Acid Etching Metal Jewelry, Part 2

by Virginia Vivier
(Esprit Mystique Jewelry)

Acid Etching Brass and Copper Jewelry

Part 2: Hand-Drawing Designs
on Brass and Copper for Acid Etching

(My unscientific, but personally tested results.)

In the first article of this series, Part 1: Design Transfer, we discussed how to transfer photocopied graphic designs to flat pieces of brass and copper for etching multiple designs.

Here in Part 2, we'll cover another way of preparing brass or copper for etching - by drawing directly on the metal using a special ink as a "resist."

You need a special kind of ink that will "resist" the acid without deteriorating during the etching process.

If you Google acid etching on metal, you will find a wide variety of articles, many very helpful. That's how I got started.

I experimented with many methods before I found one that worked consistently for me.

Some methods require expensive materials, like PNP (Press N Peel) transfer paper, which I found to be hit or miss compared to the heat transfer method (as explained in Part 1 of this article series.)

Other methods recommended special pens for drawing designs on copper circuit boards.

Still others recommended very expensive printing press engraver inks that dry up too quickly and are messy to use.

In my research, the pen that works best consistently (for me) is made in Germany. I have tried many other brands, but the ink breaks down during the etching process and ruins the final design.

I can CONFIDENTLY recommend felt tip pens Staedtler Lumocolor CD-R Pen – They come in a package of 4 colors, Red, Black, Blue and Green. You can buy a 4-pack on Amazon for $6.99.

The red pen works best as a strong "resist" to Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate.

But in a pinch, the black pen works for short etching sessions of 1 hour or less.

However, if you want a very deep etch, and need to leave it in the etching bath for more than 1 hour, I would not use any color other than red. The other colors may break down in Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate after 1 hour or so.

Upon examining one of these pens carefully, I noticed that it says, "refillable," which I find very interesting. I couldn't find a way to open it for refilling. But if anyone knows how to refill one, please share your knowledge!



A limitation of Staedtler CD-R Lumocolor pens is that they are only available in medium point.

I would LOVE a fine point for delicate designs!

I have tried at least 20 different brands of CD, waterproof, permanent felt tip pens, in a fine point, but none held up in the etching process.

I even tried tapering the end of the red Staedtler medium tip pen with an Xactoknife and a pair of sharp scissors, but the tip fibers frayed unsatisfactorily.

Again, if you have had good luck with a specific brand of fine point felt pen that has a stable ink "resist" for Ferric Chloride etchant, please share the good news with all of us!

One nice thing about drawing your design by hand is that you can etch round objects, like bracelets.

I etch designs on recycled, pure brass bullet shells and have found it very relaxing to draw designs on 100 shells or so, while watching TV at night.

This photo shows a 7mm Magnum, pure brass, recycled bullet shell with black ink resist, ready for etching:



(I used black ink so it will show up in the photo.)

Black ink will hold up for a fairly shallow etch, but I normally suggest red Staedtler pen. (Red Staedtler ink is somewhat transparent and doesn't provide enough contrast to show up well in a photo.)

Here is an example of a pure brass, bangle bracelet that was etched on both the inside and the outside, at the same time:



Metalliferous carries an interesting variety of pure brass bracelets that etch nicely. Pure copper, or pure brass, will etch equally well in Ferric Chloride.



Before you start drawing, make sure the brass or copper is roughened up slightly with #0000 steel wool, or scrubbed with powdered cleanser like Bar Keepers Friend.

That helps the ink adhere to the metal.

But to be truthful, I have been lazy, and used a red Staedtler pen on tarnished brass and it worked just fine.



After the ink has dried, test your ink resist to see if it smears or flakes off. Gently rub it with your fingers. If the design stays put, it will hold up well in the acid bath.



Once you have drawn your design on the metal using a red Staedtler pen, you can store it for months without etching it.

Keep it clean, in a bag or box, and the ink will hold up well until you are ready to etch it.



This is the second in a series of 4 parts about acid etched designs on brass, copper and silver.


Next:
Part 3 - The Ferric Chloride Acid Bath.


Your questions and comments are welcome!

Virginia Vivier
Esprit Mystique Artisan Jewelry
Esprit Mystique blog
Esprit Mystique Etsy
Tucson, Arizona