Acid etch and stone wash

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Rottie blades

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May 24, 2016
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Hello I will be acid etching a blade as well as stone washing. The blade is about 8 inches tall and I need advice on what to put it in for the acid etching process. And for stone washing what kind of stones that I would already have can I use? Any more tips on either process is greatly appreciated.
 
I personally use a 50-50 mix of ferric chloride and water. Leave it in for around 10-15 minutes and then stonewash. I use an old thermos with various sized stones that I found in my yard. Make sure they are pretty smooth, otherwise you will have a really scratched up blade, not a tumbled look. Here's how mine come out. The flats still have the rolled steel texture but the bevels are how it should turn out.

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I don't have any idea but I would like to know.

My less than educated guess is that the blades are etched with ferric chloride, then tumbled in a rock tumbler with either super secret special stones quarried and cut by the trolls of Trondheim, or, whatever is laying on the ground outside the shop.

That's what I'm going to try absent better direction, myself.
 
Thank you for the tips. I am trying a white vinegar instead of water recommended by tactical pterodactyl knives and several others to get a dark finish. I'm really having trouble though finding a container to etch in
 
I use about a 50/50 H20 to FC mix, then tumble in a vibratory tumbler with ceramic media. I sometimes bead blast the blade first.
 
Stark Knives said:
I personally use a 50-50 mix of ferric chloride and water. Leave it in for around 10-15 minutes and then stonewash. I use an old thermos with various sized stones that I found in my yard. Make sure they are pretty smooth, otherwise you will have a really scratched up blade, not a tumbled look. Here's how mine come out. The flats still have the rolled steel texture but the bevels are how it should turn out.

VmbBUVrl.jpg
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looks great. can you describe your thermos procedure?
 
kdogmcg said:
looks great. can you describe your thermos procedure?
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I have a video on my instagram (from a long time ago so it'll be hard to find) and will be posting a video/tutorial on how I do my whole acidwash procedure in the next week or two. I basically put it in the thermos with the rocks and a little WD-40 and then shake it by hand until I'm happy with the results.

kdogmcg said:
also would like to know how you did the stonewash with pinned scales. Thanks.
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I acidwash before I put the handles on. :)
 
I use muriatic acid (home depot has it) and hydrogen peroxide in a glass container. 1/3 part muriatic acid and 2/3 part hydrogen peroxide. I did a2 steel and s35vn for 10min and that looks like the perfect amount of time for a good etch. I then neutralized in baking soda, then washed liberally in water (3x because I'm paranoid). I built a tumbler out of 4" PVC pipe with capped ends, and filled it w/ 5lb ceramic tumbling media (sprayed with wd-40) from HF. tumbled for 10-20 min checking occasionally. Once I got them how I liked, I sanded and acetoned the handle area to 80grit and epoxied my handles I had already shaped to the knife. Then oiled the blade when it was all said and done. MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA AND WEAR NITRILE GLOVES AND A RESPIRATOR (with acid gas filters). Have fun! store acid in a labeled #2,4,or 5 plastic container. I myself used a PP (#5) container for the mean time. :thumbup::D
 
So do you use locator pins to grind the scales on the tang so you can remove them prior to acid washing?
 
kdogmcg said:
So do you use locator pins to grind the scales on the tang so you can remove them prior to acid washing?
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Nope, I do all the blade finishing and then attach scales after. Once the material is epoxied, I grind it down to the tang and contour.
 
Stark Knives said:
The tang is satin finished. I like the way it contrasts with the rest of the blade and there's not an easy way to make it well etched once the scales are on.
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That's cool, I was just wondering. I've been playing with scales affixed by threaded fasteners in part because it allows me to finish the knife like you would with epoxy and pinned scales, then take them off and etch or parkerize the blade. But I think I'll try your method for the contrast soon and see how it looks.
 
kuraki said:
That's cool, I was just wondering. I've been playing with scales affixed by threaded fasteners in part because it allows me to finish the knife like you would with epoxy and pinned scales, then take them off and etch or parkerize the blade. But I think I'll try your method for the contrast soon and see how it looks.
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When I do a full acidwashed finish I just sand and contour the scales to the farthest point possible, then acid wash, then epoxy them on and keep everything clean and epoxy free with acetone. Once it dries I'll sand the pins/lanyard tube down and carefully hand sand to finish. I like doing both though, satin spines, or fully acid washed.

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