90% nitric acid

[Dan Fruth]

I have a bottle of 90% nitric acid that was given to me by Jack Haugh several years ago. I plan to use it to make stain...3 parts distilled water and 1 part acid, and dissolve iron wire into it.....Will 90% strength nitric work OK for stain?......Thanks...Dan

[jerrywh]

 10% works pretty well.  90% is dangerous. fumes !!!!

[M. E. Pering]

No... Don't use it full strength, but the formula you gave 3:1 with iron is correct.  Not only would 90% be dangerous, as jerrywh said, but it could damage the wood.  Also, when diluting, you want to add the acid to the H2O, and not the other way around.

M. E. Pering

[Eric Kettenburg]

At 90% I would go to a 4:1 ratio.

[heinz]

90% nitric is really active.  You must be careful to keep it really sealed or the fumes will wreak havoc in the gunshop.  I used to seal mine with a couple layers of plastic wrap over the bottle opening under the screw cap.

I dilute it adding 1 part acid to 9 parts water and still get considerable fumes when adding the iron.  Note add the acid to the water not the other wat around.  Considerable heat is generated in the dilution.

[Daryl]

I used nitric acid with nails for browning barrels back in the late 70's, but I don't know the strength
 - likely bought it at an appothocary's store. Of course I was too tough (dumb) to wear gloves and I
badly burned my fingers. They throbbed for days, then slowly the pain wet away.  I ended up with a
'tough-skin' condition from that, which only stopped working about 5 years ago.  The skin would
build up on my fingers until I had no feeling in them. Belt sander was the easiest way to get the excess
off. I usually lost some blood doing that - along with most other things I did in the workshop.
Daryl

[davec2]

I use a lot of very strong acids for a lot of things.  Just be careful.  Nitric can be dangerous.....but so is gasoline...and we all use gasoline all the time without blowing ourselves up or burning down the garage.  It's all about what you get used to handling.

[Dan Fruth]

Thanks for the help...I'll be careful...And 4:1 sounds good Eric

[jerrywh]

 I have used 7% for etching fake damascus on barrels. It only takes about 10 minutes or less. Nitric acid wil turn a lot of organic materials into explosives or high combustibles. Even a cotton rag.

[mikeyfirelock]

Add the acid to the water!!!!!!!!!!!  Do not add the water to the acid !!!!!     The specific gravity of the acid is greater than water ( basically denser) and the water may stay on top of the acid.  The heat generated between them can result in the water boiling and the whole thing erupts and you have acid all over .   That was the first thing we learned in the first chemistry course in pharmacy school. 

[AMartin]

Mix it outside and wear thick rubber gloves ... don't need to burn your banjo pickin fingers over some stupid stain ....


Al Martin

[Dan Fruth]

I am asking because I had a jug of concentrated nitric I used for years, and its about gone. I put my pint jar in a big bowl of ice and measure the water first, then pour in the acid. Clean the iron wire and put short pieces in the mix, until no more wire dissolves.I'll do it all outside with gloves and a respirator....Thanks for the help....And I'll watch the banjo pickin fingers carefully!