Thread: Sacrificial anode

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I have noticed a similar effect when I was etching razors--the one-sized thing, that is. I think it has to do with bubbles getting trapped on one side of the blade or something. Anyway, if one side of the blade is down and the other is up, the down side doesn't etch very well.

Josh

So did you start etching with the steel standing on edge, or spine?

Well, it depends on the effect you want. If you etch with the blade on its spine only, you end up with a tiger-stripe effect. I think it's because the bubbles coming off the oxidizing steel have something to do with the pattern that gets created.

The most even way to do the etch is to rotate the blade each time you put it in the etch bath--one side, the other side, then the spine.

Josh

That sounds like the best way to do it, then.