Pattern Etching?

M

Mike Arsenault

Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
84
Anyone tried etching patterns using acids? I got the idea a while ago and figured I'd see if anyone's tried it.

I was picturing something like one of those paraffin wax pens, like for easter eggs, one could draw on a pattern, then etch in acid, then wipe away the paraffin and voila! fake engraving!

would it work?
 
David Boye dedicated an entire chapter of his book to using etchants and resist... you might want to check it out!

0615116590.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
 
You can print patterns with a laser printer on to resist (see DIY article http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_metal/article/0,2025,DIY_13766_5351951,00.html). I took a jewlery class and did some on nickel and such with standard FC etchant. Works well, but you have to watch not to get too detailed or the FC will "leak" under the resist. Larger lines and patterns turn out well, but haven't tried it on steel...yet. I actually bought some stick on resist for circuit boards and was thinking about trying it, just haven't gotten around to it. Let me know what you find out!
 
You can use a magic marker as a resist and draw your pattern oon, the use FC. Learned that one from Ray Richard. It works. Play with it a bit.

Gene
 
This guy sort of makes a fine art of it. If you were to search KnifeNetwork Antonio did a pictorial on the process. Acid etching, no chisel engraving. He uses nitric acid because it undercuts less. (BTW, his username on KNET is "Montejano")
http://www.antoniomontejano.com/

There was an American business did fine art etching on knives years ago, too, named Shaw-Leibowitz. Awesome work.
http://www.thecustomknifeconnection.com/ShawLeibowitz.html
 
Use a Sharpie marker and FC etchant. You can put whales on a blade or write your name. Remember, the part covered by the ink is the part that is not etched and will stand a bit higher. Polish the blade first, clean very well with acetone then with denatured alcohol. Apply the resist (Sharpie) and etch in 30-50% FC . Remove every couple of minutes and see how the etch is doing. Practise on a piece of HARDENED steel ( the type your blade will be) first to get an idea of the time required. To test the etch time do a test strip. On a piece of 2X6" , polished,hardened steel, write your name about six times about one inch apart:

STACY APELT
STACY APELT
STACY APELT
ETC.

Start with a two minute etch. Remove the strip and rinse. Using a Sharpie marker, black out the top name area completely. Put it back for two more minutes. Repeat, adding more time as seems fit for each blackout (write the times down!). Once all names are etched to different amounts, rinse, clean with acetone, stop the etch with Windex and give the strip a good rub down with steel wool . You can see the different depths that the etch attained. Sand the strip with 400 and buff. The results will give you a target time for the type of etch you are looking for.
Stacy
 
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