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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Hydrochloric acid for Damascus?

    I need to do a light surface etch on Damascus steel. Does anyone know if i can buy small quantities of Hydrochloric acid in Melbourne.

    Or...
    Even better, is there someone in melbourne who does this who could help me out.

    Ta.
    Ben
    Art has now be-come
    Sim-ply an ex-cuse to sit
    In the Sun . What Fun!
    BC-haiku

  2. #2
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    Default

    Any hardware shop should sell it, its used for cleaning down brickwork.

    Al

  3. #3
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    Default

    Depending on just what sort of 'damascus' you are etching, good results on wootz can be had with ferric sulfate, while nickle/iron pamour (kris iron) traditionally was etched with lemon juice and arsenic (yummy!) - apparently you don't absorb enough thru' the skin to kill you, you just look very well preserved in you old age (check Herodotus on that).

    Hydrochloric is OK for DIY iron/steel mechanical 'damascus' but it will cause ongoing corrosion if there are any cold shuts or other defects in the steel unless you neutralise it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2005
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    Turramurra, NSW
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    Default

    If you still want Hydrocloric acid, just bludge some off any of your mates with a pool.

    They'll have gallons.

    I use Sulphuric from old batteries.
    Bodgy
    "Is it not enough simply to be able to appreciate the beauty of the garden without it being necessary to believe that there are faeries at the bottom of it? " Douglas Adams

  5. #5
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    Default

    Thanks guys.
    From what i have read, i should use a mix of sulphuric (which i can get from work) and Hydrocloric.

    Its a bar of 1095 mild steel btw

    Ta.
    Art has now be-come
    Sim-ply an ex-cuse to sit
    In the Sun . What Fun!
    BC-haiku

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Geelong, Victoria
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    Default

    i think the standard used acid is feric chloride. usually in a mix with a little water i think 1 part feric to 2 water sounds about right.
    you can get it from dick smith or tandy, they use it to etch printed circuit boards, its not that expencive either.
    if you wnt an exact method check out KNifenetwork.com do a search and youll find oodles of info.
    brett

  7. #7
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by holmsy2000 View Post
    i think the standard used acid is feric chloride. usually in a mix with a little water i think 1 part feric to 2 water sounds about right.
    you can get it from dick smith or tandy, they use it to etch printed circuit boards, its not that expencive either.
    if you wnt an exact method check out KNifenetwork.com do a search and youll find oodles of info.
    brett
    Yep, I vote the ferric chloride, safer than HCl and more controlable. You can sit and watch the HCl for some time and not much seems to be happening so you go go away and leave it and when you come back you can end up with holes everywhere or even no metal and a pile of sludge in your tank.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
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    CANADA
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    Default etch

    The damascus has to be sanded up to 600 grit min or the etch will not come out with much contrast. Ferric can be had as electronics board etch.
    Rinse with a base like backing soda when finished your etch to stop the acid.
    Cheers Ron

  9. #9
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    Default

    did you maske the damascusing yourself ? please post a pic.
    Zed

  10. #10
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    Default

    Sorry its been awhile and for the lack of photos. I'll post them when the blade is finished, which it nearly is.

    I tried an etch using Ferric chloride on a scrap and that seems to work.

    Ben
    Art has now be-come
    Sim-ply an ex-cuse to sit
    In the Sun . What Fun!
    BC-haiku

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Zed View Post
    did you maske the damascusing yourself ? please post a pic.
    And no. I bought the bar from an Ebay shop.
    Art has now be-come
    Sim-ply an ex-cuse to sit
    In the Sun . What Fun!
    BC-haiku

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