I wanted to heat color some mosaic damascus for bolsters, and did so with ok results. I just didn't seem to get the vivid color, and the nickle mosaic patterns are visible, but only very clear if you hold the knife at an angle. Do I need to etch the steel before coloring or do I want to step up to nitre blueing? I've seen some beautiful heat colored mosaic damascus but my results are no where close to those examples.

Thanks in advance

Wow! What a coinsidence! I just got done doing this. What seemed to work for me...

Finish your damascus all the way up to 1200 grit finish

Then fully polish and clean with solvent

then etch

rub with steel wool then etch again but this time just to bring back the dark tones. It will be pretty quick. I use vinegar and it only took about an hour, so if you are using acid I would guess 5 min...

rinse off with water. try to avoid rubbing if at all possible

then do your heat coloring, again trying not to rub. Rubbing will damage both the coloring and the contrast in your etch...

This was my first attempt at working with mosaic damascus. I think I could get more deffinition in color if I used a smaller flame (not less heat but a smaller in size flame)... just a thought. If you don't like how mine turned out then don't listen to me!!!

Chris Nilluka

Thanks Chris, It's ironic that you did your coloring on that particular peice of damascus.... I just bought some of that. Looks like Chris Marks material to me. well your piece looks better than mine. My color is good, but the contrast just isn't there. I wonder if heat treating the steel, then etching, then coloring would be good. I know how a good heat treated blade etches so much better and deeper than a non treated piece of steel. I know how experimentation is key, but I must say that usually my first try with something ends up on the knife, and I gain experience as the number of knives I build go up. I should just sit down with a bunch of steel and start trying different treatments. One thing I did learn is, if anything on the knife is damascus, it's getting heat treated. I think it brings the steel alive after etching.
Thanks again

I go up to 2000 grit on my Mosaic bolsters. I then mirror polish them. I don't etch, I buff to a mirror finish, I then degrease and then use heat. This knife http://customknives.com/190.htm has Devin Thomas Vines and Roses for the blade and Spirograph bolsters.

Good Luck,

A.T.

I go up to 2000 grit on my Mosaic bolsters. I then mirror polish them. I don't etch, I buff to a mirror finish, I then degrease and then use heat. This knife http://customknives.com/190.htm has Devin Thomas Vines and Roses for the blade and Spirograph bolsters.

Good Luck,

A.T.

Wow! Yours looks a lot better than mine! How are you doing the coloring? Are you using a torch or a blueing tank? Does heat treating first make a difference on bolsters? I hear it does on blades...

Chris Nilluka

Wow! Yours looks a lot better than mine! How are you doing the coloring? Are you using a torch or a blueing tank? Does heat treating first make a difference on bolsters? I hear it does on blades...

Chris Nilluka

Hello Chris, I don't heat treat my bolsters. I think the main thing is to get a mirror polish on them. IMO, etching them will dull the colors. I use a propane torch to heat them.

A.T.