Looking for help darkening a blade please.

S

Spinerazor

Joined
Mar 30, 2012
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Hey Guys, i'm looking for some advice on blackening or darkening a blade 1084 steel, i have tried hot vinegar but i didn't really like how it looked, ive also tried forcing patinas and i'm not looking for that look either. The look i would like to get is pretty dark black and a matte finish, would this be accomplished with an acid of some sort? if anyone can help here id greatly appreciate it!

I have looked around the forums but haven't really found a how-to on what i want, and i don't want to paint or any coating. some examples are below.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/969460-Repost-Japanese-52100-Utility-with-cord-wrap
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/969000-JBS-quot-Wharny-quot-With-swedge-!!SOLD!!
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/962536-A2-Tanto-Photos!-Sold-Out-Thanks!
 
The biggest drawback to trying to use an acid solution to darken the steel is knowing how long to leave it in so that you don't actually etch the blade. I would look at a gun bluing kit. I didn't go through all the pictures, but that first knife stated that it was blued. You can pick up the solution at a local sporting goods store and it is pretty inexpensive. To do it right, you will need to heat the blade and then bake the finish, but this can be acheived in your garage if you have an old toaster that will reach the mfg's recommended temp. Would be interested to see a picture if you decide to go this route. Good luck!

DD
 
Here's some quick answers for you to do more research on.

In this example

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/969460-Repost-Japanese-52100-Utility-with-cord-wrap
(gun blue from birchwood casey)
Click to expand...
DSC06866.jpg


They have told you how
http://sport.birchwoodcasey.com/Finishing.aspx


I'd call this a vinegar or acid patina
attachment.php


Goggle search a cold blue bleach patina for that sort of thing.



047-6.jpg

This one, I'd look into a stone wash tumbled finish and then acid patina.


Of course those makers spend time here so you may get the answers direct from the horses mouth
 
If it is Aldo's 1084 you can experiment with ferric chloride etch which will give a black oxide that rubs off, you then set the oxide by boiling the knife in a baking soda/water solution makes a nice velvet black

-Page
 
that might be exactly what i'm looking for, do you happen to know the water to soda ratio? and is the ferric chloride done at 100%?

sunshadow said:
If it is Aldo's 1084 you can experiment with ferric chloride etch which will give a black oxide that rubs off, you then set the oxide by boiling the knife in a baking soda/water solution makes a nice velvet black

-Page
Click to expand...
 
Well the wharny with orange and black scales is mine.
For A-2,1095 and O-1 I don't use vinegar or Ferric. I use a non toxic bio degradable product called Evap-o-rust. You can but it at tractor supply.
I poor it directly into my Harbor freight 20# tumbler with the blade and run it for about 20 min. It get's pretty dark.
For cpm-3v D-2 and stainless I soak in Ferric to the desired color Spray with windex(ammonia) to stop the etch, clean with bore cleaner, and then to the tumbler.
Feel free to call me if you have questions.
731-514-8731
 
Spinerazor said:
that might be exactly what i'm looking for, do you happen to know the water to soda ratio? and is the ferric chloride done at 100%?
Click to expand...

I think the ferric is 50/50 but that was a couple of years ago and I'm old. I have been using the same ferric for a couple of years so I honestly don't remember the dilution, I think I started straight up and then went 50/50, other dilutions involve measuring and I don't have a graduated cylinder set aside for ferric.
The baking soda solution is even more vague, I have an old cast iron frying pan that I fill most of the way with water, pour in a good healthy pile of baking soda (maybe 1/8-1/4 box) put the blade in on a 1/8 inch stainless steel weld wire grid to keep it off teh bottom and boil for 20 minutes

-Page
 
JBS TOOLMAKER said:
Well the wharny with orange and black scales is mine.
For A-2,1095 and O-1 I don't use vinegar or Ferric. I use a non toxic bio degradable product called Evap-o-rust. You can but it at tractor supply.
I poor it directly into my Harbor freight 20# tumbler with the blade and run it for about 20 min. It get's pretty dark.
For cpm-3v D-2 and stainless I soak in Ferric to the desired color Spray with windex(ammonia) to stop the etch, clean with bore cleaner, and then to the tumbler.
Feel free to call me if you have questions.
731-514-8731
Click to expand...

Thanks I was just wondering how you got such a nice finish on your blades.

BTW I just saw your website for the first time.... Very cool
 
Ferric Chloride:
The standard answer is, go to Radio Shack, get a pint or a quart (it's used in assembling electric devices), and use it as is.
Works great- you can go from there and come up with your custom dilution.
Andy G.

Edit: Looking at past threads brings up a question- are the selenium solutions safe for a tool (think Kitchen Knife) that gets used with food?
 
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Another thing that will give a more "matte" finish is if the steel has a matte finish before you start with the treatment. So if you get the colour, but its not matte enough you can do this as a pre-treatment.

For example beadblasting. However etching can also give that too, so its worth trying it without the beadblast as that save an extra step if you're happy with the results.
 
Nothin like a lemon. the lemon can aide you in yor endevour. Really???-Mark.lol
 
Also, make sure that you clean the blade thoroughly before etching..........and then clean it one more time before etching.:D Stuff like the oil from your fingers or anything left over from something that you did to the blade can act as a resist of sorts and give you and uneven finish just like when you blue.
 
What do you recommend using to clean the blade before etching? I've used brake cleaner to degrease/de-oil gun parts, but will it work for this? Acetone? Rubbing alcohol? Anything else?
 
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