Damascus Skinner

[MikeConner]

Here's one that just left for it's new home. 8" overall with Alabama Damascus and stabilized rams horn with 416 stainless bolsters and mosaic pins.

[phillip.dial]

Wow great craftsmanship.

[SamHarper]

That's beautiful. I especially love that handle, and the sheath is pretty awesome, too.

Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? I'm making my first knife out of Damascus right now, and it has raised some questions for me.

First, I etched the blade before attaching the bolsters and handle. It came out looking awesome when I pulled it out of the acid and rinsed it off. But then when I went to dry it, a lot of the black stuff just rubbed right off. You can still see the pattern just fine, but it doesn't look nearly as good as before I dried it. I'm afraid if I don't dry it, it'll rust. What's the solution to that problem?

Second, how do you do the spine? Since you have to shape the handle, I'm assuming you have to also sand the spine, which will remove the pattern from the Damascus. But do you sand off the etching all the way down to the tip, or is there a transition from the spine on the handle to the spine on the back of the blade? If so, how do you make that transition look good?

Third, Do you sharpen the knife before you etch it? It seems like it would be hard not to take off some of the etching while sharpening it.

Fourth, do you etch it before putting on the bolster? I've already put my bolster on, but I'm kind of wanting to etch it again in hopes of getting that stronger contrast before I dried it before, but I'm afraid the acid will ruin the bolster. Maybe I could cover the bolster in fingernail polish or something.

Anyway, I'm open to any suggestions. These were some things I just didn't think about before I tried it.

[MikeConner]

That's beautiful. I especially love that handle, and the sheath is pretty awesome, too.

Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? I'm making my first knife out of Damascus right now, and it has raised some questions for me.

First, I etched the blade before attaching the bolsters and handle. It came out looking awesome when I pulled it out of the acid and rinsed it off. But then when I went to dry it, a lot of the black stuff just rubbed right off. You can still see the pattern just fine, but it doesn't look nearly as good as before I dried it. I'm afraid if I don't dry it, it'll rust. What's the solution to that problem?

What are you etching with and what is the steel composition of the Damascus that you're using?

Second, how do you do the spine? Since you have to shape the handle, I'm assuming you have to also sand the spine, which will remove the pattern from the Damascus. But do you sand off the etching all the way down to the tip, or is there a transition from the spine on the handle to the spine on the back of the blade? If so, how do you make that transition look good?

I sand the spine to bare metal in the final finishing steps.

Third, Do you sharpen the knife before you etch it? It seems like it would be hard not to take off some of the etching while sharpening it.

Sharpening is the very last thing that I do. It does remove the darker etched colors but it's just the very edge and just adds contrast.

Fourth, do you etch it before putting on the bolster? I've already put my bolster on, but I'm kind of wanting to etch it again in hopes of getting that stronger contrast before I dried it before, but I'm afraid the acid will ruin the bolster. Maybe I could cover the bolster in fingernail polish or something.

I've never tried to etch a blade after the bolsters were attached but sealing them with clear finger nail polish may do the trick.

Anyway, I'm open to any suggestions. These were some things I just didn't think about before I tried it.

Feel free to PM me if you want.

[SamHarper]

First, I etched the blade before attaching the bolsters and handle. It came out looking awesome when I pulled it out of the acid and rinsed it off. But then when I went to dry it, a lot of the black stuff just rubbed right off. You can still see the pattern just fine, but it doesn't look nearly as good as before I dried it. I'm afraid if I don't dry it, it'll rust. What's the solution to that problem?

What are you etching with and what is the steel composition of the Damascus that you're using?

It's Alabama Damascus with 5160, 203E, 52100, and 15N20.

Second, how do you do the spine? Since you have to shape the handle, I'm assuming you have to also sand the spine, which will remove the pattern from the Damascus. But do you sand off the etching all the way down to the tip, or is there a transition from the spine on the handle to the spine on the back of the blade? If so, how do you make that transition look good?

I sand the spine to bare metal in the final finishing steps.

Yeah, but do you sand the spine all the way down to the tip, or just to the end of the handle?


Third, Do you sharpen the knife before you etch it? It seems like it would be hard not to take off some of the etching while sharpening it.

Sharpening is the very last thing that I do. It does remove the darker etched colors but it's just the very edge and just adds contrast.

I see. On previous knives, I grind the bevel until it's sharp, so I don't have a secondary bevel for the edge. I guess I'll have to put a secondary bevel on this one.

Thank you for the responses!

[MikeConner]

First, I etched the blade before attaching the bolsters and handle. It came out looking awesome when I pulled it out of the acid and rinsed it off. But then when I went to dry it, a lot of the black stuff just rubbed right off. You can still see the pattern just fine, but it doesn't look nearly as good as before I dried it. I'm afraid if I don't dry it, it'll rust. What's the solution to that problem?

What are you etching with and what is the steel composition of the Damascus that you're using?

It's Alabama Damascus with 5160, 203E, 52100, and 15N20.

OK what mixture of FC/Water are you using?

Second, how do you do the spine? Since you have to shape the handle, I'm assuming you have to also sand the spine, which will remove the pattern from the Damascus. But do you sand off the etching all the way down to the tip, or is there a transition from the spine on the handle to the spine on the back of the blade? If so, how do you make that transition look good?

I sand the spine to bare metal in the final finishing steps.

Yeah, but do you sand the spine all the way down to the tip, or just to the end of the handle?
[COLOR="rgb(255, 140, 0)"]Yes sir, all the way to the tip.[/COLOR]

Third, Do you sharpen the knife before you etch it? It seems like it would be hard not to take off some of the etching while sharpening it.

Sharpening is the very last thing that I do. It does remove the darker etched colors but it's just the very edge and just adds contrast.

I see. On previous knives, I grind the bevel until it's sharp, so I don't have a secondary bevel for the edge. I guess I'll have to put a secondary bevel on this one.

Thank you for the responses!

PM coming

[SamHarper]

First, I etched the blade before attaching the bolsters and handle. It came out looking awesome when I pulled it out of the acid and rinsed it off. But then when I went to dry it, a lot of the black stuff just rubbed right off. You can still see the pattern just fine, but it doesn't look nearly as good as before I dried it. I'm afraid if I don't dry it, it'll rust. What's the solution to that problem?

What are you etching with and what is the steel composition of the Damascus that you're using?

It's Alabama Damascus with 5160, 203E, 52100, and 15N20.

OK what mixture of FC/Water are you using?

I'm not sure. Maybe 60/40 ferric chloride to water.

[MikeConner]

Ok I normally use 40% ferric chloride to 60% distilled water. You want a little slower etch to darken the carbon steels without eating the 203N too quickly.
I etch my blades for a few minutes, removing them often to look at the pattern. Once it get to there I like it I'll rinse it in warm water but I never rub or touch the etched portion of the blade. Then I spray it thoroughly with windex to neutralize the acid. Then I use a hair dryer to dry the blade and the heat helps to set the darker black on the blade. Once it's totally dry I spray it with either WD-40 or RemOil and hang it up. I don't touch it again until the next day and then I only clean the areas where the bolsters and scales are going. After all of the scale work it done and the knife if basically complete I very very lightly buff the blade with pink compound. I can't stress enough just how lightly the blade is touched to the buffing wheel. Too much pressure and you'll buff most of the color out of the blade. I see a lot of Damascus blades that have been over buffed but that's not how I want my blades to look.

hope this helps a little.

[SamHarper]

That helps a lot, Mike. Thank you!