Caper, etc.

[4est trekker]

Here's a few I just finished, all from reclaimed saw steel and etched in vinegar/lemon juice.  The first is a drop point caper with a clay quench and slight hamon. It's 6 inches overall with a 2.5" blade, streaked buffalo horn scales, piened copper tube pins, and a homemade mosaic pin.  The other two blades are just a few more tiny neck knives in zebra wood and streaked buffalo horn with piened copper tube pins. Thanks for looking...critique always welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2treks]

Real nice! I like the way you do that sheath. I need to try one sometime. What do you make the cord out of?
Chuck

[4est trekker]

Chuck:  The cord is hand laid from 12 strands of linen thread.

[L. Harris]

Those are awesome! Still get all kinds of cool comments from folks about my little neck knife I got from you!

[Idahomike251]

I love them all! Vinegar and lemon juice etching: Can you tell me how long it took to etch?  Thanks,  Mike O.

[Steve Nuckels]

Curt, great work as usual!

Steve
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Potomac Forge

[Bobby Urban]

I really like #1 and will probably try to emulate it when I get back into the shop(with your permission of course)  Very nice work.

As far as the lemon/vinegar goes I use it quite often and depending on the steel I usually leave it in overnight. I also understand that if you heat the vinegar it works faster but I have never tried it.

Bob Urban

[4est trekker]

Thanks, all.  I appreciate your kind words.   Regarding the vinegar/lemon juice etching...I do it two ways.  The first is to simply let the blade sit in the solution, then clean it with water and buff it with steel.  I repeat the process three or four times, or until I like the finish.  

The second method I us is to add a little current.  I use a couple of alligator clips, a 6V lantern battery, and a piece of scrap steel.  I hook the positive terminal to the tang of the blade and the negative terminal to the piece of scrap steel which I half-submerge into the solution.  Then I put the knife into the mixture and let it "cook."  It greatly speeds up the process and the results are more aggressive.  I let it soak anywhere from half and hour to a couple of hours, clean and buff it, then repeat the process.