Food-safe background paint for engraved (kitchen) blades

R

rashid11

Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
707
Folx,

as I move into stainless territory (ATS34, 440C), was thinking about putting some engraving onto blades. With carbon steel I usually etch designs in Ferric Chloride, with nice results.

Methinks I will not have much luck etching stainless, unless I resort to acids strong
enough to kill an elephant through accidental inhalation of vapors.

So, assuming I _engrave stainless before HT, what kind of black paint/ink
can use for background, that is food safe ?
 
Here is a place to get background colors for engravings, New Hermes. I do not know if they are food safe, so you would have to check with the manufacturer.
 
also try Muriatic acid, it's faster than FC..
and easier to come by..works great on Stainless Damasteel for etching


Just say no to paint :thumbdn: :)
 
Heat treat scale works pretty good all by itself:D I suppose if you have a good foil pack you won't get as much discoloration, and it won't be as even, but you will have some darkening. I'd wait and see how one looks from heat treat before I worried too much about hunting down paint.
This handle is 440C and was engraved prior to heat treat. I didn't do anything beyond polishing the flats to get the contrast and it has held up very well. It was heat treated in my forge and oil quenched though so the scaling was heavier than a normally heat treated blade would be.

attachment.php
 
1 part nitric,70%, 1 part muriatic, 2 parts distilled water, used to be the recommended etch. Worked well for me.
 
also
if you mess with acid
Never add water to acid :eek: ,,
add acid to water.

you can always paint the engraving in with an electro etcher
 
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