what type of ferric acid do you use for Damascus and what strength saw alot of copper etchant is that the right stuff
https://www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-16oz-pcb-etchant-solution
Ferric chloride is very popular. I've heard lots of different solution strengths, but 3 parts distilled water to 1 part fecl has worked well for me.
were can you get ferric cloride i've seen diluted in some placesbut havent found full strength, if i see it online they say they cannot ship it
3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 distilled water to the FeCl are all commonly used dilutions.
Radio Shack sells it online as PCB Etchant. This comes pre-diluted, but I am not sure what the dilution rate is. You can also make it, by adding Fe to HCl. Ferric chloride is not an "acid" per se. It is a corrosive salt. The HCL (hydrochloric acid) is commonly used in a diluted form called Muriatic Acid for PH balancing in pools. Muriatic also contains some other stuff, typically iron, which is already starting to become ferric.
You can make a reasonable facsimile of ferric by dissolving steel wool in muriatic acid. The muriatic is available at big box home improvement stores or pool supply stores. For the Fe, you get some very fine steel wool and dissolve it in the Muriatic until no more will take. It still retains enough corrosive quality to etch your steel blades.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
Do yourself a favor and get Ferric Chloride/PCB Archer Etchant from Radio Shack/online. Go MINIMUM of 3-1 dilution with DISTILLED water only.
The one thing you DO NOT want when etching Damascus is "fast".....that always equals a poor etch.
The higher the dilution of the ferric, the slower it will etch, and the better/clean the etch will come out... within reason. I've personally gone as high as 6-1 dilution with ferric, but that took literally hours to obtain the depth of etch I wanted. I've since settle on at 4-1 dilution, and overall etching a blade takes 45-60 mins.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 distilled water to the FeCl are all commonly used dilutions.
Radio Shack sells it online as PCB Etchant. This comes pre-diluted, but I am not sure what the dilution rate is. You can also make it, by adding Fe to HCl. Ferric chloride is not an "acid" per se. It is a corrosive salt. The HCL (hydrochloric acid) is commonly used in a diluted form called Muriatic Acid for PH balancing in pools. Muriatic also contains some other stuff, typically iron, which is already starting to become ferric.
You can make a reasonable facsimile of ferric by dissolving steel wool in muriatic acid. The muriatic is available at big box home improvement stores or pool supply stores. For the Fe, you get some very fine steel wool and dissolve it in the Muriatic until no more will take. It still retains enough corrosive quality to etch your steel blades.
this makes Ferris chloride, you need to add hydrogen peroxide to convert to ferric , go slow in an over large container is is an energetic reaction the ferris will be a green color, add peroxide until it turns brown and it is ferric, add distilled water until it etches nicely.
this works well as a etchant but i have found ferric made this way is not as stable as store bought.
my sword tanks tend to always be in flux, i end up adding peroxide distilled water, or fresh ferric to get then to etch nicely...
MP
another question is my shop is in garage , it gets cold here will ferric acid freeze , dont want it bursting pvc pipe?
thanks for advice does ferric acid freeze
It will certainly freeze being significantly water.
thank will wait till summer then to try it
