Gold Wash & Etching

Is there any way to clean gold wash on a blade without removing the gold wash? Also if you do remove the gold wash is there any way to gold wash what you removed?

ALSO

I have a razor with a Damascus blade that has etching on it. Are there any precautions that I need to take in cleaning the blade without harming the etching? The blade is very clean but I was going to put a better shine on it.

Buy the way, Bill Ellis, that razor you have on your post "My latest project"
is sooooooooo cooooool. A very handsome razor, nice work.

Bill Watkins

Str8razor... thanks for the compliment.

I have not come up with a solution for protecting the washes. Reluctantly, I just take them off with the rust. It's just a preference. I'd rather see a nice finish on the blade without gold than gold adorned with stains and rust. So, if anyone does have an answer, please share it. If it works, I'll put your name in the update of my CD and make you famous :D

It can be put back on... if you are an artist, it can be painted on with th use of electrodes and liquid gold, silver, etc. Or, you have the stencil for it. You need the right machine. Don't even know the name of it. I use one to put the logo on my knives. http://www.billysblades.com/images/f...harlie.002.jpg

It needs to be capable of delivering AC current to darken the steel or add washes, and DC current to etch. They are not cheap... around $400 now, I think. You could make your own pretty cheap if you are an electrician, so I have been told by my knifemaker contemporaries.
I haven't attempted it yet, because it is one of those learned things. Like engraving... I want to learn, just haven't had the time... or money.

Bill, thanks for the reply. Now could I get you to respond to the etching question. I have your CD on restoration, which by the way is very good, but I don't remember anything pertaining to polishing etching. Could you help me here.

Bill Watkins

Bill and Bill,

Car dealers usually have a vendor they use to gold plate emblems. Sounds like they use the type of machine you are describing. It would probably result in the entire blade being coated, unless you were to tape part of the blade before application.

Randy

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...unless you were to tape part of the blade before application.

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You can actually paint gold and silver on metal with an electrode brush. But, like I said, you have to be an artist or use a stencil.

Gentlemen,

Could you "paint" the gold on like the custom paint on cars? Put down tape or stickers in the shape of what you do not want to paint. After the paint has had a few minutes to dry you peel the sticker or tape off. Sort of like a stencil but you could get some of those vinyl letters like are used on cars for ads.

Just a thought,
Tim

Probably the easiest way to do it would be with gold leaf. It just adheres to the metal or most any other substance and doesn't require any fancy machinery. You can buy it in books. Its like really thin metal foil. Its not very durable but then again neither is the gold wash.

Personally, unless its one of those purdy display type razors I'd just as soon have it off and just polish up the blade.

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Could you "paint" the gold on like the custom paint on cars? Put down tape or stickers in the shape of what you do not want to paint.

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Yes you can. You can also anodize with this machine. Before you ask, I don't remember where I got the machine. I have only used it for applying logos to my blades. Go here and they either have one, or can get it for you.

http://www.knifeandgun.com/

BW...
There are actually a lot of things I wasn't able to cover in my cd. Probably couldn't find one book that covers WWII either. :D
But I will try to answer your question.

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...but I don't remember anything pertaining to polishing etching

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If the etch is very shallow and the blade has any rust, I don't worry about the etch. I will polish it out. To me a good looking and evenly finished blade is more important than seeing an etch adorned with rust or oxidation. If the etch is deeper, all you will lose is the darkened area if you polish. Again, to me that is no big deal in the scheme of things.

You can put the darkened area back in, but that is another book itself. The short of that answer is that it can be painted back in. The choice of pigment is what varies. You can paint with paint, ink, or an oxidizer with a 2 or 3 hair brush if you want to make it permanent. The oxidizer has to be neutralized quickly. Oxidizer is another word for making something rust immediately.

Like I said... that's another book. I just don't have the space on these pages, or the time to walk you through it. Sorry. It's kinda like asking how to rebuild a car engine. If there is only tarnish on the blade, I do everything by hand. No tools. And take it gingerly. Don't get aggressive.

Hope that helps.

Well, Gentlemen this razor is a "Puma Gold" and would look a lot nicer if it went with its name. The left side of the blade is etched with the words "Puma Gold" which is washed in gold and black then it has some decorative etching on the back half of the blade washed in gold and black which really looks pretty. Most of the gold is still on the blade but the tang which is gold washed also has been rubbed off probably from the use the razor has had. I may just have to touch it up very carefully and let it go as is.

Bill Watkins

Wouldn't the rust just come off if you soaked it in WD-40? I know that's not the best for your skin, but that's what a barbercide bath is for. And for tarnish, shouldn't an application of Maas take care of that? I'd like to think the gold wash could be preserved these ways.

Bill...
Can you take a pic and post it? I could give a better answer if I knew what the skinny was...

Other threads have said that MAAS will take the gold wash off in a heart beat. I don't know about WD40 I would only imagine that it wouldn't do it any good I may try on the tang where some of the gold wash is still in tact.

Bill Watkins

Bill Ellis, Thanks for the reply on the etching. I will try to take a pic of the Puma and post it.

Bill Watkins

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Originally Posted by urleebird

Bill...
Can you take a pic and post it? I could give a better answer if I knew what the skinny was...

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Well the pic is attched I hope this works.
Bill

I would do as little as possible to the blade. Most of the polishes will take that pretty gold off or make it very subdued. My philosophy for any razor is to keep it as close to the original as you can... within reason. If the blade is broken, you replace it. If the scales are thrashed, you replace them. If the blade is heavily rusted, you take it off at the expense of decoration.

From what I can see on your razor, the gold is too nice to mess with. What happens often is that some guys start rubbing the rust particles off with a cloth and "whatever" as a polishing agent. The rust particles on the blade create a pumice and add to the problem.

Put the blade under a little running water while using a soft bristled brush and some "Quick and Brite" or even toothpaste to take off all the particles that you can. Then just use a cotton ball and a little olive oil to pick up residue. Wipe that off with a new piece of chamois, and just don't touch the blade with your fingers. Put a coat of Renaissance Wax on the blade or put your favorite oil on and you should be set.

Thank you all for responding.
Bill Ellis,
What I did was to leave the blade alone. Its gold was pretty good. It had a very few little rust specs which I got rid of by buffing carefully as you indicated in your cd on restoration. The gold on the shank and the tang was probably 70% gone so I polished both of those and removed the gold. They look a lot better. I can, however, if I ever find a method that isn't too exensive put the gold on both the shank and tang.

Thanks for the help guys,
Bill Watkins