etching

[lynseysorefingers]

hi, i'm thinking of giving etching ago again. done it yearsssssssssss ago at art school but can't remember what i used- nitric acid rings a bell!? i got some of the black paint you put on before etching the pattern.
Any tips on a good etching solution to use and any techniques i can experiment with? thanks xxx

[ps_bond]

Aqua regia for gold.
Nitric acid or ferric nitrate for silver or a deep etch on steel.
Ferric chloride or the Edinburgh etch (ferric chloride + citric acid) for copper & copper alloys. Also works on steel, but more inclined to undercut than nitric IIRC.

There's also salt water electrochemical etching, but I can't remember off the top of my head if it works on silver.

[lynseysorefingers]

thanks peter,

will look into those- probably nitric acid will do the trick