What is the best grit for Damascus finish?
Bring your Damascus to a 400 to 600 grit finish. If you’re using muriatic acid, you can bring the Damascus up to 1200 grit, or you can leave it at 400 grit. Either is effective. For ferric acid, keep the grit between 400 and 600.
How do you remove acid from Damascus?
Let your piece remain in the acid for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove your Damascus piece from the acid and dip it into your baking soda bath for 5 minutes to neutralize the acid.
How do you work with acid in Damascus etching?
Be sure to always wear the appropriate protective gear when you’re working with acid. Complete etches in a well ventilated space and wear gloves, eye protection, and an apron or old clothes. Damascus etching is completed with either ferric chloride or muriatic acid.
How do you apply High grit sand to steel?
To apply you warm the steel to about 300f in an oven and apply with cotton swabs. It sizzles as you apply. You can reheat and apply several coats and rub it lightly with some steel wool between coats. Then do the high grit sand with a backing.
What acid do you etch Damascus with?
Damascus etching is completed with either ferric chloride or muriatic acid. Before you begin, check the expiration date on your acid of choice to be sure that it's not too old.
Can you etch Damascus with hydrochloric acid?
Damascus etching is done with ferric chloride or hydrochloric acid. Before you start, check the expiration date of the acid you choose to make sure it is not too old. Using expired acid can cause etching problems, and you don't want to find that the acid is too old to work properly after you start using it.
Does muriatic acid etch steel?
Choose the acid you want to etch the steel with. Possible acids include muriatic (hydrochloric) acid (HCL), nitric acid (HNO3), or sulfuric acid (H2SO4). Certain non-acids that form acid in water, such as ferric chloride (FeCl3) or copper sulfate (CuSO4), can also be used as etching chemicals.
Does Damascus steel need to be oiled?
You will need to make sure the blade remains clean and dry to prevent rust or discoloration. Make sure to clean the knife and dry it thoroughly after each use. After cleaning and drying Damascus steel, you should lubricate the knife with a wax or mineral oil to prevent moisture from affecting the blade.
Can you use muriatic acid to acid etch a knife?
The acid etching will need to be done outside or in a well-ventilated area, and you should wear rubber gloves and goggles from here on out. In your well-ventilated area, mix together one part muriatic acid to two parts hydrogen peroxide in a container that's big enough to fit the whole blade.
Can you acid etch with vinegar?
1:555:27How To Acid Etch Metal With Vinegar - The Art Of Weapons - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo now you want to add about a tablespoon of salt into your vinegar. So that the entire solution isMoreSo now you want to add about a tablespoon of salt into your vinegar. So that the entire solution is completely saturated. And no more salt can be dissolved. And then stir around with a cotton bud.
What kind of acid do you use to etch steel?
Etch the design For example, steel can be etched with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or sulfuric acid. Copper can be etched with ferric chloride mixed in water to form weak hydrochloric acid. Soft aluminum can be etched with ferric chloride, using acrylic polymer paint as a resist.
What kind of acid is used to acid etch a blade?
Etching acids can range from powerful hydrochloric or sulfuric acid to much weaker acids — even household vinegar, citrus fruit, or mustard can be used effectively. In the video linked above, YouTuber TheSmokinApe acid-etches an ESEE blade with French's mustard.
What acid is used for etching metal?
There are various acids commonly available that can be used to etch steel and stainless steel including hydrochloric acid, nitric acid or sulfuric acid.
Is WD40 good for Damascus steel?
If the blade does develop some rust or corrosion we recommend wet sanding the blade using WD40 with 1500 wet/dry sandpaper or 0000 or 000 steel wool. The WD40 acts as a cutting agent. This usually will restore the blade to its original state with little effort.
Why is my Damascus blade rusting?
If your knife is in a humid environment, it will rust. The best way to quickly address rust is to spot clean your blade with Soft Scrub and a q-tip when you first see it appear. If you can see pitting on the blade, it is especially important to keep those spots clean so that more material is not removed.
Can you use steel wool on Damascus steel?
For all Damascus steel, you'll want to avoid using rough cloths, steel wool, or anything else abrasive. These could damage the look of your blade and might actually remove the etched surface of the metal.
How long to soak damascus?
The final product heat treats pretty simple. Just use a high enough austenitization temp ( 1500-1550) and a reasonable soak time ( 2-10 minutes) to get the alloy ingredients into solution. As you can tell by the write up and how the web site works, Brad and Lacy are metal mashers, not web geeks
What is damascus in the exchange?
With damascus, it usually is a "you get what you pay for" thing . The better the stuff is made, ands the more detailed the pattern, the higher the price. Several good members here sell their damascus in The Exchange.
How long to soak a sandpaper in acid?
Suspend your piece in the acid. After 10 minutes take it out and give it a quick dip in the bucket of water.
How to dry a sandpaper?
Dip it in acetone and allow to dry.
How long does it take for etching to dry?
When you are happy with how deep the etch is and have done the final scrubbing, dip it in the acetone, allow to dry then give it another 3 minutes or so in the acid to get the final finish.
How long to leave steel in acid?
(Alternate method: apply acid to steel in small quantities using cotton swabs, rather than submerging the entire part.) Leave the part submerged for about 5-15 minutes. Longer immersion will darken and remove more metal.
What is the best acid etching solution for knives?
However, for the purposes of this guide, we'll discuss one of the most common acid etching solutions in the knife industry: ferric chloride. This etchant is available from most electronic supply stores for about $15 per quart, usually under the name PCB etchant (used for acid-etching circuit boards). Warning: while ferric chloride works well on steel, DO NOT use it with aluminum parts, as it can create a dangerous reaction. Again, research your acid and metal ahead of time to avoid unwanted reactions.
What to do if you have a knife that works well but is aesthetically boring?
So, what do you do if you have a knife that works well, but is a bit aesthetically boring? You could retire it and buy a new one, or you could spend a little time and learn to customize your existing knife. Time-tested methods like acid etching and stonewashing are frequently used by major knife manufacturers, and with a little practice and around $100 in materials, you can use these techniques as well.
What is acid etching?
Acid etching makes use of a chemical reaction between an acidic etchant solution and the steel of your blade. There are many variables here, such as the type of steel used, the type of acid applied, and the amount of time the blade is treated. Etching acids can range from powerful hydrochloric or sulfuric acid to much weaker acids — even household ...
What is the solution used in zombie tools?
Above: Zombie Tools uses ferric chloride solution to acid etch its blades, yielding a dark and blotchy finish. You shouldn't expect to replicate this exact look without some serious trial and error, especially since Zombie Tools keeps the exact process they use on these blades a trade secret. However, basic acid-etching is also an approachable DIY skill.
How much does it cost to stonewash?
Stonewashing can be accomplished with under $100 in materials, and these items can be reused on future projects.
What to do if you don't take steel?
Remember that you're dealing with powerful acid and/or fast-moving stone fragments, so protect your eyes and skin. If you don't take these precautions and hurt yourself, don't blame us.
How to make a blade with acid?
In your plastic container pour a quantity of water, then add the same quantity of acid to that. Do not fill the container to the top! You need a bit of space to allow for the displacement of your blade.
What grit paper do you use for etching?
Others will sand down the etch to reveal a worn and distressed look to the blade. I personally use 1500, 2000, and 2500 grit wet/dry sand paper. I'm guessing 000 or 0000 steelwool would also give you a good result.
How to clean etch resist?
Clean the blade with acetone. This will provide a clean surface for the etch resist to adhere to. Try not to touch the blade with your bare hands after cleaning. The oil from your fingers will mess with the etch.
What color is acid?
The acid is dark orange and will stain your skin and clothing.
Can you mix acid and metal?
DO NOT mix the two together in a metal container. The acid will eat through the metal!
Can you neutralize acid?
If you're not looking to keep the acid I recommend taking it to a hazardous waste disposal facility or at least neutralizing it with baking soda. I would still recommend taking to a hazardous waste disposal facility after neutralizing as the solution has a concentration of metals that could prove harmful to the environment.
Can you stonewash a blade?
Stonewashing the blade gives it a great textured look. This is good to cover up any uneven acid etching. If you are stonewashing I recommend leaving the nail polish on the pivot and lock face. The polish will help protect these areas from any unnecessary wear.