I have also used ferric chloride on a Campo with good results. It is easier and less hazardous to use than nital.
Dave --- On Mon, 5/3/10, R N Hartman <[email protected]> wrote: > From: R N Hartman <[email protected]> > Subject: [meteorite-list] Fw: etching with radio shack etchant > To: "Meteorite Central" <[email protected]> > Cc: "Meteorite1" <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, May 3, 2010, 3:44 AM > I was just browsing through some of > the posts on Joes Skyrockcafe website when I ran across a > post from a collector who was unhappy with the Radio Shack > etchant for iron meteorites. He claims to have sanded > a Campo down to #400 but could not get a Widmanstatten > pattern, although he did get a beautiful pattern using the > traditional Nitric method. > > My son, Jim, and I posted an article in the November 2002 > issue of the Meteorite Times about preparing and etching > irons using Ferric Chloride (which is the same material as > used in the Radio Shack etchant). The method has been > used widely since that time with outstanding success by many > and with superior results, so there is now an undisputed 8 > year positive history. Etches show more contrast and > subtle details come out more readily, and fears of ferric > chloride use have been put to rest as the specimens are not > rusting and crumbling. In fact, they do just as well > if not better than when etched with nitric. (But that is a > topic for another day.) > > I think the problem of the person in posting his negative > experience was that after grinding down to a #400 grit that > he did not then polish out the surface. Unlike > preparing an iron to etch with nitric acid, the surface > wants to have a highly reflective mirror-like surface before > etching. As we say in the article, however, every > meteorite is different and can react differently to > different circumstances, so he may have just had an unusual, > but uncommon, experience. He may have a very different > experience with a different Campo. (I have many > Ferric-etched slices of Campos in my personal collection and > they are all doing well.) > > Ron Hartman > > > > > E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (7.0.0.514) > Database version: 6.14900 > http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ > ______________________________________________ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
