KRIS MAIMBUNG JOLO

[kino]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Very helpful detail, though I was hoping Kino would share his vinegar brush-on process.

Here’s the method that I follow.

Starting with a cleaned and polished blade, I remove the oily residue, if any, with acetone. In a large glass bowl, I’ll warm up 1-2 cups of household vinegar with ~5% acidity, I also warm the blade with hot water.
I use a foam brush and position the blade over the glass bowl of vinegar and start by loading up the brush with vinegar and start brushing the blade. I keep the liquid moving constantly. It usually takes over an hour of brushing until I get the desired effect. I neutralize the vinegar with plenty of soapy water and oil. Sometimes it’ll take more than 1 session to get where I want it to look.
Like I mentioned, it’s a lengthy process, it’s a labor of love.
Photo below of one that I recently etched.

There are vinegars with higher acidity, up to 20% that I have seen at home improvement stores. I m sure they work quicker but I stay away from them.