Etching A Blade With Hot Vinegar

In this video I am etching a blade with hot vinegar. I am etching the surface making it gray-ish as opposed to the shiny surface polished metal. I am doing this for looks, I like the dull gray look of the etched surface. I should have said I cleaned the blade with window cleaner dried off, then cleaned with acetone.
My website is www.lewisrazors.com
My work is sold through www.straightrazordesigns.com/i...

[@YukonJack]

Mr. Lewis, thank you for taking your time to show your craft. You aren't required to show how you make scales, etch the blades, or anything else for that matter. I greatly appreciate the fact that you choose to. It's a shame there are so many criticisms and so few thank you's. Thank you for all of your videos and I sincerely hope you keep sharing.

[@theoevans]

Thank you for all the instruction! I am new to bladesmithing, and I am trying different finishing techniques. I like the look of this hot vinegar etching.

[@lewisrazors]

You are welcome,

[@RATSBLATS]

Thanks for the video Charlie, you a real craftsman. Love your creations.

[@homeschooledchimp905]

Thanks for this. Just started bladesmithing and the etched look is really slick !

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you very much for the constructive critique and helpful advice. This was one of my early videos. I have improved my audio and video and since then. I have learned a lot since making my early videos. I look back now and think I can not believe I made that. Thanks again for advice.

[@alexanderockenden2564]

Great vid. Thanks for clarifying this process.

[@lewisrazors]

Alexander Ockenden You are welcome

[@gerhardtcustomknives]

I have tried this on several knives recently and it works delightfully. Thanks for the video.

[@robotbeatrally3328]

FYI another great way to do this is just buy a bottle of PCB / Circuitboard etchant. You can get them at most electronics stores for 3 to 10 bucks. I prefer it because I can just paint some nail polish over the bevel (because I prefer to not subject the sharpened area to anything acidic) and brush the etchant onto the blade for a couple minutes, then rinse it off and scrape off the polish with an old credit card or whatever. Quick, dark, and even patina... you dont have to sharpen off a weakened cutting edge afterwards.. Afterwards I give it a lighter scrub with soap (lighter than you did) but toss it in the tumbler with the nailpolish still on the end for a short amount of time. it will give the fake patina a nice soft glow look which is pretty cool.

[@SDCromwell]

Gorgeous blade, nice work!

[@Dirge4july]

Pretty cool, i also like the tune you whistle with your nose while you work : )

[@lewisrazors]

Jessie Hydro Yes, the audio sucked in the video, I have learned not to put my face by camera microphone.

[@Ojb_1959]

😂

[@YosarianCat22]

It all makes perfect sense Lewis. It was a stroke to apply an acid like vinegar without chewing up your razor with a more intense bath like I use with Sterling Silver which is 8 parts water to 1 part Nitric Acid. Lewis, your craftsmanship is a joy to examine. I also understand how the quenching oil would alter the etch by the hardening differential and leave such wonderful subtle patterns. I will be looking for anything that you post Lewis. Thank you for sharing you knowledge and skill. T.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for the tip, I will try it next time I use this process.

[@lewisrazors]

That pretty much sums it up perfectly, takes away shiny, put on a little bit of protective patina.

[@cyrpuscacophony8059]

Oh man. such a pretty blade!

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for your input, you are right abut my breathing, I am slowly learning to make good videos.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for the compliments,

[@kephrarubin]

Wow that's so cool. It's amazing what can be done with simple stuff.

[@lewisrazors]

Thanks

[@wikieditspam]

Acid etching is also important for some ornamental blade steels when used in a process like pattern wielding in order to display the contrast between different alloys that have been welded together.

[@lewisrazors]

That is an inforative video. It is amazing how many different ways there are to do things, and get similar results. I have been paranoid about putting my blade in contact with the bottom of the pan with the heating element right underneath it, that is why I used a seperate container. You showed me it could be done with no harm to the temper, Thanks.

[@stevenbean9706]

beautiful work thank you for sharing this makes me wonder what else we could etch

[@opticschief]

Thanks for the feedback. Appreciate the video .

[@lewisrazors]

opticschief Back at you

[@lewisrazors]

Your welcome, I appreciate the kind words.

[@lewisrazors]

You are welcome, Thanks for the input.

[@SugarcreekForge]

That is really a great tip! I usually use Ferric Chloride diluted in hot water. I will have to try that.

[@lewisrazors]

I was talking about the oil I used to quench the blade during heat-treat. My video "Razor Making Overview, From Start To Shaving " at 23:55 shows what I was talking about. I had the blade red hot and dipped the blade portion of the razor in oil to harden it, the handle portion went into the oil a few seconds later. The handle did not get as hard as the blade. You can see the transition between the hard and softer areas around the handle - blade transition. The vinegar etch makes this show up.

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, I have messed around with mustard, there are a ton of possibilities for patterns. It is a lot of fun.

[@wufwufwufwuf]

taken a look at some of ya past work & WOWs the only way of putting your truly outstanding beautiful work/craftsmanship cant wait to see more Thank you for letting me take a peek Sir

[@andrewborry]

thank you for the reply, did a bit of research and seen what etching is about

[@lewisrazors]

@ScottsUtubeWorld Yes, you are right, room temp vinegar and a longer period of time will also make a nice patina. The room temperature vinegar is a lot less aggressive etch. Most of the plain carbon steel blades that I make are tempered in 350 - 400 degree range. The temperature of the boiling vinegar is around 213 degrees, so it will not affect the temper of the blade.

[@ArtistBlade1972]

@lewisrazors Thanks man. I've made a few, but they've all been single radius grind with a 10" wheel. They work well enough I suppose but they are on the heavy side. I may try your method with a full hollow next. Razors are a whole new world from knives. They really seem to hone your skills.

[@lewisrazors]

@raggedbreath I have used this with O1 steel, it will turn it gray. It is like you said, no temper line but a nice gray color

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you, Yes I made the razors on my website. The prices vary a lot depending on work involved and materials. I sell my work through Straight Razor Designs.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you, The razor is one I made myself. I sell my razors through Straight Razor Designs.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for information, and heads up

[@stoneblue1795]

Great technique and a nice straight forward video.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank yoiu

[@secluded30]

Nice work. I love the rustic style handle with the finished blade. Just going to look at your website :D

[@lewisrazors]

Thanks for the comment.

[@NickSparkss]

That's a very handsome razor, I may have to try etching with this method some time.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you, Yes, I have and do make a few damascus razors.

[@jimburnsjr.]

another great video.. i used to want to get into making custom razors... but i don't think i could match or better your artistic eye for it... hope you are doing well... thanks for posting the lesson.

[@lewisrazors]

Thanks for the kind comments.

[@dougiequick1]

BTW speaking of razor blades, you can use plain old single edge razor blades to experiment on ...it is carbon steel and takes a bluing so it is good for trial and error before you do it on an item you care about....btw I am probably one of the very few folks that actually resharpen disposal razor blades for my utility box cutter knives ... takes just a minute and then is pretty much good as new ...kind of silly since I have a whole box of new blades, but it just my thrifty side shining through ...I just enjoy restoring things back to usable

[@lewisrazors]

Thanks for your thoughts

[@taterman320241]

I do the same and use a 1 inch belt sander with homemade 1200 grit wet or dry belts.

[@YosarianCat22]

There is that very simple test you know. . .applying a match to the gas of a tiny scrap of steel to see if it 'pops' on ignition. I was only curious about the gas because of my experience with Nitric. Thanks again Lewis!

[@darrellbowen1582]

Looks awesome brother ! Amazing razors!!!!!!!

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for the explanation

[@joandar1]

Thanks for the response, helped to find out your process as well as others. For anyone out there curious for a 1 off name etch or similar Nail Polish will work as a screening agent. Cheers from John.

[@TxnBBQ75]

Got to love wal-mart!

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you for the information.

[@randikash]

Fascinating!

[@royhines7364]

Thank you . Love and respect

[@lewisrazors]

You are welcome.

[@lewisrazors]

@ArtistBlade1972 Yes I do some full hollows but not a lot of them. I tend to grind the area by the edge with a 6 or 8 wheel, then hollow out the belly area with a 4 wheel, then use a 2 or 1 1/4 by the spine. I then blend all of the grinds/grooves together with the smallest wheel that I used, then hand sand. I do all the work with a single wheel. Full hollows are a lot more work than a single radius grind.

[@lewisrazors]

Bluing is cool also, I have rust blued a couple of blades in the past.

[@CheezeyWhizzer]

Lemon juice works well also, I have blacked all of my carbon steel pocked knives this way. And you dont have to stink up the house with boiling vinegar. Just stick the blades in a lemon overnight and lightly buff with fine steel wool. Dont forget to oil.

[@markeii]

Ok thank you for clarifying that! Then i need to try his :D take care thank you for shareing !

[@lewisrazors]

I think that was a 1095 blade. I am glad the process worked on your carbon blade.

[@lewisrazors]

@tsfcancerman That is interesting. It is amazing all the different ways there are to get some task done. People are very ingenious.

[@DaStig]

Nice finish!

[@lewisrazors]

***** Thank you

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, very similar to bluing. It eats up the surface a little more than bluing.

[@lewisrazors]

It is a piece of xtra fine mirlon. MIrlon is Mirka's version on scotch bright, it is an extra fine grit. I buy it at an auto body supply shop.

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, it is after heat treat. The blade is finished. I do this step right before honing.

[@huandogofwar]

thank you. I´ll try that

[@ArtistBlade1972]

@lewisrazors Thanks. I looked at your website the other day. You do some very very nice work. Do you do any full hollow razors? If so, what's your method for grinding such a thin edge? One of mine I measured with a caliper is .008" where it transitions from hollow to flat and keeps that same thickness all the way to the edge. Just wondering how those were ground.... Double wheel?

[@Ulfhednar-o9t]

thank you for your video i was looking for something like this

[@lewisrazors]

It depends on the look you are going after. Sometimes I will do a quick 5 minute dip, other times I will leave it in 30 minutes or longer. I check the progress when I clean off the black build-up. I wish I had a more definite answer but I do not.

[@lewisrazors]

@flaviusmol The etching is turning the shiny metal a gray color, it is just putting a patina on the surface of the metal.

[@RyanDeClue]

Try using straight Anti-Freeze (Not 50-50 mix), such as you put in your car radiator. I do this as my quenching process from red hot. Same anti rust properties, but leaves an eerie green and blue sheen permanently on the blade.

[@123GreenBird321]

Thanks for the info.

[@lewisrazors]

The carbon content does not seem to affect it much. But different alloys do make a big difference, I usually test on scrap if I try a new type of steel.

[@MrMZaccone]

Try adding a small amount of dish soap. It makes sure that the surface is uniformly contacted by the acid. I think you'll find a better result and a need to repeat the process and remove the black coating fewer times. I've made a few clay-tempered blades with a hamon and it helps.

[@IronHorse2007]

Neat stuff, thanks!

[@lewisrazors]

Cool, I hope it works for you.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you very much

[@medeiris123]

thanks for the help!it wasn't working because the blade i used was stainless my mistake, but i tried it with some O-1 and it worked just fine! ~Brandon

[@kapeika]

At the end of the video you stated something about oil. I don't know if I just cant watch that part or its part of another video I cant find. Can you elaborate more on the "oiling" portion of this process?

[@Hellgap50]

Lewis awesome video simplistic very easy to follow I really enjoyed the video. Ive been making razors for a little over a year nothing to special. I have some w2 I will have to try alot easier than acid like feric cloride. thanks kellyw

[@Gibblegobblegoob]

Great video and good camera work

[@lewisrazors]

Glad you liked it

[@christianarmoryworks]

Thanks for sharing.

[@BradOmen]

awww dude your like a pro at pouring things from a sauce pan. rock on.

[@raggedbreath]

Great video. Would this work on a stock removal made blade with O2 steel? Obviously there won't be a temper line etc...

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, I did it for cosmetic reasons. I wish I could keep the dark black also.

[@wikieditspam]

Mirror polish knives theoretically have flatter surfaces on a microscopic level, and therefore have less surface area for corrosion to occur on as well as likely having lower drag coefficients than those with less smooth finishes. A lot of people don't like them though because fingerprints and other smudges are more visible on them and tools inherently vulnerable to corrosion like some tool steels will likely benefit more from an anti-corrosion coating.

[@Spushed]

The nose whistling is the most important part of this video lol

[@lewisrazors]

It does not get hot enough to hurt the temper. The boiling vinegar gets about 212 degress, the blades are tempered at 400 degrees.

[@lewisrazors]

Thank you

[@lewisrazors]

I have not tried apple juice. I will put that on my list of things to try it is an interesting idea.

[@lewisrazors]

Thanks for the feedback. I have improved my video and audio quality since I made this video. I appreciate your feedback.

[@lewisrazors]

yes, the protection is similar to bluing

[@lewisrazors]

The advantages are nearly all cosmetic. The surface is a little more stain resistant with a patina, but not much. I use the process for cosmetic reasons, I like the look of it.

[@DanielDauphin]

I have enjoyed your channel tremendously. Like you, I do not like a super shiny blade. I have tried this method and have not had as good a result. Wondering what grit you polish to before and after etching? I was at 4 or 600 and was thinking that I needed to get to a finer grit before etching. Was also wondering if it was possible to over polish after etching and wind up removing the etch? Thanks

[@lewisrazors]

Daniel Dauphin I useually get a good 400 or 600 grit scratch pattern before trying the vinegar. It is not the most consistant process. Maybe try using ferric chloride, it is more consistant and has a ver similar look to the etch it makes.

[@Tony-og5up]

Have you ever considered using Gun bluing? I am not a collector, but I have about a dozen razors that are family heirlooms, one of which is a Winchester and a Wilkinson Sword Co. Some were let sit for years before I got them and had to take care of them. Some ARE already etched, so you can't scrub or steel wool them. I also keep the razors open. Many handles are things like Ivory, Bone, Tourtise, exotic woods, tend to draw dampness and transfers it to the blades. Sty away from leather with bare steel as well. Different A brand called 44-40 is great. It's considered Cold blue. I have heated it. I like it better than the other brands like Burchwood Casey, because the 44-40 is a liquid, where the others is a cream in a tube. You can make the steel just as black as you want, or as thin, by controlling it. All gun bluing is, is a pre-rust. Maintain a fine coat of oil on it and it will last forever. The other reason I like the 44-40 is it is more black, than some others are the blue tint to them. You can also mask off and do only your choosing.

[@silvermediastudio]

Ever try it with horseradish or mustard? You can paint it onto a carbon blade and create whatever pattern you wish, even a faux damascus pattern. If you don't like it, you can polish it off and start over.

[@medeiris123]

okay, thanks for the advice

[@lewisrazors]

Short answer, yes, purely cosmetic. Long answer it does make the blade a bit more stain resistant, in essence the blade is already pre-stained.

[@kenwitherell5750]

great vid! can you tell me how long you should plan on leaving the blade in the vinegar?

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, that's exactly what I am doing! Maybe I should have named the video "Putting a Patina on a Blade." Thanks.

[@huntergreen99]

Awesome. Just subscribed.

[@lewisrazors]

Yes, the blade can be used. It will need sharpening after the process

[@lewisrazors]

yep, but I am still breathing, that makes me a happy camper

[@lewisrazors]

I am changing the shiny metal surface to a satin finish. I like the dull gray look better than a shiny metal look.

[@lewisrazors]

You are very welcome.

[@dwightehowell6062]

I would suggest that you do this at a well ventilated location. I was pickling when I boiled some vinegar and the vapors weren't pleasant.

[@lewisrazors]

The tempering temp for this steel is about 400F. The boiling vinegar is about 212F well below the tempering temp.

[@huandogofwar]

good video. thank you. how strong is the vinegar you´re using? just regular house hold strength?