What's the best etch method for cable damascus?

[Daniel Koster]

I ran into a knifemaker at the AKA show in Feb who had some brilliantly etched cable damascus. Can't remember his name....doesn't matter though, because he wasn't interested in sharing his "secret".


His finish was very "bright". On a brightness scale of 1 to 10 (dark to light) I'd rate it an 8. On a contrast scale of 1 to 10 (1 being muted, 10 being black/white) I'd rate it a 3 or 4.

Make sense?

It was very bright and med. low contrast.

Kinda reminded me of the stainless damascus I've seen.

I'm getting ready to etch some cable and any guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Chiro75]

Too bad he wouldn't share the "secret." That seems silly. I have only worked cable once and I'm not up to etching yet, but you can get some contrast in regular steel just doing a really light ferric chloride etch. You could go 30 seconds and pull it out, wash it up and see how it turns out. Steel wooling with 0000 grade is a good idea after etching, too, in my opinion. Do you have any scraps of the steel left? I'd experiment on that. Another possibility is muriatic acid. I believe I read that Boye etches the designs on his knives in muriatic acid because it etches differently, but don't quote me on that.

 

[Daniel Koster]

It wasn't the etch, though. It was something done to the steel after the etch. More than just mirror polishing.

Maybe satin finish with a scotchbrite?

I don't know....

 

[Chiro75]

Hmm. Well, maybe you can figure it out, then hold the secret from all of us, too!

 

[Burchtree]

He probably did a fairly deep etch (and sanding in between etchings) then hit it again with the last grit of paper he used when he was done. Makes the "surface" areas the same brightness of regular hand-rubbed steel, and leaving the rest darker.

 

[Chiro75]

Holy mackerel! Nice logo, Michael! Is that your art skill or someone else's? Is that going to be your mark on knives now, too? Has an almost Pacific Northwest Native American feeling to it. Me likey!

 

[Burchtree]

Not to move this off-topic -- but thanks Steve. It is something I drew up quite some time ago.

 

[indian george]

I wonder what beadblasting will do between etchings????? I have to try it. The last etch blast then polish with 2000 grit????

 

[Daniel Koster]

I've wondered about that too, I.G. - when you get results, post 'em if you can.

Thanks!

 

[Kim Breed]

We do a quick buff before etch than work the etchant with oooo steel wool. neutralize than go back to pink buff.

 

[jiminy]

Sounds like he used steel wool (after a deep etch), and took the blade back down to shiny steel, which would then leave what appeared to be a shiny steel blade with a distinct cable damascus etch.

 

[Daniel Koster]

I ended up doing something close to what you guys said...here's what I did:

1. Buff to near-mirror polish

2. Deep etch with 1:3 FeCl/H20 mix (2-5 min.)
Rinse with acetone
Scrub with 0000 steel wool
Rinse with vinegar
Neutralize with soda
Rinse with cold water

3. Buff with pink

4. repeat 2 & 3 several times


It turned out good enough for me, but nowhere near as shiny/brilliant as the other guys' blade. That thing was brilliant.....as in bright, shiny.....glowed like a patiently handrubbed blade does.

I'm now wondering if maybe he deep-etched for a very long time - 30 min maybe? There was definitely a surface breakdown on the "cells", and the "outlines" where near-mirror polished (If I understand correctly, that's what you're suggesting, jiminy?)

Most tests needed for sure.

Thanks for the help, guys.