Etching Mokume?

[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

I recently purchased some tri-color raiddrop pattern mokume for a folder I am building for a customer. I have never worked with it before. Do I have to etch it like I would damascus? I have heard that you can just let it age and the patina will show the different colors? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chuck

 

[blackboogers]

I mat have 2 answers for you. I remember reading in one of my meatl working books that ferric will etch brass or copper. I would use a very dilute solution in a spot that will be unseen to test. Second I believe you can get an artifical patina solution from a craft store and try that as well. I'm sure the solution will treat the differnt metals at different rates. Its worth trying anyhow. Any large craft store will have it. Radio Shack has the ferric.

 

[etp777]

Ferric Chloride will definitely etch copper(and brass, the copper alloy). That is what it's sold for at Radio Shack, copper etching, for making your own printed circuit boards.

BUT, taht's the limit of my knowledge. I hav eno idea if you have to etch mokume. Plan on getting some in my next order of knife stuff though. Course, still haven't used brass barstock I got on last order. Really need to start playing with guards/bolsters.

 

[Mike Hull]

Brownells has a lot of chemical solutions for patinating various metals.
http://brownells.com/Index.html
Tell them you are a knifemaker, and you will get a dealer price list when requesting a catalog.

 

[patternweld]

You can try Baldwin's patina
or liver of sulfur to create
a patina on your mokume gane.
If I remember right, they are
available from Reactive Metals
Studio. Reactive Metals Studio

 

[Lynn]

I just saw this weekend at the FABA confrence another method of coloring mokume with heat. The mokume was made with quarters! Looked great.
Lynn

http://www.geocities.com/theatre_weapons/index.html

 

[Andrew McLurkin]

Chuck, I've done both. I used ferric chloride at 50%, and I've let it tarnish naturally. Both look good. With etching you get texture. If you decide to try natural oxidization it looks best with a hand rubbed 2500 grit or buffed final finish. Light scratches will show because there is no etch.