I know there has to be a thread on here already about how to acid stain a blade (like the original red imps came), but I can't find it. Any advice on how to do it and what kind of acid to use? Thanks
How to acid stain a blade?
- Thread starter MilkyLee
- Start date
hot vinegar, I think charlie lewis has a youtube vid showing how to do it.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks, I just watched the video and might have to try that if I don't find the other thread. What I was looking for was an acid and it made (what looked like) a nice even grey coating where it wasn't taped. I wish the search function was better.
Muriatic acid works.
- Thread starter
- #5
Gamma do you know can you just use the stuff from home depot or lowes or does it need to be more concentrated, maybe from a cleaning supply store? Thanks
Last edited:
Forgive me for coming off a bit overly cautious -
It's dangerous. I don't recommend doing it unless you are 100% sure you won't have a 'whoops'.
lay out the entire job first. do a dry run, then do it again. And again. Challenge yourself, does the plan have any room for a whoops?
Kids, cats, and cellphone-weilding significant others all need to go far away.
Seriously - it's acid, not playdough.
I used a 50/50 mix with water. I mixed 8 oz of solution for doing one blade.
Pour the acid into the water, not the other way around. Stir gently, very gently.
Wear maximum eye and skin protection.
Do it outside unless you have awesome industrial-grade ventilation indoors.
The fumes are killer - you can get hurt bad if you're not used to handling this type of chemistry.
Not breathing is a better alternative to inhaling the fumes - be prepared to not breath if you mess up and you start feel it tickling your nose.
Know which way the wind is going - stay up-wind.
After that - mask the steel and carefully place it into the bath. Carefully - as in 'don't splash'.
Even diluted like this - you can get burned.
Takes a long while to really cut into the surface, but don't leave it alone - babysit it.
Dunk it carefully a few times to clear the bubbles as it's working.
A good etch might take 2 hr or longer.
Testing is critical - get a few beater blades ready to experiment with first.
you can neutralize the acid with baking soda or lime.. then you can dump it safely.
It's dangerous. I don't recommend doing it unless you are 100% sure you won't have a 'whoops'.
lay out the entire job first. do a dry run, then do it again. And again. Challenge yourself, does the plan have any room for a whoops?
Kids, cats, and cellphone-weilding significant others all need to go far away.
Seriously - it's acid, not playdough.
I used a 50/50 mix with water. I mixed 8 oz of solution for doing one blade.
Pour the acid into the water, not the other way around. Stir gently, very gently.
Wear maximum eye and skin protection.
Do it outside unless you have awesome industrial-grade ventilation indoors.
The fumes are killer - you can get hurt bad if you're not used to handling this type of chemistry.
Not breathing is a better alternative to inhaling the fumes - be prepared to not breath if you mess up and you start feel it tickling your nose.
Know which way the wind is going - stay up-wind.
After that - mask the steel and carefully place it into the bath. Carefully - as in 'don't splash'.
Even diluted like this - you can get burned.
Takes a long while to really cut into the surface, but don't leave it alone - babysit it.
Dunk it carefully a few times to clear the bubbles as it's working.
A good etch might take 2 hr or longer.
Testing is critical - get a few beater blades ready to experiment with first.
you can neutralize the acid with baking soda or lime.. then you can dump it safely.
- Thread starter
- #7
Holy S*%! never mind, I'll just use the boiling vinegar method and that will be good enough. Thanks Keith for explaining it like that I appreciate it!
Ferric chloride works well. I usually cut mine down starting at 6:1 with water, but not more than 9:1. Neutralize in ammonia after. Lightly scrub with a scotch brite pad to remove oxidization and dunk again. Starting at 10 seconds, go up from there for darker.
-Xander
-Xander
- Thread starter
- #9
Where do you get ferric chloride?
Radio Shack as PCB etchant.
-Xander
-Xander
Assuming it's carbon steel and not stainless, I bet a solution of citric acid or filtered lemon juice would work and wouldn't be very noxious--ferrous citrate is produced very readily this way.
Last edited:
If you want a dark etch on carbon steel, then use ferric chloride. A deeper grey etch, use muriatic. I have also used sulfuric acid (battery acid) Pay attention to the warnings listed above! These solutions are not trivial items. They can mess up your day, and more! I use the sulfuric on damasteel, a stainless damascus, so if your razor is stainless, this will cut it. Depending on the formulation of the stainless, it may turn it dark grey, or no color change at all. Tape will not suffice on stronger acids. You can use a resist like a metalic flec nail polish (Don't ask. but it works) I use ashphaltium.
It's been almost twenty years since I took an etching class, but Bear's advice makes sense. Asphaltum can be applied with a brush, and with a fair amount of precision, over the areas you want to preserve. It is sealed by a hotplate heat application. I believe the traditional etching bath uses nitric acid as a component--which calls for the necessary health and safety protections, as when working with any acid of this type, especially at the mixing stage. So maybe a ferric chloride solution is a safer, contemporary alternative--I don't know, as I haven't tried it. Ounce for ounce, citric acid is twenty times stronger than glacial acetic (vinegar) acid, and not as noxious. And while a solution of citric acid or lemon juice will darken or blacken carbon steel, maybe it won't go as deeply as you would want. Introducing the blade into an etching bath with large areas of metal exposed would be called an "open bite," if I recall correctly.
Last edited:
I’m new to this so please forgive me if I’m not doing this correctly but my question is this I had a custom maker make me a blade and it’s very dark so I asked him what he used to darken it as I use my blades on fruit and veggies while camping and he said muratic acid which he said he washes off...he offered to remake it if I’m too scared but said all his personal knives are done this way and he used them in the kitchen..isvit safe or should he remake it....
I would not be worried about it.
Yeah, you're fine. The acid doesn't penetrate the steel, and a good washing is plenty good enough to remove any traces.
