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Tools for Etching Metal

Etching metal creates artistic prints through a printmaking technique called drypoint. Scratching lines into a metal plate and dipping this plate into an acidic solution will cause the lines to “etch” and grow deeper. Rolling ink onto the metal plate and then polishing the plate removes ink from the empty image areas as the ink that forms the image remains within the deeply etched lines. After laying a piece of moist, absorbent paper over the plate and applying pressure, the ink from within the lines deposits into the damp paper. Pulling the print at the end of the etching process reveals a reverse rendition of the artist’s composition.

  1. Etching Needles

    • Brand-new etching needles have rather sharp points that create blunt lines. Some of these tools feature diamond-shaped tips and wooden handles. Other etching needles have carbide tips, which you can sharpen as needed.

    Burins

    • A burin is an essential metal engraving tool. It creates clean lines while forming a V-shaped groove in metal. The tool has a long shaft that makes it easy to work with. Etching lines into a metal plate with a burin creates lines that have tapered ends.

    Burnishers

    • A burnisher is a handy error-correcting tool. If you scratch a line in the wrong place on a sheet of metal, you can use this tool to smooth the metal’s surface. Use of a burnisher prevents ink from depositing into areas where you don’t want it. It’s also a great tool for evening out unsightly pits and flaws within a piece of metal before dipping the plate into an etching solution.

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