Sharpie right on silver as a resist for ectching?

Jewelry Discussion
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Transferred a pattern onto silver for a cuff. It’s a beautiful transfer except for one tiny place. Can I just use a sharpie on the metal and will that work in ferric acid? Thanks everybody Christina

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It works pretty well. Even better, a really fine point oil based paint pen will work, too.

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I use nail polish as a resist in etching.

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Thank you, I ended up scrubbing off the transfer and redoing it. But I will remember this information for next time a Christina

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I have used sharpie pens for etching resist with great success. I use both the fine points and a bit larger, I keep a bit of alcohol at hand to lift any smudges or mistakes. If using stamps, a black Stazon stamp pad works beautifully, too

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I have used Sharpie for a resist on brass for etchings. Very often I will use sharpies to block large areas and then I will use a pick and scratch through the ink for very fine lines. Occasionally in the middle of some very fine lines.

Don Meixner

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Sharpies work ok for a short to medium etch, but I have better success with DecoColor opaque paint markers. I found that if the piece needs to stay in the etch bath for a while you have to clean off the ferric and reapply the sharpie.

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I make a laser toner resist for my image (in reverse), apply it with heat and burnishing to the silver. Then I use nail polish for all the other areas on the silver that I don’t want etching. I’m still in “infancy” on etching, but I have had fantastic results using laser toner. All of my edges and back are coated with nail polish (I’m partial to Parisian Pink, LOL). Does this help?

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