Jeddly Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hey fellas, I was wonderin where I could find a bit of ferric chloride in the bowl? I finally got some cable to stick and need to etch. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Radio shack was the last I knew of. I make my own now by dissolving mill scale in muriatic acid. I am pleased with the results and I can make it etch stronger than regular by using less scale. So the adjustability is handy. What cable did you use? Would love to see the finished product. Did you just make stock or did you finish an item? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Well dang! I've got some muriatic acid and some scale on the floor already. I got the cable scraps from Arctic Wire & Rope for free. Good guys over there. To answer your question as to the form, its in a blade-like shape now, bout 1/4" thick and 10" long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 You can also make it with more commonly available hydrochloric acid, steel wool and hydrogen peroxide. The even more common muratic acid and scale sounds the easiest though. Hydrochloric acid is the chemical name of Muriatic acid, they are the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to give it a go. Having never etched anything before, I'm assuming you do it after hardening, and polish right? Another question, it seems I am not brushing my metal before striking it, and it looks like I'm pounding scale into the steel. It is very hard to remove with the grinder. Is there a better way? Besides scrubbing it after it comes out of the fire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabbsterinn Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 i've heard about putting some water on your anvil and dipping the hammer in water before the first hit, that supposedly pops most of the scale off, i haven't tried it myself but i've heard about it a few times here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 You can dissolve the scale by leaving it in vinegar overnite. It will leave pits though where it ate the scale out of the metal.best to brush when doing something where the surface is important. Making a knife though you will normally need to grind a bit off anyway and that should get you down past the scale. Just a note back on the ferric chloride bit- the idea to add H2O2 does work but doesn't really add much to the results. Commercially it is a waste product where they used muriatic to dissolve scale in mass quantity. It is no longer really effective at dissolving the scale, but enough bite left to etch which is why we use it. There is plenty if bite left to eat copper so they use it in making printed circuit boards, that is why radio shack had it. Be careful with muriatic acid it is mean stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 I bought this jug almost 10 years ago to disolve some aluminum from the bore of a snowmachine jug. If I remember right, the reaction put off hydrogen gas in the process. It is definitely some nasty stuff. I guess I need to find a tall glass jar for the etch now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 The acid is percolating. Here is a pic of the goods. Obviously, the bigger one is the cable. On a side note, anyone in town carry finer belts than 120 grit in the 72" flavor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 No idea on the belts. Like the metal. I have been getting my cable from the same place.i notice the colors come out better if you don't clean the grease out and don't over forge it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polymarkos Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 I do not believe that Radio Shack carries Ferric Chloride any longer in the local stores. I got the last two bottles at the RS in Wasilla; I think they were just leftovers collecting dust on the shelf. It seems you can order it online: http://www.radioshack.com/radioshack-16oz-pcb-etchant-solution/2761535.html#.VG_n-GPiupo It's also used in woodwork; you may be able to source it from specialty woodworking outfits as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 I think I got it. Seems my solution is a bit weak, as this was after an hour of soak. I still need to treat and finish grind, but I like how it the pattern looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The point of using ferric chloride instead of just acid is that it is weaker. If you use full strength it attacks both with equal vigor and you net no difference. Your piece looks good for only an hour. Some people use very diluted and soak overnight. It is rare to get very high definition with cable Damascus. It is more of a delicate pattern that can easily be washed out. Ferric chloride is an acid.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 I didn't know that. I was doing 15 minute intervals and wiping the pattern away, when I decided to go for an hour long soak. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 I've never played with forging cable but have swaged fittings and spliced. If you had two identical cables say 3/4 7x19 one in stainless and one regular you could unwind the two cables and mix the two different alloys. Big question which I have not researched is will stainless forge weld to the other alloy? Might be a simple way of getting some better contrast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If you look in the knife making section, you will see forge welding stainless steel isnt for sissy's. I hope the poster has the proper resperator, the flux needed is deadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Hmmmm, I think being an old sissy is better than a dead macho man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 mixing cables would look good but with that much effort I would just make a billet and skip the cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 This cable was actually mixed by size of wire. Does that count? I'm pretty sure the metalurgical content was the same though. Is it bad to lust for pattern welded steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Different size wire in the cables should show up in the final pattern , but like I said you won't ever see high contrast in it. I have been lucky with most of mine to have pretty clear distinction between the strands, except one time when I moved it around several times trying to make things other than knives. If it is wrong to lust after a pattern in metal then I am in the same boat with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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