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Introduction to Knifemaking

The Beginner's Guide to Making Knives 

By Dan Berg and Jason Northgard

In this video Dan Berg shows step by step how to create detailed electro etching. Using self adhesive vinyl as the resist and a car battery charger this electro etching technique can be used to enhance a variety of metal working projects.

DIY Easy Crafts

The Complete Online Guide to Knife Making

METAL ETCHING

After the etching is complete we polished the knife blade with 1500 grit emery.  Please watch the short video posted above to see exactly how this full blade knife etching was accomplished. Remember safety first. 

Mix up a salt water solution. Approximately 2 tablespoons of salt per Liter of water. We used a 12-volt care battery charger to etch the blade. The positive cable was connected to the spine of the knife. We wrapped a small piece of gauze and clamped it onto the negative lead. Dip the gauze into the salt water and then ring it out. It should be moist but not soaking wet. Being very careful not to touch anything metal with your hands touch the gauze to the knife blade where you want the etching process to start. Time will vary depending on the material being etched. For this 1095 steel blade the gauze was held in place for about 15 seconds. Then move the gauze and repeat until the entire blade has been etched. For this blade we wanted a deep etch and repeated the etching process for an additional 15 seconds. Make sure only the damp gauze touches the blade. If the metal clamp touches it will arch and damage the steel.

Metal etching is a great way to enhance the blade or spine of almost any knife. The designs are limited only by your own artistic ability. Check out the examples of metal etched flames, waves and even a patriotic eagle.

How to make a Patriot Chef Knife with Bald Eagle American Flag themed blade etching In this short how-to video Dan Berg from www.Bergknifemaking.com gives an complete overview of making this American Eagle/Flag themed chef knife. This knife is hand crafted. Its made from AEB-L stainless steel and has beautiful American Flag cast handles. This knife was a commissioned build with the hope of creating a family heirloom It features a Bald Eagle electro etched design with the customers last name also etched onto the blade.

Now you can easily enhance the quality of your metal etchings with precision machine cut vinyl stencils. Check out this short video to see how the Silhouette Cameo cutting machine can be used to create beautifully detailed stencils for metal etching.

How to easily etch a design onto any knife blade. Metal etching can be done in a variety of ways. We use a 12 volt automotive battery charger, salt water and a transparent film to quickly and easily create beautiful metal etched designs.

DIY Reusable Stencil Metal Etching Experiment from Ikonart In this video Dan Berg from DIYeasycrafts.com experiments with reusable stencils to see if they hold up to the electro etching process, he uses to create designs on his custom knives. In the past Dan has used self-adhesive vinyl as the resist and a car battery charger for etching. Weeding small details from vinyl is very time consuming and hard on the eyes. By using a film resist Dan hopes not only to make the weeding process easier but also hopes to get greater detail in the finished art.

Advanced Electro Etching How to create functional Metal Art In this video Dan Berg shows step by step how he created this Deer in the Woods Chef knife blade etching. Using self adhesive vinyl as the resist and a car battery charger this electro etching technique can be used to enhance a variety of metal working projects. Dan creates two tone electro etching by layering vinyl resists and varying the etch time. He uses electro etching to enhance his hand made custom knives but the same process can be used on a variety of metal working projects.

Start by applying and cutting out clear transparent transfer sheet. We bought this at Michaels Art supply. Design the transparency to cover any areas that will not get etched. Protect the thin blade edge and spine with nail polish. Additional details like the spots can also be added with nail polish

How to do Two Tone Electro Metal Etching by Berg Knifemaking. In this short how-to video Dan Berg from DIYeasycrafts.com and BergKnifemaking.com demonstrates how the two tone etching was done on this custom chef knife. Dan used a car battery charger, self adhesive vinyl and an electrolyte solution to etch into the stainless steel blade.

How to make a DIY Striped Bass Chef Knife In this short how-to video Dan Berg from www.Bergknifemaking.com gives an overview of making this striped bass themed chef knife. This knife is made from AEBL stainless steel, has custom scales from Emily's craft and a full blade electro etched design. This knife is made for daily use, has a razor sharp blade and is perfect for anyone that loves striped bass fishing.