Relic'ing hardware techniques? What is the most effective and realistic?

does andyone have pictures of etched hardware of Muriatic Acid,Ferric Chloride,sand blasting,etc?

My BIG question is how does Fender Custom Shop etch their hardware? Their hardware looks super nice and clean, kinda like an untouched strat left on a wall in an abandoned 50 yr old music shop covered in cobwebs and dust with just a touch of oxidation on the hardware with a flat satin touch.. Ok I have to stop dreaming..

Anyways, ya'll get the picture..

Play the hell out of it and sweat over it in nasty beer joint gigs for 50 years ??

I've never done it myself (other than sanding the hell out of everything before painting) but most people seem to go for hydrochloric (muriatic) acid in a fume box - not directly dipping parts in.

I build relics and I use muriatic acid.

I have a small little cooler. It is large enough to hold two bowls inside. I put my parts in one bowl, the acid in the other, and I close the lid.

Do not put the acid straight on your parts, or dip them like some do. It doesnt give realisitic looking wear. Just put them in two seperate containers and let the fumes do the work.

Check on them every hour or so. When you are happy with the degree of wear pull them out a nuetralize the acid.

If you do the acid, make sure you don't have any finger prints on the metal before you expose to acid. I paid top dollar for some "Aged" Gibson parts recently, not from Gibson, but a reputable 3rd party. When they arived, they had finger prints etched into the metal ?!?!

http://www.relicdeluxe.com/hardware_tremolo_bridge.asp