# Machining Damascus Steel.



## rwm (Nov 10, 2019)

I just turned a piece of Damascus Steel for a project. Machining took off the beautiful grained finish of the original metal. The grain is still subtly visible. What it the best way to restore the grained look? I'm sure something similar happens when you grind knife?




Robert


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## pacifica (Nov 10, 2019)

ferric chloride or muriatic acid


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## Twirpunky (Nov 10, 2019)

rwm said:


> I just turned a piece of Damascus Steel for a project. Machining took off the beautiful grained finish of the original metal. The grain is still subtly visible. What it the best way to restore the grained look? I'm sure something similar happens when you grind knife?
> 
> View attachment 305534
> 
> ...


Ferric Chloride is much safer to use.  A lot depends what two metals were used to make the damascus. 

D


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## rwm (Nov 10, 2019)

I have heard Ferric Chloride, Muriatic acid and Sulphuric acid. This material came from India. I guess I will need to experiment!
Robert


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## Twirpunky (Nov 10, 2019)

Yes, any of those will etch the metal.  You have to be pretty careful using sulfuric or muriatic around the shop. The fumes will etch everything in the shop. Especially your fine machine tools like your lathe bed or mill table.  If you use either of those, use caution. Not only for your tools but for yourself as well.

    Ferric chloride is pretty harmless.  They use it as ice melt on the roads around our parts.   I teach a knife making class at the local Vo-Tech and ONLY use ferric chloride.   We make our damascus from a combination of 1095 and 15N20.   15 minutes in 50%  diluted Ferric Chloride and then wash with plain water and very light scrub with scotch bright.  Do not buff before or after, it smears the pattern. Warm up the blade in rod oven and rub on Bee Wax to keep it from rusting.   Johnson's paste wax works also will less heat to melt it.

You can get it at Radio Shack.  It is used for etching printed circuit boards.   

D


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## Twirpunky (Nov 10, 2019)

Jantz Supply Inc. | Quality Knife Making Supplies Since 1966
					

Find all your quality knife making supplies from Damascus steel for blades, handle materials, tools and more. Jantz also has knife making kits available with a low price guarantee.




					knifemaking.com
				




You can get it here also.


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## rwm (Nov 11, 2019)

Thanks for the advise about keeping the H2SO4 out of my shop! I had some on hand so I used it to etch this piece:




Came out OK. I wished I had polished the turning marks out a little better but I love the pattern. I sealed it with some car wax.
I ordered some Ferric Chloride for the next one.

Robert


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## cbellanca (Nov 11, 2019)

A  weak  solution of  nitric acid and alcohol will also work. It is called Nital. We used  it to identify weld fusion HAZ. There is info n the web under Nital.


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## Twirpunky (Nov 11, 2019)

Looks good.  You probably already knew about the hazards of Muriatic or sulfuric. We sand our knives to a real fine finish, at least 240 or higher.  You can sand on damascus until you get a real fine finish.  If you take it to the buffer and use rouge to polish it, it will not turn out as well.  The polishing rouge smears the pattern and makes "Dirty" looking damascus.  Wash real good to get off all fingerprints and oils before Ferric Chloride etch.   

   It comes out kind of black looking but a quick light scrub with fine scotch bright will bring out the pattern.

D


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## hman (Nov 11, 2019)

Twirpunky said:


> Ferric chloride is pretty harmless.  They use it as ice melt on the roads around our parts.


I'm pretty sure it's _calcium_ chloride that's used as an ice melter.  Ferric chloride is somewhat toxic, lots more expensive, and would do bad things to car parts.


			https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/09740.htm


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## RobertB (Nov 12, 2019)

hman said:


> Ferric chloride is somewhat toxic, lots more expensive, and would do bad things to car parts.


Bet it would turn the roads a pretty orange color though


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## Twirpunky (Nov 12, 2019)

My mistake.  I was thinking of Mag Chloride.  

Still works good for damascus


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