How to force a patina with Ferric Chloride? (PCB etchant) help!

Bladenoobie1

Bladenoobie1

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Jul 20, 2012
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My 52100 custom has issues of forming tiny microscopic bits of rust despite a solid patina and a coating of oil. I'm going to try putting on a ferric chloride patina and see how it fairs against corrosion. I've seen some Ferric Chloride patinas and I like the solid finish. I have several questions:

How should I go about forcing a patina with the etchant?
What is the ratio of water to acid and how long should the blade be in there?
What happens if you don't use distilled water with the etchant?
How should I neutralize the acid after I get a patina suited to my taste?

- Bladenoobie1
 
Put the knife in a pan or pot of the etchant.
1 part water to 2 parts etchant. Depends on how dark you want it.
I dont know the answer to that one.
Windex or water works. And a good scrubbing.

Good luck.
 
Well I went ahead and etched it, 3 parts water, 1 part acid, and I think the results turned out great!
 
I know you already did it but Gavkoo on YouTube has a good tutorial on how he does PCB etching. You should watch it and now that you have forced a patina you can compare results.
 
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