Hot Bluing Advice

[JEFFREY]

Howdy Karl
Do you do this blueing process for individuals ? I have a Chris Reeve Lg Raindrop Stainless Damascus. Being the dumb ass that I am I used Mag polish on said blade. Well now it is obviously Raindrop without the bluing hence it looks like crap. I paid $575 for this knife but without the bluing. ( I assume it's blued ) My point,can I send you the knife or blade and have it blued ? Kind of a shot in the dark but thought I ask as well as the price.
Thanks for your time.
Jeffrey

APPARENTLY I POSTED THIS IN THE WRONG FORUM.

 

[Alan Davis Knives]

Do you etch Damascus in fc solution first (if so how deep) or just polish and hot blue?

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Do you etch Damascus in fc solution first (if so how deep) or just polish and hot blue?

If 15n20 or some other steel with nickle in it is used to make the damascus then etching is advised. The nickle will not etch at least very little. And only the steel will blue [deeply] not the nickle. With a very light sanding using 2000 grit on a hard block after the blade is blued, will leave the blued steel intact while removing the color from the nickle which is closer to the surface. The feather pattern blade on the 1st page was done in this manner.
The deeper the etch the more contrast, which is true even without the bluing. If you want a solid blued blade there is no need to etch. Just polish the blade as normal and blue it.

Karl should have some comments that will broaden this out.

Fred



Make sure the blade is spotlessly clean using acetone or the like.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Karl should have some comments that will broaden this out.

Fred

Not much more I can add to that, if anything.
I etch deeply to create highs and lows between the nickel bearing steel and the tool steel.
Sand the bluing off the peaks, which leaves the valleys black.
Watch the video:

[video=youtube;AX6E_K_DMxg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX6E_K_DMxg[/video]

 

[Alan Davis Knives]

If 15n20 or some other steel with nickle in it is used to make the damascus then etching is advised. The nickle will not etch at least very little. And only the steel will blue [deeply] not the nickle. With a very light sanding using 2000 grit on a hard block after the blade is blued, will leave the blued steel intact while removing the color from the nickle which is closer to the surface. The feather pattern blade on the 1st page was done in this manner.
The deeper the etch the more contrast, which is true even without the bluing. If you want a solid blued blade there is no need to etch. Just polish the blade as normal and blue it.

Karl should have some comments that will broaden this out.

Fred



Make sure the blade is spotlessly clean using acetone or the like.

Not much more I can add to that, if anything.
I etch deeply to create highs and lows between the nickel bearing steel and the tool steel.
Sand the bluing off the peaks, which leaves the valleys black.
Watch the video:

[video=youtube;AX6E_K_DMxg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX6E_K_DMxg[/video]

Thank you Fred And Karl, it sounds pretty much like what I do when I parkerize a blade.