Acid Etching Solution

ColsonCustoms

ColsonCustoms

Joined
Oct 19, 2015
Messages
76
What solution gives the best (hardest) finish? I know a lot of people use ferric chloride and I have used vinegar with salt and hydrogen peroxide added with pretty good results. The finish was never as tough as I wanted though. On par with gun bluing. I know there are industrial processes that leave super super hard finishes, is there an easily obtained and used solution closer to these?
 
In between industrial coatings and patina is electroplating. Rio Grand has kits or build your own, copper plating may not do much in regards to durability, however I just recieved an old nickel plated Collins Legitimus axe off ebay and the nickel seems quite durable. Electroplating is sort of the starting point for advanced coatings, graphite or copper paint can act as a carrier to plate non conductive materials, have yet to see a blade plating that runs onto and into hilt/handle. Ariel Salaverria has some tutorials here : http://www.aescustomknives.com/docs/galleryjewelry.htm

And here is the metal finishing/coatings online community: http://www.finishing.com
 
Etching (electro or chemical) removes material. It is not a coating. It does not imbue any mechanical properties that were not already present in the steel - so it cannot increase surface hardness.

True (hot) gun blueing is a "conversion" process that neither adds nor removes material. It converts the existing outer layer of steel to magnetite, which is slightly softer than hardened steel.

Plating adds material - resulting finish will be as hard/durable as the added material.

Cerakote, powdercoat, etc all add material - resulting finish will be as hard/durable as the added material.
 
Try boiling the knife after acid etching, it will make your finish look better and last a bit longer.
 
Just go straight from ferric to the water... even really hot water will do. You will see an almost instant visual change, if I understand things correctly this is converting the oxides to magnetite but don't quote me on that... all I know is that it looks better and seems to set the etch.
 
I will agree with Daniel. You can take your vinegar/salt water/hydrogen peroxide patina blade and "set" it a bit with boiling water. Just don't let the blade touch the bottom of the pot, suspend it in the water some how. Then, immediately from the water, dry off, then oil or wax while very hot. I liked the finish on this razor I restored.

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After etching in ferric chloride to bring out any pattern, a very durable alternative is to parkerize it. Everything you need is available at Midway USA or Brownell's.
 
Alan Davis Knives said:
Never tried it, but I imagine that the temperature used (175 - 190 Fahrenheit) would melt the epoxy.
Click to expand...

It depends on the epoxy but I've done it, so have others on this forum (I googled it here and found an old thread before I tried).

I changed the scales on that knife from linen micarta to exotic wood. When I got the old ones off I found some of the parkerizing solution had found a leak path under the scales and rusted the tang. So now I don't do that anymore.
 
Ah, yeah that would probably be a problem. If the scales could handle it, I might be able to use jb weld. Might have to change the resin too. well, food for thought. Thanks for the idea.
 
Awesome. I might give it a shot in some form soon. Did the leak look like something that could have been stopped with a tighter "seal" around the scale/blade? Or did it undermine a solid spot?
 
I'm pretty sure it was from a sloppy pin fit which was one of the reasons I replaced the scales. If you want to park after glue up I think the key is to have 100% coverage with your epoxy on the tang and pins.
 
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