DIY Acid Etching on Metal for Jewelry Making - Part IV: Etching on Silver Using Ferric Nitrate

Part I of DIY Acid Etching on Metal for Jewelry covered how to transfer designs on metal.

Part II and III covered how to prepare an acid etch bath for copper and brass.

In Part IV, the same techniques apply for etching on silver, except the acid is different.  Please review Part I - III to help understand the basic etching process.

Here’s my unscientific method for etching on silver, plus how you can avoid making the same mistakes I did.

Part IV: DIY Etching on Silver for Jewelry Using Ferric Nitrate

Ferric nitrate provides a clean etch on sterling silver and fine silver.

You can buy ferric nitrate crystals at most chemical supply stores. I buy from Adchemco Scientific in Tucson, Arizona. ($60 for 5 pounds of crystals. Smaller quantities available for less $$$).

If you order ferric nitrate from an out-of-state supplier, the cost will include shipping and HAZMAT packing costs, so try to find a local supplier to save $$$. (When I was an ASU student I bought it through my local University Chemistry Store, but 9-11 may have changed that.)

Ferric nitrate crystals look like lumps of sugar with a light hues of purple. Ferric nitrate crystals should be combined with distilled water, but I confess, I use tap water and have not had any problems.

You may have more minerals in your water supply that could make a difference, but I apologize in that I haven’t researched those variables. So, to be safe, jot down “distilled water” on your grocery list and have it handy. 

When it comes to a recipe for mixing a ferric nitrate solution, I have done a bit of research and experimenting. I found that a 50/50 mix works well. So, you don't need to buy a gram scale if you don’t have one.

By now, you may be thinking, "She probably adds a “pinch of this” and a “dollop of that” when she cooks, rather than following a strict recipe." Very true! I'm attempting to show where you can cut corners and where you must be careful.

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Note: Please do not confuse ferric nitrate with ferric chloride. Ferric chloride works well on copper and brass, but does NOT work on silver.

Ferric chloride and ferric nitrate are corrosive iron salts. Although they are potentially harmful chemicals, they are much safer to use than acid. They do not have noxious fumes and are not absorbed through the skin. They will stain skin, counter tops, and clothes, so wear gloves, protect your working surfaces, and wear old clothes when etching.

To be safe, please read the precautions listed in the Goss Studios article on etching, sent courtesy of Art Chemicals.com. I have never experienced fumes or flammability, as mentioned in the article and am not cavalier about handling chemicals, but feel that some precautions are overkill.

I smile when I see a warning on a paper coffee cup: “Caution, hot liquid may cause severe burns.” (OK, I can see the steam - I get it. :  )
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Here is the link to the formal recipe for etching on Silver, sent courtesy of ArtChemicals.com. The article is written by Goss Design Studios.

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Goss Design Studios - Ferric Nitrate Etching Recipe
400 ml of distilled water
300 grams of Ferric Nitrate

Always add crystals to water!
NEVER water to crystals.

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My Unscientific Etching Process:

Fill a quart size (glass or plastic) measuring pitcher with 2 cups of tap water. Slowly add enough ferric nitrate crystals (about 2 cups) to make a total solution of 1 quart. Mix carefully with a wooden or plastic spoon (do not use anything metal) until the crystals are dissolved. The solution will turn a dark greenish color that is fairly clear compared to the thick, opaque, greenish ferric chloride, which is used straight out of the bottle. (I feel like I should be chanting a "Spell" while stirring, as it reminds me of a Witch's brew. : )

The instruction from Goss Studios says to “kick start” the solution with “a teaspoon of old, 5:1 diluted, nitric acid solution.” I skipped that. I have worked with nitric acid and it is very dangerous stuff. I avoid it whenever possible. If you are more daring than I, please try the Goss recipe. It may increase the strength of your ferric nitrate solution. I'd love to learn about your results.

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Note on Nitric Acid Etching: 

An accepted way of etching silver is to use nitric acid. I tried etching silver, using 3:1 nitric acid solution, and was very disappointed in the results. The acid quickly corroded the dry toner design and red Staedtler pen resist. The edges of the design came out fuzzy. The fumes were so bad that I decided it was not something I wanted in my studio.
However, many professional jewelers swear by it as a clean etch method. They use a stronger resist, like asphaultum, which I find messy and hard to work with.

I calculated that it costs less to use nitric acid than ferric nitrate, as it lasts longer and a smaller amount is required per etch.  Nitric acid concentration gets stronger as the water evaporates, unlike ferric nitrate, which is weakened by moisture.

It is necessary to follow safe OSHA disposal requirements.  You can get more info on nitric acid etching on the internet.
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You can etch about 20 pendant-sized pieces of silver in a quart solution of ferric nitrate before it starts to slow down and finally exhaust. I calculated that (in a perfect world) 5 pounds of ferric nitrate, at $60, should produce approximately 100 etched pendants at a cost of 60 cents per piece, just to etch.

This technique is better for creating your own special unique, one-of-a-kind designs.  This may not be an economical way to create a wholesale line of jewelry. There are more economical ways of producing a jewelry design that appears to be etched, such as having a wax model cast by professionals.

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This photo shows the original 4 inch x 2 inch, 16 gauge, piece of sterling silver intended to be a bracelet.
The design has been "ironed on" and the edges filled in with red Staedtler pen resist.  The back of the silver is covered with clear plastic packing tape as a resist to the ferric nitrate.

The transfer design was made with of a sheet of IBM transparency acetate copied on my dry toner copy machine.

The copy machine transferred a thick layer of dry toner (dark black lines) on to the acetate.

The acetate was then placed (toner side down) on the squeaky clean piece of sterling silver. I put a piece of paper towel on top of the acetate.  I placed a hot iron on top of the paper towel (for about 3 minutes) this heated the acetate and melted the dry toner on to the silver.
When the hot metal cooled enough to touch, it was placed in a glass jar of water. The acetate popped off easily, leaving the dry toner design on the silver.

I used a red Steadtler pen to touch up a couple of places that didn’t transfer fully to the silver.

The outside borders of the design were filled in with red Staedtler pen as a resist to the acid.

HERE IS WHERE I BLEW IT!

A 50/50 solution of ferric nitrate takes twice as long to etch silver as ferric chloride does to etch copper and brass.

CAUTION:   Don’t be blasé about it. I learned the hard way. Below is a photo of a nice, thick piece of silver I was etching for a bracelet. I got involved in another project and lost track of time. It was in the etch bath for 6 hours and the ferric nitrate etched holes all the way through the silver in some spots. I was miffed at my neglect (and material loss), but it was a valuable lesson. I was pleased to see that the dry toner resist held up very well the whole time. The red Staedler border ink mask did break down somewhat.  I should have taped it, but I didn't think it would be etching for 6 hours!

Since then, I always carry a loud alarm timer set for 30 minutes as a reminder to check on the etch bath. (Fortunately, I was able use the middle section of the design, so it wasn’t a complete loss. And, you can always send silver (mistake) scraps to a refiner in exchange for a $$ check.)

The back of the silver sheet was covered with clear packing tape to protect it from etching. So the etching came from the front side of the piece.

The clear acetate shows how well the dry toner melted onto the metal. Only a few spots of the black dry toner are left on the clear acetate. Most of the dry toner melted on to the silver nicely.

In case you place the iron on the design too long, delicate lines may run together. So it might take a bit of experimenting to see how long it takes to melt the toner and still retain crisp design elements.

You can always start over if the toner smears or doesn’t transfer completely. Just clean off the metal with acetone (or alcohol) and begin again. No loss.

You’ll get the hang of it after a few tries.
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Summary of Etching on Silver:

THE DESIGN

a.) Draw your design directly on silver using a red Staedtler pen.

 b.) Or, use Future clear floor wax (or fingernail polish) as a resist. Scratch out a design through the resist. You can also use tape as a resist to block off areas.

c.) Or, draw a design on paper, then scan it, resize it, and save it on Photoshop using the darkest black / white contrast available.

Print out the design in highest resolution possible.

d.) Make sure any lettering or numbers in your design are “mirror” image, so they “read right” when transferred to the silver.

e.) Copy the design at a photocopy store (or use your own copier) on a machine that uses dry toner. Set the copy as dark as possible to achieve a thick layer of dry toner on a sheet of heavy magazine paper or acetate transparency.

f.) Cut out the dry toner design copy leaving a ¼ inch margin around the perimeter.

DESIGN TRANSFER TO SILVER

a.) To recap - Layer design, silver and paper towels, per diagram as shown:

(Make sure your flat workspace is not harmed by the heat of the iron. I have scorch marks on my dining room table!  An old desk or wood table works well. Must be completely FLAT. An ironing board does not work.)

b.) Heat an old iron to hottest setting. (Note: A newer, expensive iron that has an “automatic shut off” won’t work.)

c.) You can use an old electric skillet, set at 350 degrees, just reverse the order of the diagram above so the silver design is facing up. Use something very flat and very heavy (an iron?) to lay on top of the design. Don’t wiggle it when you remove it or it may smear the melted toner. It helps if the weight has a handle so it can be lifted straight up easily.

d.) The iron (or skillet) remains in contact with the silver until the dry toner melts on the metal.
Note: The time may vary depending on the thickness of the silver, depth of toner and heat of the iron (or skillet). You can hear the iron and the skillet thermostats clicking on and off to maintain the temperature.

e.) When you lift the iron off the metal, don’t remove the paper (or transparency acetate) from the silver. Let it cool down slowly.  When it is cool enough to touch, carefully pick it up by the edges and drop it into a glass jar of water. When it is cool, you can pop off the transparency acetate or soak off the magazine paper, leaving the dry toner layer that has melted onto the silver.

f.) Tape off areas of your design (such as the back) that you do not want to etch.

g.) Attach silver (dry toner side down) to a piece of Styrofoam, or a piece of plastic bubble envelope, so it will float (like a flat bottomed boat) on top of the ferric chloride etch bath.

THE FERRIC NITRATE ETCH BATH

a.) Using a plastic or glass container, wide enough to accommodate your silver “boats,” mix 50:50 solution of ferric nitrate. Container can be shallow in depth since the silver will be floating on top of the ferric nitrate solution.

Make sure your ferric nitrate container is sitting on top of, or beside something that vibrates, (Part III refers to dryer or aquarium air pump) to help move the etched particles off the metal.

b.) Set timer for 30 minutes and lay the silver “boats” on top of the ferric nitrate solution.

c.) Check every 30 minutes for level of etch you wish to achieve for your design.  (I admit that sometimes I quickly stick my fingers into the ferric nitrate to pluck out a floating boat, and all it does is stain my fingers a bit.  If washed off quickly, no stain on skin, but sometimes need to soak fingernails in weak bleach solution to remove the stains later that night.)

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Note: I found it necessary to rinse off gunk that accumulated on the design side of the silver "boats" every 30 minutes or so.  This was not necessary for etches on brass and copper using ferric chloride. 

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Also check for any missing areas in your design that may have deteriorated. You can rinse off the ferric nitrate and repair missing areas with red Staedtler pen if needed. Then return to acid bath.

d.) When design is etched to your satisfaction, remove from ferric nitrate and place in separate solution of 3 TBL baking soda and 1 cup water. When the solution stops fizzing, remove the silver and rinse thoroughly in water.  Remove all tape and rinse again. 

e.) Make sure you put a secure (plastic) lid on the ferric nitrate solution.

Admire your etched design!!!

DIY: Acid Etching on Brass & Copper Metal for Jewelry Making - Part II & Part III

In a previous article,  Acid Etching on Metals for Jewelry Making, PART I, we discussed how to transfer photocopied graphic designs to flat pieces of brass and copper for etching multiple designs.

(Note:  You can click on any photo in these articles to enlarge them for detailed viewing, then click on "Back" button to return to article)

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ACID ETCHING ON BRASS & COPPER FOR JEWELRY MAKING – Part II
 HAND DRAWING DESIGNS ON BRASS & COPPER FOR ACID ETCHING - My unscientific, but personally tested results.

Another way of preparing brass or copper for etching is to draw directly on the metal using a special ink as a “resist.” You need a special ink that will “resist” the acid without deteriorating during the etching process.

If you Google Acid Etching on Metal, you will find a wide variety of articles, many very helpful. That’s how I got started. I experimented with many methods before I found one that worked consistently for me.

Some methods require expensive materials, like PNP (Press N Peel) transfer paper, which I found to be hit or miss compared to the heat transfer method, as explained in PART I. Other methods recommended special pens for drawing designs on copper circuit boards. Still others recommended very expensive printing press engraver inks that dry up too quickly and are messy to use.

In my research, the pen that works best consistently (for me) is made in Germany. I have tried many other brands, but the ink breaks down during the etching process and ruins the final design.

I can CONFIDENTLY recommend felt tip pens “Staedtler Lumocolor CD-R Pen” – They come in a package of 4 colors, Red, Black, Blue and Green. You can buy a 4-pack on Amazon for $6.99.

The red pen works best as a strong “resist” to Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate. But in a pinch, the black pen works for short etching sessions of 1 hour or less. If you want a very deep etch, and need to leave it in the etching bath for more than 1 hour, I would not use any color other than red. The other colors may break down in Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate after 1 hour or so.

Upon examining one of these pens carefully, I noticed that it says, “refillable,” which I find very interesting. I couldn’t find a way to open it for refilling. But if anyone knows how to refill one, please share your knowledge!

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Note for Acid Etching Part I:

You can use a red Staedtler pen to touch up any missed spots for heat transferred designs using photocopies with dry toner.  If there is a bubble or small spot missing that didn’t transfer to the metal, simply use a red Staedtler pen to fill it in.

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A limitation of Staedtler CD-R Lumocolor pens is that they are only available in medium point. I would LOVE a fine point for delicate designs! I have tried at least 20 different brands of CD, waterproof, permanent felt tip pens, in a fine point, but none held up in the etching process. I even tried tapering the end of the red Staedtler medium tip pen with an Xactoknife and a pair of sharp scissors, but the tip fibers frayed unsatisfactorily. Again, if you have had good luck with a specific brand of fine point felt pen that has a stable ink “resist” for Ferric Chloride etchant, please share the good news with all of us!

One nice thing about drawing your design by hand is that you can etch round objects, like bracelets. I etch designs on recycled, pure brass bullet shells and have found it very relaxing to draw designs on 100 shells or so, while watching TV at night.

This photo show a 7mm Magnum, pure brass, recycled bullet shell with black ink resist, ready for etching. (I used black ink so it will show up in the photo. Black ink will hold up for a fairly shallow etch, but I normally suggest red Staedtler pen. (Red Staedtler ink is somewhat transparent and doesn’t provide enough contrast to show up well in a photo.)

Here is an example of a pure brass, bangle bracelet that was etched on both the inside and the outside, at the same time.  Metalliferous carries an interesting variety of pure brass bracelets that etch nicely. Pure copper, or pure brass, will etch equally well in Ferric Chloride.  *Don’t use plated metals.*

Before you start drawing, make sure the brass or copper is roughened up slightly with #0000 steel wool, or scrubbed with powdered cleanser like, Bar Keepers Friend. That helps the ink adhere to the metal. But to be truthful, I have been lazy, and used a red Staedtler pen on tarnished brass and it worked just fine.


After the ink has dried, test your ink resist to see if it smears or flakes off.  Gently rub it with your fingers. If the design stays put, it will hold up well in the acid bath.

A faster method of cleaning older scrap, or dirty brass and copper, is to dip it in a “pickle bath” solution of PH Down (Sodium Bisulfate). You can buy PH Down at any pool supply or hardware store.

Use 1 cup of PH Down crystals to 1 pint of tap water. (Water warmed up in the microwave works even better.)  This “pickle” bath will clean up the metal nicely. Then, rinse copper, or brass, in water and dry thoroughly before drawing your design on the metal.

Once you have drawn your design using a red Staedtler pen on the metal, you can store it for months without etching it. Keep it clean, in a bag or box, and the ink will hold up well until you are ready to etch it.
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NOTE: If you make a mistake and need to start over with your hand-drawn design using red Staedtler pen, you can quickly remove the ink with acetone or 70% isoprophyl alcohol.
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ACID ETCHING ON BRASS & COPPER FOR JEWELRY MAKING– Part III

FERRIC CHLORIDE ACID BATH

Ferric Chloride is not a dangerous acid, like Nitric acid or Hydrochloric acid. All it does is make metal rust. You can safely neutralize it with baking soda and pour it down the drain, or in the ground. But it does leave dark stains on your hands if you touch it, so use rubber gloves when working with it. And of course, keep children and pets out of the area at all times.

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Another caution:
 I forgot to cover a small container of Ferric Chloride that I re-use for etching in my workshop. I found that (over time) a pegboard stocked full of tools, screw drivers, wire cutters, scissors, and other metals containing iron, mysteriously rusted much faster than normal. (I live in Tucson, AZ where we have a very dry climate and rust is rarely a problem.) So, keep the container of Ferric Chloride covered, or store it away from tools. If left uncovered for more than an hour or two, it may evaporate into the air and attack tools containing iron left in the same room. This is my very own personal unscientific theory.
So take this advice FWIW.

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Where to buy Ferric Chloride:

Ferric Chloride is used by copper circuit board designers. Radio Shack used to carry Ferric Chloride in pints. But they no longer carry it in Tucson, AZ. I buy it, by the gallon, from a chemical supplier here in Tucson.

Note:  If you order it from an out-of-state supplier, they will add substantial HAZMAT shipping charges, so it is best to find a local chemical supplier. Many electronic specialty stores carry Ferric Chloride. I have purchased it in crystal form, which works fine too, but I can’t remember the ratio of crystals to water.  If you buy it in crystal form, ask your supplier what quantity to mix with water to make a solution that will etch brass or copper quickly.

The bottle of liquid Ferric Chloride (photo top left) is what I am using now. It works great, full strength, straight out of the bottle.

I store the brown glass gallon bottle in a cool, dark place, as sunlight will weaken it. You can cover it with a black plastic garbage bag, but make sure you mark it so no one bumps into it accidentally. I have had this bottle for over a year and it hasn’t lost any strength. Make sure it has a plastic cap.  
* Warning:  Never use metal caps on Ferric Chloride containers.

I only use about 3 cups at a time, and keep reusing it until it takes longer and longer to achieve the same etch results. Then I throw it out, and start over with a fresh batch. When I use a fresh batch, it will deep etch quickly, in about 30 minutes, so it is good to set a timer and check the etching progress often. After you have used the same batch about 10 times, it will take about 30 minutes longer to achieve the same depth of etch, depending on how many pieces of metal are in the acid bath.

I read an article about adding a teaspoon of powdered Ester C to 3 cups of Ferric Chloride to maintain its strength, and it seems to be working. You can buy powdered Ester C at any drug store.













This messy looking picture is my acid bath with 7 different pieces of brass, in different thicknesses, submerged for etching at the same time. Always use a plastic (or glass) container for your Ferric Chloride acid bath. The container size depends on the size and shapes of metal you are etching.

I have a red metal rolling cart that I bought at Harbor Freight to hold all my etching supplies.

The 11” x 9” black plastic tray (a recycled frozen lasagna dish) underneath the etch bath container, protects the red metal rolling cart from any acid drips or spills. The clear plastic container holding the Ferric Chloride acid bath is 6” square by 3” high. You can buy them at any grocery store. They come with covers that fit tightly.

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Note:  Never use a metal container for your acid bath. Ferric Chloride will attack it and quickly corrode it into pieces.

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Aquarium Air Pump to Vibrate the Acid and Keep the Design Clean

When the Ferric Chloride etches brass or copper, tiny loose particles of the etched metal accumulate and clog up the design. In order to get a clean etch, the liquid bath must be kept moving to bump the loose particles to the bottom of the container.

Best Methods for a Clean Etch:

a.) Tape your flat metal design to a 1” thick (or more) piece of Styrofoam using double-sided carpet tape. Your metal/Styrofoam sandwich acts like a boat and floats upside-down on the surface of the Ferric Chloride. Loose particles will fall off the metal design to the bottom of the bath. (See Styrofoam boat  design below.)

b.) Buy a small 3” aquarium air pump ($5 at WalMart) and tape it to the outside of the acid container so it vibrates and keeps the liquid moving. (Note small gray aquarium pump next to acid container in photo above left.)

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OR, USE YOUR DRYER:  Alternatively, you can place the Ferric Chloride container on top of your dryer and run the empty dryer on “air dry” while the etching is taking place. The vibration of the running dryer will keep the loose particles from accumulating on the submerged metal.

But make sure you use a protective plastic covering to keep any drips of Ferric Chloride off the top of your dryer! Ferric Chloride drips on your dryer will quickly corrode the finish.

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If you are etching round objects, like bullet shell casings, you can plug the open end of the bullet shell with 4” inch length of thin wooden doweling. This accomplishes 2 things.

1.) It keeps any Ferric Chloride from etching the inside of the bullet shell casing.


2.) It keeps the bullet shell submerged, but still floating above the bottom of the container, so the etched particles fall off easily.

If you don’t want to take the time to make a Styrofoam boat for flat pieces of metal, you can punch a small hole in the upper corner of the metal and tie a piece of fishing line to make a loop. Hang these loops over a wooden stick across the top of the Ferric Chloride bath container. The pieces of metal will hang vertically, so the loose particles of etched metal will fall to the bottom of the etching bath.

The only problem is that you can sometimes see the deep etched lines that are made by the loose particles falling in a vertical direction. See photo (right) Round disk with MOM design drawn with black Staedtler pen. The design was hung vertically and you can see the vertical lines etched in the finished pendant. If you use a Styrofoam boat the metal will etch evenly (horizontally) without any vertical lines.

Below are photos of hand-drawn etch “resist” on flat metal which was etched horizontally on a Styrofoam boat.

Note:  Make sure you cover any large areas of metal that you DON’T want to etch, (like the back) with clear plastic packing tape. Ferric Chloride will not etch through clear sticky tape if it covers the back of the metal without any bubbles or loose edges.

It is a good idea to cut your metal larger than the finished design so you can overlap the tape around the edges of the design. (below left)  You can also use strips of tape or fingernail polish as a resist. Simple geometric designs using tape, or organic designs using floor polish or nail polish can be interesting.

However, you CAN make a 2-sided design by etching the front and back, at the same time.  Use a thick piece of brass (or copper) so you can get a deep etch on both sides.  A thinner piece of metal may etch holes all the way through the metal, if you etch both sides at the same time.

This hand-drawn design (above) was etched on a floating Styrofoam boat. The back of the metal was taped to prevent any etching on the back. Finished design (below right).

While etching, check on your metal designs in the etch bath about every 30 minutes. I use a bamboo shish-ka-bob skewer to gently touch the edges of the design. If the point of the skewer catches on the edges of the lines, you can feel how deep the etch is, without removing it from the etch bath. If the skewer slides across the design, then it hasn’t etched deep enough and needs to stay in the bath longer.

This is also a good time to check if any parts of the design are breaking down and need to be touched up. (I have never had to do this, but it can be done.)

Rinse the Ferric Chloride off the metal using a separate container with baking soda and water to stop the etching process. Then rinse in plain water and dry so any areas can be touched up with a red Staedtler pen. Then return the touched up design to the etch bath and proceed as before.

Neutralize the Acid to Finish the Process

When you are satisfied with the depth of the etch, submerge the metal in a separate plastic container (clean yogurt tub, cottage cheese or other plastic or glass works fine) with solution of water and 3 or 4 tablespoons of baking soda. This solution neutralizes the Ferric Chloride that is still on the metal. You can see the baking soda solution fizzing as it neutralizes the acid. If you don’t neutralize the Ferric Chloride that is left on the metal with baking soda, it will continue to etch in microscopic crevices of your design and ruin it later.

Next, rinse your metal designs in water and dry.

Tightly cover your Ferric Chloride bath so you can use it later.

(Option: Sprinkle a teaspoon of powdered Ester C in the acid bath so it will keep its strength.)

If you want to dispose of an exhausted Ferric Chloride bath, make sure you add enough baking soda to neutralize it. You can tell it is neutralized when it stops fizzing. Then you can safely dispose of the neutralized acid, down the drain, or in the ground.

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 Note: WASTE NOT – WANT NOT

If you wind up with a finished etched design that is missing details and you feel it is ruined, fear not!
You can use the GOOD PARTS of the etched metal for smaller patterned designs. 

Below are interesting pendants made from scrap pieces of etched metal.

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Acid Etching on Metal for Jewelry - Part IV will cover acid etching on Sterling Silver using a different chemical etchant and different “resist.”

Please comment or ask questions!

Stay tuned for Part IV in this series on Etching.

Do what you enjoy! Happy etching!

Virginia Vivier
Esprit Mystique Artisan Jewelry
Tucson, Arizona

"Talk to a tree, it's older than you and knows more."