I’m doing some of my first Damascus and you gave me a lot of good info and insight that I wasn’t getting from other makers. My etch was coming out murky, now I know why. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Buffing prior to etching literally "smears" the surface of the steel.....which will make the etch come out blotchy and uneven. Also, those super fine scratches left by the sandpaper give the etchant something to "bite" on. If you want an etch that really "pops", take the finish to 1500-2000 grit by hand. The finer finish before etching, the crisper the etch will look, and depending on the specific pattern, can also add a lot of depth.
Thanks! Just did a test etch on my first random damascus billet, and I'm happy to learn I did it right! I haven't tried the TSP to neutralize after the etch, but certainly will, thanks to you.
Thanks Nathan! If you're doing carbon steel, I would also advise finishing the rings off with something like clear Gun-Kote. Otherwise with carbon damascus the rings will quickly patina and/or rust with constant skin contact.
This may sound like a really silly question, but if you were to make a blade out of one of the three billets, would you heat treat first, then finish and etch the blade. Or, do you just go with the "native" hardness of the billet as it came from the forge?
Love the Mother's wax! I've tried all the so called "premium" waxes over the years, and keep coming back to Mother's. Recently I tried Bowling alley wax, and found it puts a very "hard" wax finish on things.....if you can stand the smell....it'll make your eyes water! :)
Listen, i bought a really nice Damascus steel bowie from Pakistan, well, as u may know, at least the companies ive brought from, thaey have no idea how to put a usable edge on a knife. So here i go sharpening my new Damascus bowie, in the process, my fingerprints, have faded the etching is spots. I do believe l can fix this knife to its original beauty, but if there are any pointers that u could give me, id really appreciate it. I dont see exactly how im going to do this, because the handle is attatched and will not be removed, would a certain type of tape work, plastic golves on the handle etc. Any advice that u could offer would be so much appreciated. Thank u.
Any steel classification can have "High Carbon"......at its base, steel is comprised of Iron, Carbon, and Manganeese. Other elements are added to produce particualr characteristics. For example, chromium is added in various amounts, and once that amount reaches 12%, the steel is consider a "stainless" steel. Terms such as "High Carbon" are often thrown around very loosely these days. GENERALLY, when the term "High Carbon Damascus Steel" is used, it usually means that the steels used in creating the damascus are "simple" steels (iron, carbon, manganeese), and not the more complex steels. Although it might sound more impressive when someone says "High Carbon Stainless Steel", the fact is that there are very few Bladesmiths/Knifemakers who can make "stainless" damascus, and in my opinion, the end product is not nearly as good as the same product produced from "high carbon damascus steel". If you deal directly with a custom knifemaker, you are generally assurred of quality, but if you deal with any of the outfits on the web that are "knife stores" my suggestion is "buyer beware". Many of those types of outlets will do whatever it takes to sell you a knife, including calling it what its not. The fact is that if you deal with a custom knifemaker/bladesmith, you are much more likely to get the best product that individual can produce......beware of "damascus" being sold at cheap prices.....there's a reason! This can vary from knifemaker to knifemaker, but personally I do not sell any damascus knife for less then $300...with rare exceptions.
Thanks for sharing your expertise Ed. Do you etch before or after heat treat? Can you etch more than once?( one before and one after heat treat) Thanks for your help.
I etch after heat treat. If you etch before heat treating, you'll very likely grind away the etch when you clean up after heat treat. Multiple etches? Certainly! I know a number of Makers who do it all the time, and I occasionally do. Scrub the blade with #0000 steel wool, then clean it well with acetone and/or windex. Make sure it's 100% dry, then go back into the etch.
Although the etchant will eventually "wear out", it will last a LONG time....generally for me it ends up that the etchant gets contaminated before it wears out. Usually I can count on the etchant working for a year or more in my shop, provided it doesn't get contaminated. You have to be VERY careful around the etchant..... get a single drop of windex or ammonia in it, and it will "kill" the entire container of etchant. CLEAN is the operative word for anything placed in the etchant..... if you get sloppy cleaning anything you etch, that can cause issue too. Although you will see videos otherwise, use ONLY glass or plastic containers for FC etchant.
Hello , I hope your commentary is still active on this video.. Is TSP absolutely necesary to neutralize the etching ? The reason being that some people don't even seem to mention it... Thank you!
TSP is the best neutralizer, but you can also use a saturated solution of Baking soda and water. I feel it's is imperative to neutralize.... otherwise there will be rust, and usually a lot of it. ;)
Not "acid"... Specifically FERRIC CHLORIDE, otherwise know as Archer PCB etchant. Anything else will not work the same, and likely be far more dangerous. What I use comes in a 16oz bottle, and I dilute it 3 or 4 to 1..... meaning for 16oz of Ferric Chloride, add 48oz of DISTILL water (not tap, not well, or any other kind of water) and that is a 3 to 1 mix. If you use anything other then Ferric Chloride, I can't help you, and this video does not apply.
A saturated solution..... fill your neutralizer "tank" with water, then stir in TSP until no more will dissolve You can use plain tap water for the TSP.
Hi Terry, You can use a number of techniques, but basically it's hand sanding to the desired finish. "Satin" would be 600-800 grit finish, and for a mirror it's going to require going to at least 1200 grit....and even better is you go 2000+grit. What ever you do, DO NOT buff anything you intend to etch....it will come out looking "smeared".
Thanks! Do you worry about the sharp edge of a already sharp Damascus Sword when you etch like using fingernail polish on the edge to protect it or just etch and touch up edge after?
This is the first video I've seen of yours. It certainly won't be the last.
Easy to understand, lots of good information, easy to listen to!
Ty Sir
Awesome easy-to-understand tutorial with excellent tips! Thanks Mr. Caffrey!
It is a joy to come to a topic with 20 questions and find one simple video to answer them all. Thanks!
I’m doing some of my first Damascus and you gave me a lot of good info and insight that I wasn’t getting from other makers. My etch was coming out murky, now I know why. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Outstanding tutorial. Clear, concise and easy to understand.👍
Buffing prior to etching literally "smears" the surface of the steel.....which will make the etch come out blotchy and uneven. Also, those super fine scratches left by the sandpaper give the etchant something to "bite" on. If you want an etch that really "pops", take the finish to 1500-2000 grit by hand. The finer finish before etching, the crisper the etch will look, and depending on the specific pattern, can also add a lot of depth.
Thanks! Just did a test etch on my first random damascus billet, and I'm happy to learn I did it right! I haven't tried the TSP to neutralize after the etch, but certainly will, thanks to you.
Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to film and edit it and of course for positing it for our benefit. Keep up the good work! -Migs
Very informative thank you very much. I'm starting on a few damascus wedding bands next week, your info is going to help out when I reach this step.
Thanks Nathan! If you're doing carbon steel, I would also advise finishing the rings off with something like clear Gun-Kote. Otherwise with carbon damascus the rings will quickly patina and/or rust with constant skin contact.
My etch was coming out real muddy thanks for the info man I appreciate it
great tutorial, easy to follow and understand, even for a newby like myself
This may sound like a really silly question, but if you were to make a blade out of one of the three billets, would you heat treat first, then finish and etch the blade. Or, do you just go with the "native" hardness of the billet as it came from the forge?
Jesse..... not sure what you mean "How do they get the colors in the blades:? Give me a bit more info and I might be able to explain.
Great information! I love to find out I’m not the only one using mothers. Lol. Keep up the good work.
Love the Mother's wax! I've tried all the so called "premium" waxes over the years, and keep coming back to Mother's. Recently I tried Bowling alley wax, and found it puts a very "hard" wax finish on things.....if you can stand the smell....it'll make your eyes water! :)
Listen, i bought a really nice Damascus steel bowie from Pakistan, well, as u may know, at least the companies ive brought from, thaey have no idea how to put a usable edge on a knife. So here i go sharpening my new Damascus bowie, in the process, my fingerprints, have faded the etching is spots. I do believe l can fix this knife to its original beauty, but if there are any pointers that u could give me, id really appreciate it. I dont see exactly how im going to do this, because the handle is attatched and will not be removed, would a certain type of tape work, plastic golves on the handle etc. Any advice that u could offer would be so much appreciated. Thank u.
This is helping me understand echting now. And I love it
Very informative video. Thanks!
Thank You!!
Any steel classification can have "High Carbon"......at its base, steel is comprised of Iron, Carbon, and Manganeese. Other elements are added to produce particualr characteristics. For example, chromium is added in various amounts, and once that amount reaches 12%, the steel is consider a "stainless" steel. Terms such as "High Carbon" are often thrown around very loosely these days. GENERALLY, when the term "High Carbon Damascus Steel" is used, it usually means that the steels used in creating the damascus are "simple" steels (iron, carbon, manganeese), and not the more complex steels. Although it might sound more impressive when someone says "High Carbon Stainless Steel", the fact is that there are very few Bladesmiths/Knifemakers who can make "stainless" damascus, and in my opinion, the end product is not nearly as good as the same product produced from "high carbon damascus steel". If you deal directly with a custom knifemaker, you are generally assurred of quality, but if you deal with any of the outfits on the web that are "knife stores" my suggestion is "buyer beware". Many of those types of outlets will do whatever it takes to sell you a knife, including calling it what its not. The fact is that if you deal with a custom knifemaker/bladesmith, you are much more likely to get the best product that individual can produce......beware of "damascus" being sold at cheap prices.....there's a reason! This can vary from knifemaker to knifemaker, but personally I do not sell any damascus knife for less then $300...with rare exceptions.
Thanks for sharing your expertise Ed. Do you etch before or after heat treat? Can you etch more than once?( one before and one after heat treat) Thanks for your help.
I etch after heat treat. If you etch before heat treating, you'll very likely grind away the etch when you clean up after heat treat. Multiple etches? Certainly! I know a number of Makers who do it all the time, and I occasionally do. Scrub the blade with #0000 steel wool, then clean it well with acetone and/or windex. Make sure it's 100% dry, then go back into the etch.
Thank you for this! I've been wondering which ratios to use. Also, how many billets can you etch before the etchant needs to be replaced?
Although the etchant will eventually "wear out", it will last a LONG time....generally for me it ends up that the etchant gets contaminated before it wears out. Usually I can count on the etchant working for a year or more in my shop, provided it doesn't get contaminated. You have to be VERY careful around the etchant..... get a single drop of windex or ammonia in it, and it will "kill" the entire container of etchant. CLEAN is the operative word for anything placed in the etchant..... if you get sloppy cleaning anything you etch, that can cause issue too. Although you will see videos otherwise, use ONLY glass or plastic containers for FC etchant.
What exacly does it mean if a sword/knife says it's made of High carbon damascus steel. its it fake or part real?
Really awesome, im gonna try this soon
very helpful video, thanks!
Good job
Hello , I hope your commentary is still active on this video..
Is TSP absolutely necesary to neutralize the etching ? The reason being that some people don't even seem to mention it... Thank you!
TSP is the best neutralizer, but you can also use a saturated solution of Baking soda and water. I feel it's is imperative to neutralize.... otherwise there will be rust, and usually a lot of it. ;)
@@TheMontanaBladesmith Thanks ! Any good sources where I can find it ?
Great tutorial thanks mate 👍
you state you dilute your acid down . i can only get 40% acid. do i still dilute ??
Not "acid"... Specifically FERRIC CHLORIDE, otherwise know as Archer PCB etchant. Anything else will not work the same, and likely be far more dangerous. What I use comes in a 16oz bottle, and I dilute it 3 or 4 to 1..... meaning for 16oz of Ferric Chloride, add 48oz of DISTILL water (not tap, not well, or any other kind of water) and that is a 3 to 1 mix. If you use anything other then Ferric Chloride, I can't help you, and this video does not apply.
great video
What's the ratio of TSP to distilled water for the neutralizer? THX
A saturated solution..... fill your neutralizer "tank" with water, then stir in TSP until no more will dissolve You can use plain tap water for the TSP.
I plan to use this technique on a damascus double barrel shotgun.
Great advice. Thanks
What is your solution? Ferric acid? vinegar? distilled water? Thanks
Thank you.
How do you get the "Satin or Mirror" finish?
Hi Terry,
You can use a number of techniques, but basically it's hand sanding to the desired finish. "Satin" would be 600-800 grit finish, and for a mirror it's going to require going to at least 1200 grit....and even better is you go 2000+grit. What ever you do, DO NOT buff anything you intend to etch....it will come out looking "smeared".
Thanks!
Do you worry about the sharp edge of a already sharp Damascus Sword when you etch like using fingernail polish on the edge to protect it or just etch and touch up edge after?
How do they get the color in the blades