Etching wire clip - how to darken finish?

[Darth_cholo]

I acid etched a wire clip to get it matte finish instead of chrome polished. Any way to darken it to look like the dark grey/black finish on chaparral clips?
Thanks in advance.!

[Bloke]

You may like to speak to someone at a local Gun Shop about cold bluing products. :)

[Darth_cholo]

You may like to speak to someone at a local Gun Shop about cold bluing products. :)

Ahh. Forgot about blueing. Couldn't I just get a blueing kit from Amazon?

[Bloke]

For sure! :)

[zhyla]

I’ve never blued anything but I don’t think it works on stainless steels.

[Darth_cholo]

How does Spyderco get that black finish in the sage and chaparral clips?

[anagarika]

For the hourglass clip, I use stove flame to burn them. I think it should work for wire clip too.

[Darth_cholo]

used a small blowtorch and some locking plyers.

PCB eching first, blueing second (did nothing), and then finally blow torched. This is best I could do. Came out a little un-even, but oh well. I think that was the blueing that made it uneven like that. SHould of used a plastic twisty tie instead of a bare wire to hang it in the acid solutions.

[Bloke]

Darth_cholo, I apologise and I should have been more specific but to the very best of my knowledge etched stainless can be blackened with Black Oxide ‘cold bluing’ solutions. I’m just not sure which particular product. :o

[Darth_cholo]

i borrowed some birchwood casey liquid gun blue from a friend. I didn't take a picture after. should of, dang it. Still not as dark as spyderco's treatment, but I think good enough.

[Rtal]

When I wanted a dark wire clip for my Chaparral, I called the Spyderco outlet and the sent me the dark one that comes with the Sage 1 for six dollars plus 1.50 shipping.

[Termite Toothpick]

That looks good to me. That would be a good mod for my FRN Chaparral, I like the grey.

[40mm]

I used needle nose pliers and held it over my gas stove top in the kitchen. Works great.

[Darth_cholo]

update:

ordered 2 of the foundry clips. about 15 bucks with shipping included. You get replacement screws also and some Loctite in the package from spyderco factor outlet. The one thing about the acid etch is that it made the wire clip too grippy. I guess depending on your needs you'd like that. For me i liked the polished functionality as it was easier to take out of pocket. The black wire clips on Chaparral accomplish best of both worlds but are a little short for manix 2.

[stompin_boots]

i may be wrong, but when you gun blue your blade that makes it no good for food prep right? pretty sure the bluing isn't food safe.

[Darth_cholo]

i may be wrong, but when you gun blue your blade that makes it no good for food prep right? pretty sure the bluing isn't food safe.

Not sure. I actually had pcb ectching solution. I did use gun blue after trying to darken it more. It did almost nothing that pcb ething didn't already do. It's the wire clip but I do wonder about the blade.

[stompin_boots]

i may be wrong, but when you gun blue your blade that makes it no good for food prep right? pretty sure the bluing isn't food safe.

Not sure. I actually had pcb ectching solution. I did use gun blue after trying to darken it more. It did almost nothing that pcb ething didn't already do. It's the wire clip but I do wonder about the blade.

ever hear of etching affecting the stainless properties of s30v?