Etching with Ferric for hamon?

[Ernie Swanson]

I am working on a knife that Brad form Peter's heat treat did a differential heat treat to.

I am getting everything ready to etch but I was wondering something.

When I etch does it change the color of the blade that had the clay on it, Like the spine?

I am asking because i do not know if I have to have the scales sanded down to the spine so when I etch I just glue and pin then I do not have to sand any by the steel.

Thanks for any help

 

[Dave Jacobson]

When you etch it will pretty much turn all black, then you will lightly hand sand the gunk off it until you get the hammond to pop out.

 

[Allen Newberry]

When I am doing a style of knife that uses scales I go ahead and glue it up after etching and then shape the handles and sand the spine etc. It will give you a different color than the rest of the blade but your fit and finish will likely be better than if you finish the handles first. Just remember to have your blade and flats finished how you want them before glue up. And of course there is always more than one way to skin a cat.

Here is Fowler's tutorial: http://www.knifedogs.com/showthread.php?t=1585

 

[A.Sharpe]

I etch the blade. Install the handles and finish the knife. Then go back with a small brush and etch any places that got sanded while finishing. I etch with the FC clean the FC off with 0000 steel wool soaked in white vinager. Then clean with Windex and polish with Flitz metal polish.

 

[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

I screw my scales on, finish the knife, unscrew the scales and then etch. Then it's just a matter of screwing the scales back on. I also use a couple dowel pins so the scales line up in the same place each time I take the scales off or put them back on.

 

[Curt Wommack]

I etch the blade. Install the handles and finish the knife. Then go back with a small brush and etch any places that got sanded while finishing. I etch with the FC clean the FC off with 0000 steel wool soaked in white vinager. Then clean with Windex and polish with Flitz metal polish.

Hey Andy,
I would like to try that technique. Do you have a pic to show how it looks after the etch and steel wool?

 

[A.Sharpe]

Here is a blade I did for a demo.

 

[Ernie Swanson]

Thanks for all the replies, I will try etching it then touching up the spine!

 

[Ernie Swanson]

Ok I got time to work on the blade today.
I sanded it to 1200 grit then etched, sanded, etched and so on.
I etched it 5 times at around 60 seconds a time. After the last etching I washed it then brought it in the house. It was beautiful, dark and light transition was awesome. The Hamon line was outstanding.
So then I decided to polish it, Going by Fowler's tutorial

Well the polishing took off all the darkness, it shined up really good.
It is a weird etch with it almost looking dirty.

Let me know what you all think!