Please inform me the chemical contents of glass etching cream. Can I make the stuff at home?

Question

I am interested in glass etching work. Please inform me the safe way to etch glass. Also provide the chemical composition of hydrofluoric acid.

Answer 1

The SAFE way to etch glass is to buy the cream and follow the directions.

As for the chemical composition of the acid, take a chemistry class...however, to make your own IS NOT recommended!   Are you aware that even a small drop of that acid on your skin could be fatal?

Though I appreciate your artistic endeavors, safety should prevail :)

Answer 2

Buy the cream and follow the directions: it's the only safe way to do etching.

Hydroflouric acid: Hydrogen gas and flourine gas dissolved in water. You can't buy it without special permits, and it can dissolve its way out of almost any container. It can also eat your bones!

This is the nastiest chemical I have ever had to work with - and that was in a lab with every safety device needed.

Hydrofluoric acid is corrosive and a contact poison.

Symptoms of exposure to hydrofluoric acid may not be immediately evident. HF interferes with nerve function and burns may not initially be painful. Accidental exposures can go unnoticed, delaying treatment and increasing the extent and seriousness of the injury. HF is known to etch bone, and since it penetrates the skin it essentially breaks the person's bones without destroying the skin.