OK, now for the how-to: the knotwork didn't happen as the hilt is still a fair way from finished, but it seemed a perfect opportunity to etch the Mackenzie sgian I posted in an earlier thread.

The first step is to clean& degrease the blade thoroughly. I used white spirit for this.


Next is to create the design on the blade using one of a number of different methods. For the "damascus" I use an acid resist pen only. These are used for drawing out circuit boards onto the copper, and are obtainable from radio shack or similar stores, along with the ferric chloride.


In this project I used candle wax as well, as I like to have a bit of a wall to contain the acids. If candle wax is used for a resist on it's own, the design has to be scribed through the wax with a scriber, or knife, etc. Observant kilt-makers will notice the startling similarity between my scriber & a thread unpicker. I found mine in my wife's sewing box, but it had a slight accident with a pair of snips & a file, & now it lives in my workshop If I used wax alone, I'd personally melt it in a container, & apply it with a brush or cloth for ease of scribing.



If I remember any of my lessons from the navy correctly, Shellac also makes a good resist, & can be easily brushed over the bigger areas