Gold inlay and etching damscus

[russ]

I did a quick search on this - I hope I'm not repeating an old subject here. After sanding down the gold inlay on damascus and it’s time to etch or re-etch the steal, dose it harm the gold (silver, copper, nickel)? How do you protect it? My understanding is you need to dunk the steal in the solution for several minutes. Or do you brush it on?

 

[Joe Mason]

Russ,
It would help to know a little more about what you are working on.

Joe

 

[monk]

i don't think nitric or sulfuric will bother the gold, but hydrochloric will. so the gold would have to be blocked with a resist if hcl was the acid you used.

 

[ihsfab]

Try these guys Russ http://www.cronite.com/etchsup.htm they have been in buisness for a long time. They have everything you need, give them a call.

 

[chris]

etching

hi
russ
they use a power board etchant called ferric chloride mixed with water
around 4 fl oz to 16 fl oz water ive used it on damascuse with 24 kt inlay did not effect the gold at all if worried just dip piece of wire in and test first
c.j.

 

[ChrisB]

Russ,
I use Pheric Cloride, Just be Carefull when using it with brass or Copper, When You Reuse it the brass or copper Taints the Pheric and Your Damascus will come out a Reddish Color.!!
I Know, I did some Mokume Bolsters, and when i reused the Pheric on Damascus this Happened.!!

 

[chris]

ferric

hi
chris b
ferric chloride is desighned to eat copper away thats how they use to make the transistor boards
you were lucky your mokumegain stayed in one piece
thanks
chris

 

[Tim Wells]

What Chris said. I use this stuff too and I got it at Radio Shack. You don't need to dip it long, about 30 seconds etched my blade nicely. Neutralize it with plain old blue Windex.

 

[ddushane]

Use PCB etchant solution from Radio Shack, it's Ferric Chloride like stated above, etching times will vary with the type of damascus, use 50/50 acid & distilled water. It works best if the mixture is warm, I'll warm the water before adding it to the ferric chloride. I like a deep etch for the contrast, so I etch 5 minutes or more then rinse with windex or anything with amonia, this will nutralize the acid, then rinse with water. Dwayne

 

[ddushane]

forgot something, if you've etched and it's not deep enough for you, just put it back in. You can keep going back into the ferric chloride as many times as you want but make sure you rinse with water and get the amonia/windex off so you don't contaminate your ferric chloride. Dwayne

 

[russ]

Thanks for all the help. It sounds like Ferric Chloride will not harm the gold - and I probably shouldn't use it with copper. What about brass or nickel?

Dwayne - how did you do the bolster you posted recently that had the engraving un-etched? Did you paint it with fingernail polish to protect it? – Very NICE , by the way!

Thanks again.

 

[ddushane]

Russ, Yes, fingernail polish is what I use to mask portions off that I don't want etched. It helps to use your microscope for it too. I used mine for the first time on the bolsters your talking about. Really helped me see what I was doing. After you get done, just clean off with a acetone and then put you black paint in. Most damascus when sanded will look like any other steel unless you heat color it or finish it too fine and polish. Sometimes with a really fine polish the pattern of the damascus can show and with heat coloring the pattern will do groovy stuff as well. Something to play with for different affects for sure. Thanks for the comments on the bolsters, Dwayne