"Repairing" Damascus etch

K

KentuckyFisherman

Well-Known Member
I'm finishing up a boning knife made on a blank from Alabama Damascus. On one side of the blade, just in front of the scale, I screwed up and sanded some of the Damascus finish. I realize I probably can't match the original etching, but can I regain at least some of the Damascus pattern in that area using something like lemon juice or cider vinegar? FYI, I'm a noob and this knife is for use in my own kitchen, not for sale or even a gift for someone else. I just want to make this boogered area look better, not 100% right. Hope that makes sense.
 
Near anything acidic will darken it. Try a dab of yellow mustard just on the shiny part and wipe it thin enough to see through. Let it set a bit and wash it off.
 
What Todd said. I have used a Q-tip soaked in the original etchant to patch a knife or two. Hold the wet q-tip on the shiny area, check, wash and apply till you are happy. Just be careful of your scale some acids will change the color of some materials.
 
Set the blade on a level surface so that you can place a stationary puddle of water much larger than the area to be colored. Dip a Q-tip in FeCl and apply it to the center of the area. The gradient drop of the FeCl concentration as it diffuses away from the target area will keep you from developing hard lines to the etched area. Even then you may need to repeat it with several quick applications to avoid your puddle edge making lines. You can also use resists to mask areas to selectively etch. On very bold patterns you can even paint resist along layer lines to hide it. I have been playing with patinas for a some years now and you will never match the color if you don't use the same etchant, and even then you will need the same concentrations to match it exactly. I have had some poorly maintained knives come to me with heavy rust, requiring regrinding an entire side, followed by selectively masking with resist everything but that side and re-etching. Straight lines are you friends. Plunge lines, spine edges, false edges at the clip, are all very good places to stop with a resist to easily hide the re-etch.
 
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