bit off topic question on etching silver

[Wyndham]

Beside being interested in recovery of precious metals I'm also an artist and potter(trying to make a living somehow)
I recently read an article about a fellow that etched a copper plate with 1 part muriatic acid and 2 parts peroxide(drugstore low grade) to make an image for hand printing plate for small 4x4 cards.
Since both these materials are readily available, I was considering making some sterling silver jewelry pendants by the same method.
My question is, will this work with sterling or must i use nitric, which is not available to me.
The basic idea is to coat the piece you work on with a resist such as asphaltum or pitch and leave areas open that you want to etch, usually a negative image that when etched is a positive.
There's also a method to use a small deplating cell for the same results which is about the same as others have talked about here for gold recovery.
It's a quiet day here and I'm fishing for idea's for new things to make for the upcoming year. Any idea's will be great, including numbers for winning the lotto and retiring. Thanks again Wyndham

 

[dick b]

Wyndham:

Heres a thought you might consider. Try putting your resist on the piece and the sandblasting it with microgrit. They use that technique for etching glass and it may work on silver as well. I'm not sure about using chemicals, but it might work.

Good luck.

dickb

 

[Wyndham]

Thanks Dick, I might try that if I don't have any luck with acid or electro deplate. Wyndham

 

[goldsilverpro]

Here's a pretty good thread on the subject.
http://www.finishing.com/140/75.shtml

More:
http://www.makersgallery.com/goss/etch-ster.html

A lot more:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=silver+etching&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS259US259&ie=UTF-8

 

[Wyndham]

Thanks for the links. Since I have a titanium electro coloring system, likely I will be able to do the salt water electro deplating easier than the acid etch with better control and less undercuts. It will be an interesting test. Thanks again for the links. Wyndham

 

[Lino1406]

is done with HF, NH4F

 

[Wyndham]

There are some compounds that are not worth dealing with and HF is one of those. I'll practice with things, that in case of accident, won't eat me alive.
I did see a link earlier that mentioned salt solution and acidized with citric acid for a electro deplating. If it doesn't work i can maybe light up a led
Wyndham