Richard: I use a paint brush. I hold it by the handle and just apply it to both sides making sure that the blade is covered evenly. If you have warmed the blade with a propane torch sometimes the acid will smoke a little. this won't hurt anything. As to how long you need to wait for the etch to be complete, this will vary with the type of metal, number of layers, how much carbon has been put in the blade during forging. The more pieces you do, the more you will be able to know when to rinse and neutralize. Generally, iv'e found that the longer the acid is on, the darker the etch, so it will be a matter of personal preference how dark you might want the etch. I seem to get better control of the shades of light and dark if i etch out in the bright sunlight where i can better see what the final contrast will be. If the etch seems to be a little dark then you can take a steel wool pad and rubbing lightly take away some of the etch. This has worked for me........sometimes. Otherwise you will need to take some 1500 wet and dry and buff off the etch. Another thing i have found is that the higher the polish on the blade , the better it looks like it has put under a pane of glass. This is all a matter of personal preference. Some don't like an etch that looks like this, some do. Regardles of how you do it, the most important things to do are a thorough degreasing before etch, and a quick oiling after etch to prevent rust. If you have any problems, let me know. Hope this helps.............Dave
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27th February 2007, 10:09 PM
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