Everyone pause to learn from my stupidity.

Chris Railey

Well-Known Member
So this is what happens when you get wrapped up in your “real” job and leave a bird knife you were working on suspended in white vinegar for a solid WEEK!! The acid actually ate away the softer steel on the spine by like at least 1/16. Its a really cool effect too bad the blade is ruined. My question is were the cracks likely there before? Formed by the extended acid soak? Or is there no way to know for sure? I checked for cracks and had already hand sanded to 600 grit before putting it in acid.2205D76F-DAE2-4829-B31F-A98A1EC6D1AF.jpegC0E19A9B-56BE-4342-9744-40E10D048A2F.jpeg4277D2D8-905B-45FC-A518-CB329C1F52FF.jpegA2E206A2-EDC6-4EC8-A460-F71C567662EF.jpeg
 
That is wild!

I wouldn't think vinegar would cause cracks like that but could certainly accentuate them.

I could be wrong though.
 
I am with John on the cracks. I suspect they may have been present and the vinegar made them show out!! Hey don't feel bad I have an Elk antler in a jar of stabilization liquid, or it used to be liquid now it is one solid paperweight. My son asked me the other day why don't you throw that away.

I told him it was too remind me not to that again! :p
 
As much soft metal as got eaten there...I think perhaps it could be possible that even a deeper scratch could allow a "crack" to develop...But I think the guys are most likely correct.

but....

You could ht and grind a scrap...get it good and Too hot and quench while grinding...and over soak in vinegar to test? Same look would maybe mean the first blade had a crack.
 
I use vinegar to clean my traps.Now guys have left them in vinegar for way too long and ruined the springs and ate away a lot of metal but never no cracks.
 
That's crazy looking. I think you should put an edge on it and sell it as your "Relic" model. Seriously looks like something that you pulled out of the ground or tomb.
My guess is there was a tiny crack before just looking st the rest of the edge that does not show anything.
What steel was it?
 
I suspect the cracks where there prior to the vinegar. In that respect the incident is a blessing in disguise. I'd also suspect that most knifemakers who've been at it a while have made the same mistake...... I know I have...... on several occasions I've gotten distracted at the end of the day, and left damascus blades in ferric overnight...... to call them "swiss cheese" would be an understatement. :)
 
It is 1084 quenched in heated canola oil. I did a differential HT with furnace cement. I think I have solved the mystery though. I remember why I was not too concerned with that knife now. In the area of the cracks I remember when I was thinning the edge some after HT I cooked the edge there. It turned blue right in that area so I was not going to bother repeating the HT because it was a prototype and the handle was too short so it was never going to leave my shop but I wanted to practice bringing out hamon because they are still new to me. Judging by the way the acid attacked the softer spine of the knife all that was needed was for there to be a deep scratch or two in the area I cooked and it would have eaten it all away.
 
I suspect the cracks where there prior to the vinegar. In that respect the incident is a blessing in disguise. I'd also suspect that most knifemakers who've been at it a while have made the same mistake...... I know I have...... on several occasions I've gotten distracted at the end of the day, and left damascus blades in ferric overnight...... to call them "swiss cheese" would be an understatement. :)

Man that would hurt my feelings because Damascus is a lot of work...
 
The first time is heartbreaking...... especially when it's for a client. But the "high road" is that I can make more. The toughest part is telling the client that their order is gona be late.....and why. :)
 
Very interesting look. Looks like it could be passed off as a museum piece. The power of vinegar. I would not have guessed it could do that to steel.
 
Back
Top