Well...... I have recently found out that coca cola is very good at etching Damascus!



alec :D

Excuse my ignorance, what its the damascus?

Damascus is the general term used to describe pattern-welded steel.
It is where 2 or more types of different grade steels or iron (hard and soft) are forge welded together in alternating layers.
The original forged billet is then drawn out, cut, one half stacked on top of the other and forge welded again.
By drawing the billet out, cutting and reforging together several times, the number of layers increase exponentially giving the steel a very attractive rippling effect - like running water - when etched, .
By introducing twists in the process, the pattern in the steel can become even more striking. Etching the steel in a weak acid makes the pattern stand out even more as the softer steel layers get etched away slightly. A skilled pattern welded steel makes excellent blades - not just because of its beauty but because the blade benefits from the advantages of both types of steel - the hard cutting edge and toughness in the hard steel and the shock absorbing springiness of the softer steel.
This is just a basic description - if you want to know more others on this list can give you more specifics.
Cheers.
Sam

so if etching damascus actually eats the steal at different rates so that the patterns are visible, just imagine what that "ice cold coca-cola" is doing to you stomach lining!

Ok so yea we are health food nuts: grow our own garden and raise all of our own meat and working on the fruit.

Looks neat though......maybe you actually found a good use for that stuff! (the coke that is)

Its just a dilute solution of phosphoric and carbonic acids. Good to know though, I would qualify it as a "safe" etchant, possibly safer than vinegar.

Heck of a good idea, where did this flash of inspiration come from, and what kind of soak time did you use?

Jet, welcome aboard, if you use the search function with the term damascus you will get a whole lot of information and a whole lot of beautiful pictures of knives and such. This variety is also called pattern welding pr PW.

Phil

just imagine what that "ice cold coca-cola" is doing to you stomach lining!

I'm guessing it does nothing to your stomach lining considering stomach acid is pH 1.5 hydrochloric acid. Coca cola is a sissy acid compard to stomach acid. Your stomach lining is continually being eaten away by it's own acid, and it is continually regenerating.

45,000 cells are being killed and made in your stomach every minute !
The inspiration came from looking in the fridge and seeing an out of date cola!...... I had a damascus billet that was "shinny" on one side and so, put the billet in some colain a glass, and in 9 hours, THAT had happened!!!!! it gives it a nice effect (with the cola)

alec :D

Was the billet only part way submerged? There seems to be a line in the etch about 2/3 down.

Phil

apparently black coffee is also very good for etching damascus. Not tried either myself as I only have the normal acids in my workshop so would hae to go out and get the 'household etchants' :rolleyes:

the face of the billet, ( which is seen on the pic was fully in the cola), vertically, the whole billet was not in the cola,

alec

so if etching damascus actually eats the steal at different rates so that the patterns are visible, just imagine what that "ice cold coca-cola" is doing to you stomach lining!

Ok so yea we are health food nuts: grow our own garden and raise all of our own meat and working on the fruit.

Looks neat though......maybe you actually found a good use for that stuff! (the coke that is)

The stomach acid has a much lower pH than coke does, about one or two on the scale. a pH of 1 is 100 times more acidic than a pH of 2. Orange juice has a pH of around 3, so drink up!

Tannic acid can show the different layers too; I boiled a pattern welded piece in very strong loose leaf tea once after reading "The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England" H.R.Ellis Davidson and her discussion on possible methods used to bring out the patterns in A-S swords.

Came out of the beaker covered with sludge and I thought "well that one didn't work; perhaps it's time to steep some peat" Then while washing the piece the sludge slipped off leaving the pattern in a sort of purplish black colour, no topography though.

Bandsaw Blade and pallet strapping does very well in a hot vinegar and salt mix, again not much topography byt the BSB is usually a bright shining silver ves the dull greys of using ferric chloride.

Thomas

What did the Coke taste like?

actually sam.... I did not drink it.... (it was out of date in 2007, that is why) !) alec :D

I'm going to have a go with some fresh Coke, just to see what flavour it comes out.

I'm going to have a go with some fresh Coke, just to see what flavour it comes out.

Drink it first, then use the recycled stuff to pickle (or etch) or patinate, this is probably how we get the phrase. 'Taking the P'

i have noticed that when i etch things it puts almost a black coating on it should i wipe it off or let it dry like that?

like this whipped off left right is the coating

like this whipped off left right is the coating

srry this

That photo was HUGE (i saw nothing)

At the bottom left of the picture is a "save" button that opens the picture in a new tab (for me) and I can use firefox to rezoom. Not elegant but works. I still didn't see much.
Phil

It's not what it does to you stomach you should worry about. Think about what it does to your teeth. Every time you sip some cola it removes some of the calcium from your teeth. There is also some evidence that it may leech calcium from your bones and/or bind with dietary calcium, promoting osteoporosis.

Maybe stomach acid should be the preferred etchant. I've cleaned blades before only to find a crack. When that happened, I felt capable of producing enough etchant for a couple of blades!

I use a 50/50 mixture of ferric chloride / coca cola for my etching. Slows down the reaction time as compared to straight FeCl3. Comes out nice and smooth, a little 1200 grit brightens it up. I've used distilled water to cut my acid as well.