etching damascus with muriatic acid

Do not change before creativity! This steel had been produced for 11 centuries, and in just about a generation, the means of its manufacture was entirely lost. Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete. No neutralizing step after etching. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. 90% lower fumes than standard Muriatic Acid. Chemicals that form acid in water, such as ferric (iron) chloride or copper sulfate can also be used as etching chemicals. This is for academic purposes only and should not be considered in any way a thorough instruction on this subject. Make Ferric Chloride (for etching printed circuit boards). Our mission is preserving and promoting the ancient craft of forged knives through education, testing and certification. When you have mixed the acid solution you can start acid etching the concrete. It is in a greatly reduced concentration compared to the 30% hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid). How do I heat-treat my 1075 or 0-1 Carbon Damascus billet? Step 1: What You Need Some damascus steel Etchant - Ferric Chloride (strength 42 baume) Distilled water Acetone Glass or plastic containers Extra fine (000) steel wool Wire (to hang piece in acid) Bucket of water Rubber gloves Baking soda oil (I used olive oil as the knife will be used on food) Ask Question Comment Step 2: Clean Yet another reason to prefer ferric chloride. Choose the acid you want to etch the steel with. Should I dilute ferric chloride for etching? The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." Report. . In other words, it is a mixture of ferric and cupric chlorides that is renewable effectively forever. Even polishing hard will remove the pattern. 100% biodegradable, safe, non-acid based cleaner. After 5 minutes, rinse your piece of liquor and tie it with the pure rag. Hardened and tempered steel etches with much more contrast. 1. Each Damascus Steel ring is uniqueno two designs will look exactly alike. Klean-Strip Muriatic Acid can be used to etch concrete, brighten concrete and masonry, or remove excess mortar from bricks. Mix an acid solution by pouring 1 part acid into 10 parts water. Sign up for a new account in our community. It is a straightforward process, which is used to enhance the appearance of the blade and bring the inherent pattern, lying in wait within the steel, to life. This is how I do it and it works for me. The "active ingredient" in ferric chloride solution is hydrochloric acid. Damascus Knife Blank Acid Etching Etching of Damascus is done after manufacturing or grinding of the blank to bring out the contrasting steel patterns. My first round of etching went very well, good contrasting colors and an even etch, but since then my etches have been splotchy with very little contrast. Edit* I just realized folks already gave this answer. (Recipe varies between smith). The worst thing about Muriatic acid is storing two gallons of it without eating up every piece of steel in the shop. Uses of Muriatic acid 1. Ferric chloride is not an "acid" per se. Good point about the rust bluing. By Etching Damascus steel is usually to bring out the contrast between the layers; if that's not what you want, you might be better off with a mechanical etch that ignores the layers. Be extra careful at this stage not to touch it! It is an ultra high carbon steel that achieved liquid state which should, theoretically, allow you to get a homogeneous steel product with equal carbon distribution and no slag inclusions at all. Tom, diluting muriatic doesn't make ferric chloride, no. Start very dilute, like 1:10 or 1:20. . To clean and etch concrete, mix one part muriatic acid to 10 parts water. How do you make ferric chloride etching solution? RadioShack carries pcb enchant, aka ferric chloride. This product is a very strong acid that will clean dried cement products off stones, bricks, and other masonry surfaces. Coffee Etching Damascus Steel | Knife Making How To/Tip. etching is completed with chloride with ferric or muriatic acid. Ecommerce Site by NeONBRAND. Erik takes the lead with this video because it's his specialty, he shows how to clean the blades, prepare them for etching, etch them, neutralize them, polish after etching, and a lot of other little tricks in between. As many Damascus wars come from the market, consumers and new consumers in this matter want to know: Damascus is a solid iron? For example, steel can be etched with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or sulfuric acid. It's often used in swimming pools to lower the pH of the water. You can etch stainless steel, mild steel, or high-carbon steel. Rinse the floor thoroughly, squeegee away puddles, allow floor to dry. It fumes a lot (toxic) and the fumes will rust everything in your shop. Using a broom, scrub the concrete with the acid solution. When someone feels their ferric chloride batch has "gone bad", you can add a tablespoon or so of muriatic acid and regenerate it. I mix the Ferric Chloride 50/50 with distilled water. As etching can only work on evenly damp surfaces, you should etch the surface in sections to prevent dry spots. It is. JavaScript is disabled. This advanced formula incorporates a custom blend of surfactants, organic minerals and derivatives of a plant based extract for the most effective concrete etching solution available. Is the pattern deep enough? No need to go full strength to get results. If youre using ferric chloride, dilute your acid with distilled water. Damascus etching is completed with either ferric chloride or muriatic acid. I assume I need to set the oxides but can I still do that weeks later? Michael, it's easier to add more acid and try again than make it too strong and over-etch. Will this stuff like sit in a jar without eating the jar? Dilute by adding 1 part of Muriatic acid to 10 parts of water or 1 cup of acid per liter. Take a high-layer bar and press it between dies that have been drilled full of almost-touching holes, then grind the resulting bumps off. Before you begin, check the expiration date on your acid of choice to be sure that it's not too old. The best thing about Muriatic acid is that it comes in a two gallon box for about $7 at Home Depot. Ideally you want to test the strength needed first before doing the entire floor. Is there any difference with polish? Put on your protective gear. Once you have gathered all the necessary supplies and safety gear, you will be ready to begin etching your garage floor. Then on the last etch , take it out, neutralize the acid without touching the blade, rinse with cold sater, dry the blade with compressed air (I use dust off) and oil . No matter how effective it is. Dont touch it with your hands. Any form of agitation not only helps the etch to even out, it also helps the acid work faster by removing oxides from the surface of the steel. Unless you get the vinegar to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit) or higher. you're good on temper. Damascus etching is completed with either ferric chloride or muriatic acid. I frequently etch damascus with ferric chloride. Ken Fong Step 1: The Requirements of Steel Etching: Ferric chloride Plastic container Distilled water Etch resist/stencil Acetone Cotton swabs and/or Q-tips Paperclip and/or dental floss Rubber gloves High grit dry/wet steel wool or sandpaper Step 2: Preparation of Etching Components The most important step in this whole process is preparation. Since you have muriatic acid, its really easy to make ferric chloride. Either is effective. Congratulations on your progress. High quality Damascus steel is not the strongest metal you can get. It's not the only way. How long does ferric chloride take to etch? While high in carbon steel, the blade can easily rust if not cared for. Muriatic also contains some other stuff, typically iron, which is already starting to become ferric. For example, you would use 1 cup of the acid to mix with 2 cups of the peroxide. It doesn't matter as long as the steel is as oil and wax free as it can be. Swishing the steel around in the etch to break up the bubbles is not a bad idea either. Mix water and acid in 3 or 4:1 ratio. Box 71092Springfield, OR 97475. Making stuff, hunting, rock climbing, philosophy, general adventure seeker. If you're using muriatic acid, you can bring the Damascus up to 1200 grit, or you can leave it at 400 grit. Buy NANFANG BROTHERS Damascus Kitchen Knife Set, 14 Pieces Japanese Knife Set Kitchen Knife Set with Block Wooden, 67 Layers VG10 Damascus Steel Chef Knife Set with Sharpener, Sharp Blades at Amazon UK. Pour 1 part acid into 10 parts water to make an acid solution. ), Copyright 2012 - 2020 American Bladesmith Society | All Rights Reserved, Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing at Texarkana College. To warm your acid more quickly, the best method is to place the container of acid into a large bowl of warm water. The press method is the reverse. What kind of acid do you use to etch a knife? Could have probably pypassed this step: dumped 1/2 gallon of phosphoric in the tank and sloshed it around with the cap shut and stoppers in. Dilute by adding 1 part muriatic acid to 10 parts water, or about 1 cup acid per gallon of water. We are limited on the number of characters that can be used as the knives vary in size. Ferric chloride is not an "acid" per se. Neutral Good: Clean blood cannot be washed off. If you want a deeper etch, repeat steps 5 and 6. You don't need a lot. 2 years ago Vegas Forge. If you use muriatic acid, you can bring Damascus up to 1200 grit, or you can leave it 400 grit. [_wpnonce] => If not, dip it in the acetone (see lovely photo) then repeat the previous step until you're happy. Following. I know at least one ABS Mastersmith that used muriatic acid to etch then blue their bladeshe doesn't much care for Floric Chlorideit isn't deep enough. 5. #5. In fact, it is not. The articles on this site are for informational purposes only. It is done by submerging the blade in an acid. It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly. Once your Damascus is sanded to the correct grit, thoroughly wash it with alcohol and pat dry with a clean rag. Muriatic Acid will give a mirror/frosted finish on a polished finish and a lighter grey/grey pattern on a matte finish. It is the ideal acid etch alternative. Acid reaches well in the cleanest place. Chaotic Neutral: Give me liberty, or receive death. This pattern is not the result of forge welding and folding as in pattern welded swords but rather because the chemical composition of the original billet. " It's easy! Wash the black oxide off between immersions and perhaps brush lightly with non-abrasive kitchen Scotchbrite or 800 grit paper. Most people use it cold, which is very slow. Bring your Damascus at the end of grit 400 to 600. It is a matter of strength and timing. Add more acid if necessary. Avoid using acetone items because they leave the remainder then disturb the etch, and do not touch the sterile with your hands. Hydrochloric acid has a normal pH of 1.5 to 3.5, while muriatic acid has a pH of about 1 to 2. The HCL (hydrochloric acid) is commonly used in a diluted form called Muriatic Acid for PH balancing in pools. The hardware store wasn't going to be very helpful in the middle of the night and I was about to put it all off to the next day when I realized I didn't actually care about how the etching was done . Ferric chloride is one of the most widely used etchants in the field of chemical etching. Dilute it about 4:1 water to acid. Powered by Invision Community, good movies, good books, smithing, leatherworking, woodworking, guitar. Etching is used to make circuit boards, where a thin copper sheet is selectively dissolved away to form a path for electricity. Is it possible to etch Damascus with muriatic acid? Damascus etching is completed with either ferric chloride or muriatic acid. Steven Penner Joined Jan 29, 2006 Messages 606 I don't think I'd ever do this, but, dang, I found the whole instructable fascinating. ), Server: Array Remove the Damascus from the acid and dip it in a bath of baking soda and distilled water to neutralize the acid. Mix this stuff 4:1 with distilled water. [woocommerce-edit-address-nonce] => If you etch before heat treating you'll just erase it in the cleanup sanding. Thanks for the tips. Put a tablespoon or so of baking powder in a saucepan of water and boil the piece for 10 minutes. I've been there before.. Nitric Acid - mixture of 5 - 10% nitric acid with the balance being alcohol. Yes. Wet down the surface to be cleaned, using a sponge or a sprayer and allow the acid . This chemical solution needs to be heated to a temperature of between 160-185F (71-85C) in order to properly etch the metal. Pretty much unreadable due to very poor English. A standard strength for a careful etch on copper is 42 baume, above this and the ferric will etch more slowly as the solution is viscous. Everyone has a slightly different dilution and technique. That's where I just got a bottle, $14.59 for a quart. Beyond that it's a matter of experimentation. The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Sure, you can etch steel with hydrochloric acid; e.g. No matter how effective it is. Step 4: Mix the Etch Acid Put on your rubber gloves. Mix the muriatic acid with water (1:10 ratio) in a bucket with the water before the acid, as the other way around will damage the bucket. Step 1: Sanding Bring your Damascus to a 400 to 600 grit finish. I should mention that this should be done outside since the vapors are stinky and it produces hydrogen gas. Scrub it with the steel wool until you've got rid of the oxides. Aside from being beautiful, Damascus steel is valued because it maintains a keen edge, yet is hard and flexible. Can you use muriatic acid to etch a knife? placeholder="Leave a comment" onpropertychange="this.style.height=this.scrollHeight + 'px'" oninput="this.style.height=this.scrollHeight + 'px'">. You can also neutralize muriatic acid with agricultural lime. Etching is done after all heat treatment is completed. Fill a glass jar with enough ferric chloride to cover the metal part. Don't use a metal container acid can corrode many metals, leading to the possible destruction of the container. If you choose, you can finish with the 2000 grit buffing compound and the soft wheel to shine on your Damascus clip, but you will lose some of the difference between metal components. I plan to buy some ferric chloride pretty soon, or go all mad scientist and make some, but I'd like to get a bit of use out of this $1 vinegar lol. Share Save Helvetica Comment CaiLei 3 years ago Follow It is an ultra high carbon steel that achieved liquid state which should, theoretically, allow you to get a homogeneous steel product with equal carbon distribution and no slag inclusions at all.