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Originally Posted by ALEX
Acid etching was used on some items like armour, metal trays, etc, but not that common on arms. It was/is considered less prestigeous and desirable. As you properly stated - it is less expensivel, and would not be considered a mark of high quality. Nowadays, it is used as quick, sweat-shop mass production method as it allows multiple items to be produced at the same time.
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Casting aside the issue of weapons and looking at the issue of illustration, acid etching is what produced some of the world's great illustrative artwork such as that by Durer. If Durer's fifteenth century plates existed in good condition today they could be used to produce much the same fine work - on some sort of paper of course.
Depending on the masking technique, acid etching could outline a project to be engraved further or prepared for koftgari - though I never heard of anyone doing it. It would be useful today to neatly outline the metal to be chiseled away, for example, from the top of a Persian barrel I have where there are raised sections with koftgari overlaid with silver. No one ever did it that way, I bet, but it could be done today. I speak as someone with recollections of limited printing and hand lithography experience. It is possible to cross-apply the techniques to hopefully simplify the job at hand.
I suppose depletion gilding could be used over an etched surface or even gold foil. I have some Indian tulwar hilts which have broad sections of silver leaf hammered on the usual scratched surface. I had an Algerian jambiya with a light gold inlay of pears on the blade. The surface wasn't scratched but simply hit with a file.
In all these things cost and time are the factors.