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Fine Embellishment Everything from hand engraving and scrimshaw to filework and carving. The fine art end of the knifemaker's craft.

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Old 11-23-2007, 10:29 PM
EdgarFigaro EdgarFigaro is offline
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Acid Engraving.

I've been wanting to have a go at the acid etching/engraving.
Wanted to do some designs on blades and perhaps bolsters and such.
So I've been wanting to find a good resist so I can start practicing.

I was curious if anyone has any that they can suggest.

I just found this site.
http://www.graphicchemical.com/default.asp

Which seems to have all the supplies, but I'm not real sure what I'd need.
I know I'd need a resist and a scribe, but could probably make a scribe of some sort unless someone suggests why a manufactured one would be better.

I've got some muriatic acid, as well as ferric, but kinda wondering if it'd be better to have something stronger.

Suggestions?


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Old 11-26-2007, 08:38 PM
Dave London Dave London is offline
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Beau
Check the search engine on this site Montejano SP is a expert in acid etching and has posted info on it . Good luck Dave


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Old 11-26-2007, 11:11 PM
EdgarFigaro EdgarFigaro is offline
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I've had a good look over those threads, I think I'm just gonna get some asphaltum and experiment with it some.
I've also been informed that pvc vinyl automotive decal makes a nice resist. That combined with a laser and computer can make some nice stencils and cutouts.

Also read elsewhere that enamel paint pens work good, so I'd think enamel paint too.

The graphic chemical site has a big assortment of inks in various colors, but it's a little over my head, so I think I'll just go with the asphaltum =P


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Old 11-27-2007, 01:37 AM
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KatherinePlumer KatherinePlumer is offline
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This is a little out of my league because I don't know about etching knives, but I've done a lot of intaglio etching to make prints so I can maybe at least touch on a few things.

I always used nitric acid for etching steel. I can get more info about the dilution if you want but I want to say it was 1:10 (acid:water). Ferric was used for etching copper, as I recall. Etch times could be anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes depending on the darkness desired (of course with a printing plate you dunk it in the acid, this might be entirely different than what you are doing). Be sure to do lots of tests first!

These are a few of the main ways you can create an image with acid etching:

1) drypoint (actually does not use acid). Scratch directly into the surface, ink will catch in the line and the raised burr

2) hard-ground. A melted hard wax (ground) is applied to the heated metal, it must be rolled on smoothly. Lines are drawn through the ground with a scribe. The metal is dipped in acid. Shorter dip times = thinner line/lighter color. So if you wanted a range of tones, you would dip it, put a resist on the lightest areas, dip it again, resist, etc.

3) aquatint: this is used for making flat areas of tone (versus line). Powdered rosin is dusted into the metal and fused into place with a propane torch (I hear you can also use finely sprayed paint, I never tried this). This creates a "dot pattern" around which the acid can bite, thereby creating gray tones. Anything you don't want etched is stopped out with a resist, and then it's the same process of dip, resist, etc to make a range of tones. Again, do test plates.

Resists: I mostly used asphaltum. Thin it with turpentine (probably could use turpenoid and not fry so many brain cells). Use a fine paintbrush to apply it, but it's still hard to get fine detail this way. You might want to get some Stones litho crayons (like grease pencils). They also make a great resist and are especially handy for tight areas where you can't brush on the goopy asphaltum. Probably a #3 crayon would be best for that.

Scribes: anything pointy. Whistler's needles are popular with the fine art crowd.

Ink: Probably not so much of a concern if it stays on the metal and doesn't get printed. For printing I like Daniel Smith inks the best. For engraving I think you'd be fine with any. I use Charbonnel for scrimshaw.

Anyway, I don't know if that's at all what you were looking for, but that's what I know about acid etching fine art!

-Katherine


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