What to use to remove acid etched writing?

[Case C.]

Is there a remover liquid or paste that can rub off etching. A lot of knives have writings on them that aren’t appealing to me. Most Northfields have too much stuff on the blade and many others as well and I prefer a minimal clean look on blades. Any simple solution that doesn’t involve grinding or sanding? I was hoping Flitz would do it but I have not tried it. Please Help. Thanks

 

[NJBillK]

Most factory etching is done with a laser, not an acid. Acid normally etches deeply, unless the person is cautious.

That being said, most traditional knives that have an etched blade, can have them polished off with flitz, or other car rim polish (Mothers Mag, et al), some folks have even used a loaded strop to lighten an etch, since they are fairly shallow.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Yeah normally it's a lazer etch.
The etch on my Case sodbuster jr is still in tact after a few years, while the etch on my BSA 6208 splitback half whittler is coming off after after only a few months ( I'm glad too, and can't wait for it to disappear )

I would try flitz to remove the etch, I care but just not enough to want to go for it myself.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

It most likely will need to be sanded out, no matter how its put on! Laser or Elect-chem etch.

My 2 Cents is just use the knife! or buy ones you like the logo on!

 

[Case C.]

Will it come off without sanding. I’m hearing conflicting reports here. What is going to do it ?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Will it come off without sanding. I’m hearing conflicting reports here. What is going to do it ?

They're conflicting, because it's so variable. Some etches are light enough to remove with just metal polish and some elbow grease. Others, being just a little deeper, will need something more aggressive; that might be sanding, or using a powered buffer with more aggressive compound, etc.

The steel type will affect how easily it comes off too. 1095 steel is pretty easy to change & clean up, even if some sanding is needed. Something like D2 steel with a deeper etch will take a whole lot more work.

If it were mine, I'd just use some polishing paste (Flitz, Simichrome, Mother's Mag, etc) to lighten or fade the appearance of the etch over time. It'll take longer to remove it, IF it comes off entirely at all. BUT, in the long run, it'll be much less of a worry as opposed to permanently altering the finish of the blade in such a way that you hadn't intended or anticipated.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

While they might lighten the etch, Flitz and similar polishes will not remove an etch.

 

[uxo2]

It is not going to come off.

I tried...

 

[Stelth]

In my opinion more blades were ruined by etching than improved.

 

[Case C.]

It feels like it’s on the blade and not in the blade. Would that remove smooth and not leave a engrave behind. Example is Spyderco spider is laser engraved but the tang writing seems to be raised and not etch engraved. GEC seems all surface and no engrave at all on the blades. I know laser engraved you are screwed but shouldn’t surface etching like GEC be able to rub out with compounds ? I despise the stuff on GEC blades. Great knives that look tacky especially the Northfield stuff and that’s the best GEC’s. Help please !!!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

There's not much risk in trying the polishing paste. It'll either make a difference or it won't, but there's not any real potential for it to alter the blade's finish, aside from making it 'brighter'.

You might have a look at the thread linked below, from the Traditional Forum; comments there indicate GEC's etches are pretty light, and can be 'faded' at least by the polish to what they refer to as a 'ghost etch'. Another option mentioned there is forcing a patina to essentially 'hide' the etch, maybe doing that after lightening it with the polish. Don't know if your knife is GEC's 1095 or their stainless (440C), but the patina option may work if yours is a 1095 blade.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/removing-etching-on-gec-blades.1331387/

Bottom line, if the etch goes to any depth at all, as opposed to being entirely a surface application, polishing paste by itself and used by hand probably won't entirely remove it, as a true 'etch' means surrounding steel has to be removed to the depth of the etch, before it's entirely gone.