Talk to me about etching with Ferric Chloride?

rhinoknives

rhinoknives

Well-Known Member
I have some Devin Thomas Stainless Damascus steel knives I have ground.

I have only etched carbon steel Damascus using vinegar and this calls for ferric Chloride. I purchased a small bottle of dry.

One Devin's site he says to use 5 parts water to 1 part ferric chloride.

Dip till I like it like with vinegar? Do I use Baking soda to neutralize or is there something else? Do I want a sealed glass jar to store the mixed solution in? I'm sure the fumes are toxic. Should I do this outside?

I want to do this right of course. Please give me some pointers on how you etch, neutralize and store Ferric Chloride when working with a stainless Damascus.

Thanks.
 
Hey Laurence, here's a pic of some of Devin's steel that I etched in FC. I store it in a PVC tube with a cap glued on one end and slip another one on for a cap. I have a stand made of plywood to keep it from turning over. I do all my etching inside and have never had a problem with fumes. I thoroughly clean the blade with soapy water and then wipe down with denatured alcohol. I dip the blade, wash it, dry it, & rub it with 2000X grit paper. I dip in 5 min. intervals and repeat until I get the look I want. I don't buff as I find that it gets a smeared look. I hope this helps.

Edited to add that I dilute the FC with 3 parts distilled water to 1 part FC. Mine was in liquid form so I don't know how you would mix the dry stuff. Maybe someone else can help with that. I neutralize by boiling in TSP & water for 15-20 minutes. This also helps to "set" the etch and makes it a little more durable.
 

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Mixing the dry FC and water is reported to produce significant heat and fumes. That part is best done outdoors.
 
Darrin & Dan,
Thank you!

That answers a few of my concerns. So anyone else that can chime in here? I don't know if Devin Thomas meant dry or liquid Ferric Chloride so if anyone mixes the dry that would be helpful along with anything else you could add?

Darrin, By the way.
Those are some exquisite looking Damascus knives you have made & etched.
 
I purchase my FC at radio shack. It is sold as circut board etchant. I keep it in a PVC tube and do my etching inside. I neutralize with windex or amonia in another tube and then rinse off with soapy water.
 
I did my first etch the other day with some Alabama Damascus, so I'm not exactly a wealth of info.
Normal safety precautions, rubber gloves,safety visor etc.
I made a container out of PVC tube with a cap top and bottom. Bottom cap is sealed with PVC glue and does not leak!
I added water first, then the liquid ferric chloride. 4 parts water to 1 part ferric chloride.
I dipped my blade attached to a piece of wire for maybe two minutes in the solution, removed and dunked in a bucket of fresh water and rubbed back 000 steel wool to check finish.
Repeated four or five times until I had the finish I was after. Then gave the blade a good soak with windex solution and rinsed with fresh water.
 
Laurence,

I made my container out of 3" PVC. Used a toilet flange with a sealed center (new construction type) for the bottom and a female threaded coupling on the other end with a screw on clean out cover. Stands by itself and has a good secure lid. I will post a photo later when I get out on the porch. Ferric Chloride I use is the Radio Shack stuff mixed with distilled water 5:1. I dip for 4 minutes, then basically follow Garry's method.
 
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