question about making damascus

[bartblade]

ok my question is after you make the sandwhich how do you get the layers to show on the side of the blades. i understand the folding and all that right up until the blade is cut out everything free i have found on the subject stopps with the pics and as if magically the blade is cut out and the procedure is done. i know there is a step missing can someone fill in the blank? please

 

[argel55]

You then need to find you a radio shack and get some etchant(ferric chloride) and mix it with distilled water 3 to 1. If you have a 1/2 gallon container pour the etchant into it and refill the bottle with distilled water 3times and shake it. Make sure your blade is clean wash with soap and water and then acetone - hang the bladewith a stainless wire in a container some use pvc with an end cap glued on and fill the pvc to totally submerge the blade. Some etch 5 minutes at a time and clean the black oxide off and reetch until they have the depth they want in 5 minute etches. I normally just do a 15 minute first then back in for another 5 minutes if I don't like the depth. WASH the etchant off with soap and water then spray down with Windex with Ammonia to neutralize the etchant. light sand the surface with 1000 grit sandpaper backed by a solid surface to polish the highlights.Some buff some do not . Should have nice deep depth. Do not get any copper near the mixture or you will color the damascus with copper. Stainless only. Mike