blade it seemed to leave somewhat of a faux Damascus look that I can't explain. The blade was cleaned thoroughly with acetone and I was wearing gloves I dipped into a piece of 2" PVC at 70degrees f for 10 minutes removed and brushed the blade with 000steel wool, wiped with a blue shop paper towel then repeated 2 more times. I did not take pics after each etch but now I wish I would have. The etch showed about twice as pronounced each time. Any ideas ?

Rough mock up before etching.
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After etching and neutralizing with Windex and cleaning in soapy water.
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Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
 
Was the blade completely dry before dipping in the etch? The spots look like surface contamination. If had patterns like that when dipping a blade that was wet with something, or I didn't clean well enough. I've had the acetone evaporate and leave trace concentrated contaminates, and they caused spots because as it evaporated the contaminants deposited in a small focused area.
 
Surface contamination makes sense with the pattern and explains why the test spot on the tang didn't show this effect. Is acetone the standard for cleaning and prep or should I follow another procedure?

As to the decarb I'm certainly not sure, but I don't think so because this did not show on the test portion of the tang.




Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
 
When gunsmiths are blueing metal they clean the oil out of their steel wool before they use the steel wool to prevent surface contamination.

Could the pattern be from the oil in the steel wool causing surface contamination?
 
First thanks for the help in trying to understand and figure out what is going on.

I never touched the steel wool to my blade prior to entering the etch for the first time. I immediately noticed the pattern when I pulled the blade from my PVC pipe containing the etch before I buffed with the steel wool for the first time. But a very good point about cleaning the wool from now on.

Back to decarb, is it possible for the blade to react different than the tang?

The test spot I did on the tang was dabbed on with a qtip from a small sample mixed in a medicine cup. Could the PVC and/or glue caused some kind of contamination?


Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
 
This is the second knife I've forged so my experience is next to nonexistent. I sincerely believe I had the blade ground clean as in the first pic, only having an eye test to go by its possible I did not.
If I should not use acetone to clean and prep, what should I use ? Coming from a mechanic background carburetor or brake cleaner ?
The solution in the PVC pipe was undisturbed during the etch. Although possibly not thoroughly mixed before etching.??. I pored half of the necessary water in, the FeCl solution then the remainder of the water and gave it a little swirl. A bout ten minutes later I dunked the blade for the first time.


Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
 
It's residue from the acetone. I did the same thing. Sand it back with 400 again. Clean with dish soap and hot water or alcohol, they don't leave a residue.
 
Thanks for the help, hope it goes better next time.


Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
 
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