In article ,
"Ed Huntress" wrote:

"Joseph Gwinn" wrote in message
...
In article ,

Ferric chloride is not volatile (won't evaporate), is easier to control
and is safer, and for those reasons is a standard etchant for steel.

Joe Gwinn

How does it bite, compared to nitric? Does it undercut? Do you have to etch
in multiple bites?

I've never used Nitric Acid for etching, so I cannot offer a comparison.

I've etched carbon steel (1095) and high-carbon stainless steel (like
440C) with wax resist and a cotton swab soaked with concentrated ferric
chloride solution at room temperature, sweeping over the area to be
etched manually. I don't recall how deep it went, but it was not
superficial. I recall it taking ten or twenty minutes total, but I was
talking as I did it, so I wasn't keeping score.

Joe Gwinn