The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Richard Ranney on June 24, 2021, 3:21 pm

Are there any reasons not to use either hydrochloric or muriatic acid to etch Damascus barrels other than being very safety conscious? Would the steps be the same? And what effect does not boiling have vs just using hot water? Thank you,
Richard

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Zachary Hopkins on June 24, 2021, 4:08 pm, in reply to "Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Those acids are very strong. I used them on test barrels one time and they needed some extreme dilution to get remotely close results but that was just me. If you use the search function on the forum you should be able to find some threads about the subject of what others have used such as the radio shack etchant acid diluted that Oscar Gaddy used.

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Richard Ranney on June 24, 2021, 4:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

I searched here some time back and pretty much concluded that Ferric from old Radio Shack is pretty much what people have used.
Richard

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Zachary Hopkins on June 24, 2021, 6:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

When I tried the others it definitely brought out the contrast but etched the steel enough you could nearly feel the different layers of steel and softer iron. That was diluted and just a flash dip into it. I'm sure a coat of lacquer would have smoothed it out but just wouldn't have been right as well as possibly dangerous on thinner walled guns. I'm sure that with enough time etc that a strength could be formulated to work but i just gave up since the ferric did work.

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Dan Wildhaber on June 25, 2021, 3:09 am, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Yeah, don't try to reinvent the wheel.
The object is to remove the oxide not the steel.

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Drew Hause on June 25, 2021, 8:49 am, in reply to "Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Excessive etching is a refinishing disaster

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Richard Ranney on June 25, 2021, 9:15 am, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Looks like I’ll rule this out thanks guys,
Richard

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Richard Ranney on July 2, 2021, 2:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Hey Drew, when rusting and etching should the rib be protected? The rib on the gun I’m doing has the fine checkered pattern on it. Thanks
Richard

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Drew Hause on July 2, 2021, 2:50 pm, in reply to "Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

The ribs are recolored with the barrels
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zEE1xuaNuR26Drg3E_IMUEpA_YThLMP0VSIx2xJM9bA/edit

Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus

Posted by Richard Ranney on July 2, 2021, 9:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid on Damascus "

Drew thank you so much for that attachment. My gun almost looks exactly like the “US makers roll graved or matted rib”. In fact I believe that Damascus looks like my pattern.
Richard

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