Etching an ESEE

[outdoorsman412]

I wasnt initially going for the blued but i could never get my logos to brighten up no matter how hard i scrubbed with soap and water with a stiff tooth brush. I had a bit of luck with just using a 12 ga bore brush lol but i still could never get them bright so i went with the blued bc i had some laying there and afterward im glad i did. I have a Od and orange candiru i bought from a member on ESEE that should i arrive today! Its gunna be my 3's twin im afraid! 😬

 

[dial1911]

Ok- so MOAR PICS!

I had time to let the chemical sit on the logos another hour tonight. So far I've only worked on the side with "IZULA-II" and haven't touched the side marked "ROWEN" Got a picture below with how it looks just after wiping off the PCB etch chemical:


The logos are hard to see because of the black residue left by the etching solution. I used an old toothbrush and some dish soap to wash between each etch application. It washes up pretty good, but definitely not as silver as the factory laser etch:


So I tried to get a couple pictures to show the depth of the etch of the factory marks and the ones I've etched... these aren't the best, but here they are anyway:
Factory marks:


Etched four hours:


The difference doesn't show up really well in the pics, but you can definitely feel a difference dragging a finger nail over them. I'm going to let it go another hour and hopefully be ready for some cold blue. If it turns out as good as outdoorman's pics above, I'll be completely happy!

 

[outdoorsman412]

Ok- so MOAR PICS!

I had time to let the chemical sit on the logos another hour tonight. So far I've only worked on the side with "IZULA-II" and haven't touched the side marked "ROWEN" Got a picture below with how it looks just after wiping off the PCB etch chemical:


The logos are hard to see because of the black residue left by the etching solution. I used an old toothbrush and some dish soap to wash between each etch application. It washes up pretty good, but definitely not as silver as the factory laser etch:


So I tried to get a couple pictures to show the depth of the etch of the factory marks and the ones I've etched... these aren't the best, but here they are anyway:
Factory marks:


Etched four hours:


The difference doesn't show up really well in the pics, but you can definitely feel a difference dragging a finger nail over them. I'm going to let it go another hour and hopefully be ready for some cold blue. If it turns out as good as outdoorman's pics above, I'll be completely happy!

Do post your pics after blued! Im itching to do my 6 but not sure how the logos will look after blued with black on black? Maybe if i etch pretty deep there will still be plenty Contrast?

 

[dial1911]

Do post your pics after blued! Im itching to do my 6 but not sure how the logos will look after blued with black on black? Maybe if i etch pretty deep there will still be plenty Contrast?

Will do! This one will be an ongoing project based on how much I can get done per night (at least so far). I'm just going to keep taking my time with it.

I haven't lost the middle of the "A" in "IZULA" yet, so I think I'm going to give it another hour or two to try to go a little deeper. I'm sure it's deeper than the factory laser etch at this point, but a little more would be better.

And a side note- the tape not only protects the blade edge from chemicals, but it helps to keep me from bleeding all over the place. Had a close call at the sink when washing it. Tape the edge! And change the tape after washing because I've had water under it almost every time.

 

[outdoorsman412]

Yea im with you, everything ive seen others do is maybe a bit deeper than mine and they looked good. I think thats the key is to watch your detail and thats why i chose to go an hour at a time too. Ive heard of some going 15 hours per side... Lol idk though

 

[dial1911]

This is like watching grass grow. Two more applications tonight at one hour each...

 

[outdoorsman412]

I know youre gunna blue it but i wonder how come i couldnt get my logos to shine back up with soap and a toosh brush?? I scrubbed as long as maybe a solid 2 min hard and it would never shine more than an average patina color...? Difference in particular batch of steel?

 

[VC94]

I don't think it will shine, because it is a rough surface from the etching.
You might ask 91B about that.

 

[outdoorsman412]

I sent him a PM but never heard back. Dial1911's izula looks to have shined back up pretty nicely?

 

[dial1911]

I sent him a PM but never heard back. Dial1911's izula looks to have shined back up pretty nicely?

That last picture is a little brighter looking because of the flash I think. The etched side does look slightly more gray than the factory laser etch, but definitely not a lot darker.

I did have a 'problem' with one etching session that left the etch really dark (but the next etch removed it). Most of the etching solution ran off the edge of the knife when my super-stable screwdriver balancing act slipped. The knife tilted at some point during the one hour etch. When I checked on it, instead of having the solution puddled up like in the first picture, the logos just kind of looked wet- not totally submerged. Maybe this let more oxygen in, I don't know. But the logos were very dark and I couldn't wash it off.

So I've been making sure to have a good puddle of solution now. I'm just using an old toothbrush with Dawn dishwashing soap and hot water to clean it after each etch.