etching tests

[loneronin]

well, i spent some time to test my etching kit and these are the results.

first of all let me introduce you my kit:

a - the transformer (I tested 5 of them)
b - 3 office clip (1 medium and 2 small size)
c - a scrap wire
d - a small electrolyte container to wet the pad
e - a piece of wood to support the pad
f - the pad (toilet paper)
g - the electrolyte (I tested some combinations)
h - stencils/scotch to mask the balde


the pad assembled:


I used a piece of stainless stell I found in the scrap pile as balde, with some sand paper I make it even and I clean it with alcohol. and these are the results I obtained with the following combinations:


1 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; electrolyte: warm water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 25 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

2 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; electrolyte: distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 25 min; then I inverted the poles: pole + to the pad, pole – to the blade; etching time: 12 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

3 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; electrolyte: vinegar, lemon juice and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 25 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

4 - output: DC, 20V, 3,25amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 12 min; some stencil/mask damage, pad a little carbonized

5 - output: AC, 12V, 1,00amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 12 min; some stencil/mask damage, pad a little carbonized

6 - output: DC, 5,7V, 0,80amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 15 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

7 - output: DC, 12V, 1,25amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 15 min; some stencil/mask damage, pad carbonized

8 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 15 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

9 - output: DC, 20V, 3,25amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad; etching time: 6,5 min; stencil/mask damage, pad carbonized

I would like to make other tests but my conclusion, not surprisingly, are:

use 5V, 2,5amp DC output (the higher the V the higher the temperature)
to get a deep etching use quite long etching-time
to get a black etching use an AC output
press your stencil/mask to let them paste well to your blade to avoid deburrings
water and salt is enough for a deep and sharp mark-etching

[nett]

Interesting. After you earlier thread asking for information on etching, I looked around a bit, too, your results look promising. I don't quite understand how the stencil was applied for each test space. Do I understand that the stencil was just used to mask out the edges? Do you plan to try cutting pattern stencils in the future? Would applied hot wax do the same job as scotch tape for stencil material? Interesting possibilities.

[loneronin]

I used only tape to mask the 9 areas edges.

I would like to cut my stencils but I'll probably buy them to get the right sizes (to mark my blades I'll need really small stencils)

to use the wax could be a good possibility but I probably prefer a stencil to get always exactly the same mark

[loneronin]

... some other test results.

I followed some ads like use a real felt and not toilet paper on the pad, put a piece of stainless steel plate under the felt, etch small areas and try shorter etching time with higher voltage.

1 - 9 - see post #1 of this thread

10 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 30 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

11 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 10 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

12 - output: DC, 5V, 2,40amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 5 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

13 - output: DC, 20V, 3,25amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 5 min; no stencil/mask/pad damage

14 - output: DC, 20V, 3,25amp; sulfuric acid (from an old car battery); pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 3/4 sec on - 5 sec off 10 times; no stencil/mask/pad damage

15 - output: DC, 20V, 3,25amp; distilled water and salt; pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt); etching time: 3/4 sec on - 5 sec off for 5 min; stencil/mask/pad damaged

[loneronin]

here it is my first "real" etching on the blade of a stake-knife.

I used the DC output to etch deep: 5V, 2,40amp, water and salt as electrolyte, pole + to the blade, pole - to the pad (felt over a stainless steel plate) for 10 min, then I changed the transformer to blacken the etch AC, 12V, 1,00amp, same electrolyte for 2 min.
I like the result but next time I'll etch in AC with longer rests to let the blade and the stencil better cool down as I noticed some stencil damage and some little black scrubs also over the letters.
moreover on my knives I'll use smaller font, maybe 3mm (these are 5mm)