Join the War on Hydrofluoric Acid

Etch titanium safely

Think HF is the only choice for cleaning and etching titanium?

Think again.

Learn more

Anodized titanium before and after using Multi‑Etch.

Etch Safely

Per the CDC, “Even small splashes of high-concentration hydrogen fluoride products on the skin can be fatal.”

While we recommend using gloves, if Multi‑Etch gets on your skin you can simply wash it off with no ill effects.

Anodize Brilliantly

Multi‑Etch is simple to use, but you won't be sacrificing vibrant and consistent color when you anodize.

We used Multi‑Etch ourselves for nearly 30 years in making titanium jewelry and wedding rings!

Stop Outsourcing

Hazards of production-line cleaning with HF mean a lot of overhead, leading many companies to outsource it.

With Multi‑Etch, gloves, goggles, and a simple fume hood are all that you need to etch titanium safely.

Go Green

Unlike hydrofluoric acid, fluorides in Multi‑Etch are bound up in solution and never released as a gas.

In many municipalities, spent Multi‑Etch can be neutralized with baking soda and poured down the drain.

Etch titanium safely with Multi‑Etch

See detailed walk-throughs

1
Mix the Multi‑Etch
Shipped to you as a dry powder for ease of storage. Just add water!
2
Etch the titanium
Just 7–10 seconds in heated Multi‑Etch does the job.
3
Enjoy clean, bright titanium
Anodize as usual for brilliant colors!

Our story

Portrait of Chris Boothe and Sandy Boothe

Chris Boothe & Sandy Boothe
Multi‑Etch founders

Why did we pursue an alternative to hydrofluoric acid? After using HF for 10 years, we understood the hazards of working with hydrofluoric acid and nitric acids. Read more Multi-Etch history.

Even relatively “safe” consumer products such as rust removers, which are sometimes used for etching titanium, contain hydrofluoric acid. Read more about the environmental and safety issues of HF.

For those who still choose to work with HF, here are new protocols (PDF) developed by Carnegie Mellon University's Hydrofluoric Acid Safety Program.

From the beginning, Multi‑Etch has been proudly made in the USA!

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