Etching with vinegar

[ApprenticeMan]

Neat, I will try it today on my new knife.

[oakwoodforge]

Adding lemon juice to white vinegar really makes a Hamon line "pop out " visually. Apply warm and evenly for best results.


Jens

[Víctor Zamora]

Just as Ellen, I used homemade vinegard in some japanese type blades and lets a more "natural" hamon, some friend of mine told me that was more "traditional" in japanese blades.

[CalebSavant]

excellent idea!! i will try this on my new dagger ASAP!

[FredW]

I have not used anything but vinegar. I've made some damascas knives and the vinegar works very well. I wish I tooks some pics.

Fred

[Ian]

Not got a picture handy but the cable damascus knife I made was etched in warm vinegar, you'll find it on the gallery.....
Anyway that aside the smell of warm vinegar will make any smoker cough but it does work pretty well when you don't have anything else handy (such as when you're out in the middle of the outback )

[ApprenticeMan]

If you need to etch something very lightly, try taking a glass jar of water, and adding enough snow melting salt until it JUST WILL NOT mix anymore.

[julian]

vinegar is great for revealing very fine patterns in damascus; it takes longer but shows more. Personally I use pool acid to etch damascus, it doesn't immediately burn a hole in your skin as long as you wash it off quickly. Windex or some kind of liquid containing ammonia is very good to have around to neutralize acid.

[781]

Havent tried it to etch blades but use HTH PH minus to remove scale from steel and a differrent bucket of same stuff to clean copper.
Get it at Walmart $10 for 10# dry. Mix a capfull to 5 gal of hot water for quicker cleaning.
It is found in the pool supply area.
sodium bysalfate (SP)
I think I got Tom Latane" switched to it. He used to buy $90 a gal vinagzar

[ThomasPowers]

At least it's not roadkill in the refrigerator or freezer---don't ask.