So everyone says that encasing beads makes them gloriously shiny and gets the colours to “pop” and gives them depth....so I have been breaking myself learning to encase. Now I can kinda encase I want to have a go at etching to make them look really matt and dull. So I bought some etch-all the other week when I was at the Essex bead fair and have just had a go.
When I first read about etching the was a lot of talk about having to neutralise the etched beads with bicarb of soda, and various other procedures which all sounded quite dangerous and, to be honest, a bit too faffy to bother with. But this etch-all is just so easy to use as you just rinse the solution off the beads in running water once you have etched them enough (although you should still neutralise with with a solution of water and bicarb of soda to prevent residual acid burns). And also you can then return the used etching solution back into the pot for re-use (good job as it isn’t particularly cheap).
The instructions said that you only need to leave the beads in for a minute but I have found that doesn’t take much of the shine off thus I leave mine in the etching fluid for about 10 minutes which gives them a good matt finish. They don’t seem to take on the etched appearance until they are rinsed, neutralised and dried. Etching is very effective on transparent - the pic has CIM and Reichenbach opaques, transparent and opals in wrapped in SIS. And I also stir them in the pot using bamboo BBQ skewers continuously - if you just let them sit there then they come out with shiny bottoms where they have sat - and nobody wants a shiny bottom!
P.S. it does also take the shine of the inside of the little ceramic ramekin I use for my etching so I dread to think what it would do to a plastic or metal container - be warned!
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