etching

[Sean Meloy]

Etching wire damascus, i have my ferric chloride 1qt. size. What is the dillution, 2 to 1, three to one. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Sean.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Sean, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

If you read through the knife and blade sections here I'm sure all your questions have been explained and discussed many times.

Before you ask questions though you need to be able to ask good ones. For instance, you say you have YOUR ferric chloride. Did you make it yourself? you have a quart can? Is it dry crystal or liquid, if liquid what concentration? It's just not possible to get GOOD answers to specific problems asking vague questions.

Well be more than happy to help you Sean but you need to know enough to ask the right questions and understand the answers. It generally takes years to become even competent at the craft let alone a specialized variant.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Sean Meloy]

Thanks for the headsup frosty, i will do my homework and come back with better questions. Sean.

[Frosty]

My pleasure Sean, I like helping folk but I just need to know particulars. Heck, there are guys who are making pattern welded blades at alarming rates who I am sure will be happy to fill in details but you need the basics.

Now, where are you? How do you expect an old fart like me to know where to stop in for a snack or nap if I don't know who lives where? Hmmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Sean Meloy]

Very cool, frosty i checked my ferric chloride, it is one quart liquid, Has a 42 on it, i gather thats 42 percent. Hope that helps, i live in San Diego, Cal. And it great to get help from someone who know whats up. Frosty thanks again. Sean.

[Frosty]

Don't make assumptions Sean, especially NOT with dangerous chemicals. Read the label and it will tell you exactly what's in it and how much. If not Google the brand and and product name. Look for the MSDS for the basics but the specifics like % dilution will be on the product label or company site.

San Diego eh, I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, Sylmar. You don't think I'm going to remember that after I check the next post do you? (I WISH!) Now, click on your avatar or name at the upper left of the page. Then click on edit profile and under location put YOUR general location. Save. Easy peasy.

Don't worry, it's not a rule, putting your general location out there in public is up to you but there are some real benefits. I'll bet there are at least 50 guys on IFI who live within an hour's drive of you but if they don't know you're that close they'll never mention the big hammer in or knife, square wheel build, forge and burner, etc. workshop or whatever to you, they won't know you're there. Ont he other hand some folk just like their privacy and aren't saying. S'up to you and I won't bug you about it anymore.

I've only messed with pattern welded billets a couple times, one for a bit in a little francesca like thing I made a few years ago. I just cooked up my own ferric chloride and let it soak till I liked it. No, I'm not recommending you cook your own etchants I'm just saying you gotta be very careful with this stuff and do NOT give something a try just because someone online says IT will work. You have zero idea who's flapping their gums or wagglng their fingers. I can say I'm 6'6" bronzed blond Adonis just as easily as some 13yr old who plays WOW says you can do X. Unless you can verify the facts with a legitimate source, some things are just too dangerous to mess with.

Let's see, since Weird Uncle Frosty is on a safety roll. You have PPE, the correct PPE. Yes? By all means you may ask me what PPE is, don't worry you cant be a fool if you do. If you don't and you need it on the other hand, you'll just be another cautionary tale.

What do you propose to do your etching in? What kind of exhaust system? Lighting? 1ST. AID kit? Spill control/clean up?

Frosty The Lucky.