Suggestions for etching/darkening fighter??

happycat

happycat

Joined
Jun 21, 1999
Messages
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I am building a fighter to go to Afganistan. It is 5160, flat ground diff temp with nickle silver gaurd and green micarta hidden tang handle. I am looking for some advise on how to etch and or darken it for "tactical use". I have ferric diluted 4:1, and I also have birchwood casey super blue. I'd preffer to work with what I have rather than spending more money I don't have.....But I don't have much experience with either of these. Any suggestions using these or other easy to get or make stuff would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ed
 
Ed, the Ferric is the more permanent option. If you want a darker color, sand blast it first, then etch it.
 
Wipe it down good with the super blue - then soak in Clorox bleach for about 5-7 minutes. Let dry completely (about a half hour) and then rub off the thick crud with 4/0 steel wool. Then stick it in a pan of boiling water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda for 10 minutes. This will set the color and kill the etch. Dry and rub down with a coarse cloth or 4/0 if need be.
Wipe down with a coat of oil or ballistol.
This is a very tough, dark finish - takes a good scrubbing of 320 grit to wear it away.
 
What is Birchwood Casey Super Glue, is it a special kind? Wild Rose will that technique work with reg super glue?
 
i think he meant "Super Blue" it is a gun blueing that is supposed to penetrate twice as deep as thire regular blueing.
 
Terry -
the finish will normally be a matte since the bleach/blue comboo acts as an etchant. Of course how you pre-finish the blade will have an effect on the finish as well. Best bet is to experiment on a piece to check the timing - it is an aggressive etch so take care. It's the method I use to get my aged effect on our frontier knives - I just sand it back to a lighter color. This is how I found out just how tough a finish it can be.

Army Ranger - As Terry said it's Super Blue and was designed for bluing gun steel with a higher nickel content. Does a great job on 5160, 1084, 1095 and even D2 based on my work - every piece acts differently though so....
 
Sir Chuck is being understated here. "It's aggressive" is like saying a shark has a "fondness" for blood! When you put your steel in the bleach, don't freak when it seems to immediately grow rust hair like a Chia-pet! :D

The first time I tried Chuck's technique, all I could do was yell "Holy Crap" and yank the steel right back out! It wasn't as bad as I thought, so several trips through the bleachy-bath made for a very interesting finish.

Rapid 100-year antiquing. Go slow. Excellent technique.

Thanks, Chuck! :)
 
I vote for Chuck's technique, too. I use it on D2 regularly. It was the etch on the A2 bowie I sent Roger for the troops.

I did space out a D2 blade in the chlorox overnite once, and talk about a 100 year etch, boy that was serious. If it hadn't been D2, it would have been gone.
 
Not a great photo of a trial piece bit it will give you the idea - this after the chia pet hair has been removed ;) , then boiled for 10 minutes, and then oiled. It is NOT heavily etched - maybe 5 minutes. Also - Fresh Bleach works best - used is much slower acting:
cold-blue-002.jpg
 
Good grief I think I see your eye in that blade! Cool finish, I've got to try it.
 
At this point it is actually an accelerated version of the classic cold rust blueing used by the classic gunmakers. Rust, card, rust, card, until you get a deep brown and then boil - the boiling changes the chemical nature of the rust to a another form - maybe fitz can explain that one :confused:
IIRC it changes the ferric oxide (red) to ferrous oxide (black/blue)

Do a google search for cold rust blueing and you can find out more info. I believe Brownell's sells a kit with instructions
 
Thanks so much for the info. Heres another question. I allready etched it for about 10 min in the ferric. Didn't seem to make that much of a difference... Should I maybe go a little quicker on the bleach? Looking forward to trying this tomorrow. Thanks again.
Ed
 
Wild Rose how will that look on a clay coated blade? will the hamon show as a slightly different color or shade?
 
Terry - here's one of Gib's 1084 blades that I aged and then scrubbed back to a medium grey:
blade-1.jpg
 
Wild Rose, have you tried the Perma Blue Paste with your bleach method? I have heard that it gives a better finish on guns, but I was wondering if it would work for this application.
 
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