How to Tattoo a Knife Blade W/ (Proper) Metal Etching

Today I am showing you how to Tattoo a Chef Knife Blade, using a 9v battery and few tablespoons of salt.

The Tattoo process we are using, is called METAL ETCHING and it is extremely powerful. A chef knife blade is usually very very hard but, with just a 9v battery and some patience , we can tear it off.

First off, I am covering the blade with tape. Any tape works, as long as it is sturdy and waterproof.

If you still have the handle on your knife, which is probably the case, then leave a small part uncovered, as close as possible to the handle.

Then, with a utility knife, I am cutting out a test design,

Fill up a glass jar with water and add 2 tbsp of salt per liter.

Dip the blade in it. warning : only the design and the tape-covered-part must be submerged.

You also need a sacrificial piece of the same metal. In my case a stainless steel fork from which i scraped any varnish off.

Connect an alligator clip to a dry uncovered part of your blade, and another one to the sacrificial piece.

For the record, I bought a dozen of those clips online for just a few bucks.

Place this setup OUTSIDE, and then, using a fresh 9Volts battery, connect the BLADE to POSITIVE and the Piece to NEGATIVE.

The reason why we place it outside is SAFETY : There is a small gas emission which is not desired indoors.

You can tell it’s working when you got bubbles going on. 15 minutes are usually enough for a small design, with a brand new 9v battery.

Out of the bath, give it a quick rinse and remove all that tape. You can see, The design is now encrusted in the blade. I like how dark and rough it is.

Right, having my name on my blade is cool but... Let’s bring that to the next level. I say we tattoo the whole thing.

Again. Cover the blade with tape. Cut off your designs, and proceed with METAL ETCHING.

Quick notice : That 9v battery is not powerful enough to tattoo the whole blade in one GO. So I am doing it a small surface at a time, about 2 inches square.

I admit It took me some time, but at the end, this is what I got : A CUSTOM BLADE with my own PIRATE TATOOS on it.

So guys that’s it, I hope you enjoyed this DIY action. I would suggest for your first tattoo to do it on a test blade, that what I did, just to see how it works practically.