Ferric Chloride Solution

I recently found a YouTube video where a guy used Ferric Chloride Solution to impart a bead blast like finish on a shiny, stainless steel pistol part. The video quality wasn't that great but the results looked good. Soaking time was about 15-20 minutes. Anybody have experience with this they'd like to share?

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924033

Doesnt sound like something that you want to handle.

To imitate a bead blast finish per his post.

I think you just answered OP's question.

"Stay away from it not worth the hassle or the danger, bead blast is a better and safer alternative."

A 16oz bottle of 5% solution is available through the mail for about $12 plus shipping (no HAZMAT fees). The MSDS sheet says it's not to be ingested, not toxic, non flammable but should be used in a well ventilated area (just like Hoppes 9). I have several SST firearms. All have some bead blasted parts or areas. This just looked like a possible answer to matching up new parts to an existing finish or refinishing bead blasted areas that have been altered by sanding or polishing.
Thanks for your input. It is worth exactly....never mind.
Have a great New Year!

Actually, your idea sounds pretty reasonable. Finding a bead blast machine to frost a hammer or screw head, etc., is a hassle. I'm not familiar with this acid, though. The problem I find when I acquire mixtures like this is disposing of them when I am done with it. It will sit on the shelf until the city's next hazardous was disposal day. Good luck.

It is not that dangerous, just use rubber gloves and eye protection. I used to use it to etch printed circuit boards. You could get it at Radio Shack. Not sure if they sell it anymore though. Took a look at some of the videos, seems like a very easy way to etch on stainless. The results looked very similar to laser etching, very cool!

Another option is an air eraser. It looks like an airbrush, but has a reservoir to hold fine sandblasting sand. They're pretty cheap as well ( if you already have an air compressor).

I suppose I have to quit putting this stuff in my morning coffee now??!!

I use it (ferric chloride)to etch carbon steel, but never used it on stainless steel.

I use it in a very weak soln of 5% or less. Always at room temp.
A quick dip of a piece of clean polished steel (320grit polish) will result in a dull grey matt look to the surface. That trip into and out of the soln is that fast,,,in and out.

I use it occasssionally to etch to surface of parts before rust bluing. Many gun companys used to etch the surface of the parts before the first coating of blue. It does a couple of things.
One, it evens out the surface polish on the steel (especially if left in there a bit longer).
Secondly it prepares the surface to take the bluing soln better by lightly etching it. Makes the rust bluing process easier, but will result in a dull finish from the start. So it's not one to use if a higher gloss is the goal.

The etching was also sometimes done with very weak nitric acid.
This was a little tougher on the operator as the bbls had to be hot,,as they were quickly taken out from the boiling water tank. Then scrubbed down with the weak acid soln which was also warmed up.
The resulting etch is about the same as the ferric chloride, but will even out a rougher polish job for you. Tough on the hands and skin though!

Ferric chloride etch (cold) and in a likewise very weak soln is also used to bring out the damascus pattern in finishing those type of bbls.
A quick in and out dunking between rustings followed by a carding under running water does the trick.
The ferric chloride loosens the rust brown/rust blue on the harder steel portion of the bbl material allowing it to be carded away (white),,but leaves a portion of the color clinging to the softer iron composition of the bbl (brown or black).

Lots of cycles compared to a simple rust bluing job and the bores must be protected from any contact from the ferric chloride (or acid etch) solns used during any of these finishing processes.
I use a simple coating of shellac. It holds up remarkably well to all the boiling cycles and dunkings and is then even somewhat stubborn to remove afterwards with lacquer thinner, ect from the bores. But it works and is better than trusting bore plugs which may leak.

More than you wanted to know probably,,and I still didn't answer your question about stainless steel. Sorry.

2152hq said:

I use it (ferric chloride)to etch carbon steel, but never used it on stainless steel.

I use it in a very weak soln of 5% or less. Always at room temp.
A quick dip of a piece of clean polished steel (320grit polish) will result in a dull grey matt look to the surface. That trip into and out of the soln is that fast,,,

Click to expand...

This is exactly the type of response I was hoping for and have come to expect from many of the people on this forum. Thanks for taking the time to type it out and share your experience. Greatly appreciated.
OGD

pretty common to find in some gunsmith shops, expecially ones that specialize in older double guns. its used when re browning or rust bluing Damascus or baker/London twist barrels. 15% solution if i remember right and you only dunk for a 5-10 seconds, fresh water rinse and continue your cycles of rust bluing. this brings out the pattern in the finish.

Ive used it on stainless as i think its the same solution we use for stainless blueing/blacking as the metal needs to be lightly etched before going into the salts(specific salts)

If you read the cautions found in MSDS sheets for most items, you'd be convinced that mankind is headed for immediate annihilation. Remember, the MSDS is a legal document, and no manufacturer of such products in his right mind would be inclined to minimize risks. I believe there is even a MSDS for water that warns about the hazards of choking and drowning if used improperly.