From XDP to "real" steel pieces (japanese swords and their fittings)

[lithium258]

Well I have no fancy $500 stuff! it is a hobby so I would never expend so much money on it anyway. My setup is quite different: table salt, water and a battery charger. That's the etching setup. It eats the steel quite fast, say 20 minutes per blade side; about 30 minutes for a guard. As for transfering the designs: I print them in my laser printer on magazine covers --glossy/not too soft--, partially transfer the print with nail polish remover --acetone melts the toner, but it wont stick completly in a polished surface like a blade-- and finish with heating the piece on the stove flames and then applying pressure with a spoon The toner sticks to the metal incredibly well, enough to hold the salt water etching.

I produced a kind of little tutorial and post it in the off topic chat section of this forum.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...295#post439295