Questions about acid washing a blade

[stillshot2]

If a blade has a black oxide coating does it need to be sanded or stripped off first or does the acid take it off too? Can you acid wash/etch a bead blasted blade, and does it look good? Or does it need to be stonewashed?

 

[stillshot2]

Anyone?

 

[Wilfred17]

Every time I've done a bead blast then acidwash it seems to darken the steel and makes it rougher,not sure on the coated blade but I'd guess it won't work well,I'm thinking the coating will act like a resist to the acid ymmv
Never liked the look of just acid wash, the stone washing to me really makes it pop

 

[stillshot2]

Never liked the look of just acid wash, the stone washing to me really makes it pop

Thanks for the response! By chance does an acid washed blade help cut down the intensity of light reflected off it at all?

 

[Wilfred17]

Yes it helps make the steel less reflective

 

[Spey]

In my experiences, acid washed blades increase stiction when cutting.

 

[Barbababa]

I am no expert, so take my answer with that in mind. I first clean the blade in petrol or acetone. Then I lay it on a papertowel on a plate with dept enough to keep the blade under surface when soaked. Then I ad Oxalic acid powder and boiling water. This will make the steel dark gray with a matte surface. I do my “washing” in a plastic jar with chards from a coffe cup and some WD-40. After that I does a light polish with soapy steel wool.
To anwer you first question, I don’t think the acid will penetrate the black surface (since I need to remove any fat with petrol to make a even dark surface). To answer your second question, what look you like is your choice, but it can be done to any surface as long as it is cleaned with petrol or acetone first. The acid gives a dark gray matte surface that can be polished with steel wool to a semi matte finish. The less reflective you want it, the darker or matte you will keep it. With my method, carbon steel will be closer to black while stainless will be dark gray.