Pedang restored + Warangan in Java

ariel · 28th June 2018, 03:48 AM

A very naive question:

Since etching/staining is a controlled rusting, couldn’t one instead of a very toxic arsenic with lime juice use good old Nital?

kai · 28th June 2018, 09:16 AM

Hello Ariel,

Quote:

Since etching/staining is a controlled rusting, couldn’t one instead of a very toxic arsenic with lime juice use good old Nital?

Controlled oxidation, not necessarily rusting.

E. g. warangan results in a surface layer of arsenate. Have a close look at the pics!

Regards,
Kai

A. G. Maisey · 28th June 2018, 11:28 AM

Ariel, I've never used Nital, but I understand it is comprised of nitric acid and alchohol, as such, I would expect it to be a very good etchant, but I would not expect it to stain ferric material blue-black. Arsenic stains ferric material blue-black.

28th June 2018, 03:48 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	A very naive question: Since etching/staining is a controlled rusting, couldn’t one instead of a very toxic arsenic with lime juice use good old Nital?

28th June 2018, 11:28 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,133	Ariel, I've never used Nital, but I understand it is comprised of nitric acid and alchohol, as such, I would expect it to be a very good etchant, but I would not expect it to stain ferric material blue-black. Arsenic stains ferric material blue-black.