One specific question about etching damascus -

R

rlinger

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Mar 29, 2002
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I am in the latter planning stages of my first damascus knife. I have all I need in stock to start except deciding the blade shape.

My question is - wait a minute. I thought at first I would HT the damascus and finish it then etch it - then assemble it to the handle and bolster. Well, then I soon realized that not good because after soldering the bolster there would be sanding marks and such that would have to be polished off the ricasso and there I am again having to etch it all over. So, I figure I need to etch after completion. Now for my question. What do I use to coat the bolster or guard so that it not be exposed while submerged in the solution?? OR, am I, in my planning, going about it wrong??

Thanks.

Roger
 
If your guard is brass, or nickel silver(78% brass), don't dip those into the etchant. It will contaminate it, and can actually brass plate parts of your blade.:eek: . Same goes for copper.
 
Thanks Mike and yes - okay, but I am asking what to coat the bolster with so it will not be exposed to the etchant. I will need all the blade exposed to it all the way to the bolster.

RL
 
If I understand what you are asking correctly, I use fingernail polish. After you are finished, polish remover takes it off with a soft cloth.
I also use this around the pivot area and where the detent ball rides on my folders.
 
VERY good question that I had never thought of before. Thanks for bringing it up RL.

I kept thinking to myself I'd come uip with the answer, would be dragging mouse to post, then realized a problem with my idea. WOuld start through it again, then find another problem. Ended up giving up on an answer. So thanks for the question RL, and thanks for the answer Kit.

Course, now I just need to get myself to level where I feel confident to try that strange lookign steel with all the lines through it. :)
 
etp,

Don't ever feel that way. Just do it. That is what seperates you from people who wonder how in the world we do these things. I spent good bucks on my damascus stock and can not afford to srew it up. I won't and neither would you.

Roger
 
I went through that a while back and came to a fork in the road about gaurds. I used to solder my gaurds on but got tired of the hassles associated with it and started using the 'press fit' method. It works well unless you're going to use steel for the gaurd. I do all the finishing work on the blade including etching and then work on the gaurd.

I get the gaurd slot filed to where it will slide up to within and inch of the shoulders on the blade, then I clamp the blade into my vice with leather to protect the blade finish. I use a piece of flattened and polished 1/2" steel pipe to drive the gaurd the rest of the way on. If there's still a little space anywhere around the sealing area in front I take it to the smithy and use the old treadle hammer with flat dies on it. WHANG! One good shot usually closes up any gaps. For that reason I always make the gaurd a little oversized so I can grind off the areas on the side that get distorted from the treadle hammer treatment.

When I go to the epoxy stage the epoxy seeps down into the crack from behind the guard and fills any air pockets and lock out moisture. If that all sounds a bit backward that's just because I'm a bit backward myself. But it works for me so there you go.
 
What Max said. Soldering is not necessary and for sure it is only used to seal, not to necessarily make it any stronger. I use JB Weld ala Terry Primos. Works great on sealing. The fingernail polish works great as a "resist" as mentioned above. I don't know of too many folks that actually use solder on damascus. I am sure they are out there, I just find the JB Weld to work pretty well and is a really easy clean up.

Craig
 
JB Weld: great stuff. Use it alot. Can not get it, or any other epoxy I have tried, to bond to nickel silver. It sticks like glue but will not bond. I have tried acetone cleaning, roughing, etc.. On a guard that is press fit and with other material behind it to keep it from shifting, yes. On bolsters, if I do not solder, I use a dovetail mill to cut a shallow dovetail on their back (underneith) side. Before that I have drilled a hole in the tang for JB Weld to flow through; thereby attaching the two bolsters together. The JB Weld locks within the dovetails. I also include one bolster pin to keep it from swiveling if it ever loosens. I also lightly coat the bolster surface with JB for the purpose of sealing.

I would love to know the secret to getting JB Weld or any brand epoxy to bond to materials such as hardened steel and nickel silver. I have not found it.

RL
 
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