Need help! Etching damscus

[AndreasT]

Hi All.
I bought a damascus bar from Steen Nielsen, and grinded it... But when i came to etching i have i problem. I used some kind of Acid(saltsyre in norwegian) 30%. I heated the blade to getter better contrast... But after a loong time in the acid, the pattern is barely vissible.. And advice??
It is a twisted pattern, and i really wanted to deep-etch it.
Andreast!

[ggfh666]

Go over it with fine wet and dry. Use something flat behind the paper so you only touch the higher metal.

[AndreasT]

will that make the pattern more visseble? I have seen Steens blades, and they are far more deep in their pattern than this...

[Mike Blue]

It may depend on the steels used in the pattern. Have you heat treated the blade yet? Sometimes the pattern shows up better after the blade has been heat treated.

The other option is to call Steen and ask him what etchant he uses. Most makers like their steels to look good, I bet he'd help you.

[ngraudal]

Hi All.
I bought a damascus bar from Steen Nielsen, and grinded it... But when i came to etching i have i problem. I used some kind of Acid(saltsyre in norwegian) 30%. I heated the blade to getter better contrast... But after a loong time in the acid, the pattern is barely vissible.. And advice??
It is a twisted pattern, and i really wanted to deep-etch it.
Andreast!

That would be a 30% HydroChloric acid solution you have used.
Define a "loong" time in the etchant please, I know Aage Frederiksen does his etch in a 32% ethaneacid solution (acetid or vinegaracid(eddikesyre)), it takes between 18 and 36 hours to achieve a good etch that way.

And he does his etching after the HT

[Underhay]

Mike's advice sounds like an excellent idea.

I think heating the blade when etching is a risky idea. If the temperature isn't exactly even, you risk having patches where the etch is deeper than others. I was advised to always etch cold to get an even etch all over.

Hope this is of help

[jensjrgenolesen]

Stens patern are made of Øberg steel and 15n20, and etch nice with saltacid, but even nicer using iron cloride ( jenclorid)
10 minutes first and take a look and give it some more if neded, after you are happy with the dept of the etch, give a polich and then a minute in the ironcloride, to give it the final touch.

And don´t forget to heat the blade to 150dgr. Celcius, steels is getting hydrogen britle ( brintskør) when you put in axid, but when it´s heated up to 150dgr.C you remove the britle.

Good luck.

Jens

[Mike Blue]

... And don´t forget to heat the blade to 150dgr. Celcius, steels is getting hydrogen britle ( brintskør) when you put in axid, but when it´s heated up to 150dgr.C you remove the britle.

Jens, I'd give you rep for that, if we still had it. It's not so much a factor in plain carbon and even 15N20 steels as it is in stainless. However, not many smiths think about hydrogen embrittlement and you've correctly stated the cure.

Another way to think of this is a tempering cycle after etching.

You can make your own ferric chloride by using hydrochloric acid and a handful of iron filings.

Good thread.

[CAL G]

I just finished this today. It was etched for 1 hour. Material is 1080 and 15N20 twist pattern.
I use 1 part Ferric Chloride with 3 parts water.
Make sure the blade is really clean ,dip in the acid and remove after about 30 seconds and clean with steel wool.Then I put it back in the acid solution, leave for about 15 minutes and clean again with the steel wool and about every 15 minutes after that remove and clean with the wool.

I would not be heating the blade.

[AndreasT]

Hi All!
Thank you for all your help and advice. Today i finished it, after 25 min in pre-heated acid it came out really nice.. Well, always some small inperfections. But it is my first blade ever. I will post a pick of it as soon as get a chance to take a picure.
AndreasT