Don't know much about electronics or knife etchers

[wmhammond]

In order to etch a knife Is it necessary for an AC adaptor that converts to DC to put out exactly 12V or could it put out 9V and still work or 18V and still work? Anybody selling cheap etchers?

 

[Heikki]

You can etch with a 9v battery. I did that until I made an etcher using the plans on Chris Crawford's website.

Electro-Etcher - Page 1

chriscrawfordknives.com

Not too difficult and not too expensive.

 

[badge 405]

I use an old style auto battery charger. works great. Can use the 6volt or 12 volt setting.

 

[Gliden07]

Super simple etching machine. Get yourself an HO or larger old school model Train transformer! They have the DC to etch and the AC to darken. You just need to make wand and a little bit of wire. You can also get a double pole double throw switch to switch from etch to mark. Works GREAT and you can pick up the transformers for a few bucks! Still use the one I built to do my knives! The HO transformer is a touch under powered but this is to your advantage, takes a bit longer to get a good etch and marking but you don't have to worry about over heating knife and your stencils last longer!