I heard that you can't laser cut stainless steel because the light reflects
back into the machine and it either doesn't cut or it doesn't cut well. Is
that true?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Montani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de>
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 10:54 AM
Subject: FW: Re: Etching Stainless Steel
Knife-makers (makers of fine cutlery and hunting knives, etc., and of
knives for collectors) regularly use stainless steels (440, 420, etc.) for
their hardened blades.
Before the advent of laser etching, and in the shops of some small
makers still, acid etching was/is the technology with which makers added
their
maker's mark to the blade, or elaborate fanciful designs covering a blade
entirely.
I find that in some older books on knife-making, one may still find the
formula and technic for acid-etching of stainless steel. It appears very
effective, and quite simple (if dangerous, in that care must be used).
An etched maker's-mark is more sensible on a blade than a stamped mark,
because an etched mark does not weaken the blade at all.
May I recommend the best book containing detailed and extensive technic
on etching knife blades? It is:
Boye, David; STEP-BY-STEP KNIFEMAKING: YOU CAN DO IT!, 1977; reprinted
2000.
It's available in a paperback.
Another classic, but with less detail about acid etching, is:
Barney, R.W., and Loveless, R.W.; HOW TO MAKE KNIVES, 1977;
reprinted in paperback in 1995.
Aqua Regia is used (Hydrochloric Acid and Nitric Acid).
With best wishes for success in (safe) etching, and for a happy new year,
--Joe Montani / Tucson, AZ / USA
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