DSS-V.02.01 — Acid-Marker Tagging (HF-Bearing)

Acid-marker tagging is an appearance change produced by field-applied acidic agents (often HF-bearing gels/creams or “etch pens”) that chemically attack silica, creating whitened, matte micro-texture in letter/stroke geometry. Presentations include freehand tags, initials, and panel-fill scribbles; artifacts such as cream swirls, meniscus rims, runs/drips are common. Classification is appearance-only per VIS (method-agnostic). Inspect after Non-Invasive Reveal under VIS lighting/geometry; record surface numbering and worked-surface status.

• Chalk-white to pale grey etched strokes forming alphanumerics or symbols; soft edges compared to scribed grooves.
• Process artifacts: cream swirl patterning, brush/dauber texture, meniscus rings, and vertical run legs from over-application.
• Halo beyond strokes where thin film partially etched.

Surface-catch class (MSRT)

• SC-2 across worked strokes (distinct interruption from etched micro-texture).
• SC-1 in feathered halos/thin film zones; SC-0 outside the affected area.
• Perform one light, non-marring pass on a small revealed test patch (substrate). Use a polymer stylus if a functional coating is suspected. MSRT supports classification only; do not abrade to “prove” relief.

Visual signature

• Modeled, non-directional micro-texture (no chip-flank sparkle) with white/opaque appearance; swirl/cream tool marks within fills; runs with faint etched tails.
• No fused nodules (not hot particle); no continuous granular field (not abrasive blast); not a sharp incised groove (not scribed).

Viewing / lighting

• Evaluate clean & dry at 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal and oblique sweep (~60°-120°); use low-angle raking to show meniscus rims, run legs, and modeled texture. Record distances/angles in-frame.

Location / access

• Record pane ID and surface numbering (#1-#4; laminate-internal). Typically on public-facing exposed faces (#1 or #4). Between-pane evidence by parallax on #2/#3 → CAT-5 by location.

Mechanism cue (context)

• Graffiti prevalence, tag clusters mixing paint and acid, ghost repeats at transit nodes; possible glove/cream residue on adjacent frames.

Assign CAT by visibility at acceptance geometry and MSRT after a reveal patch. Depth values are indicative-field measurement not required.

• CAT-2 (Light): Thin, feathered acid film forming pale stroke ghosts; SC-1-SC-2 intermittently; minimal standard-view impact. Indicative relief: ~10-40 μm.
• CAT-3 (Moderate): Clearly legible etched strokes visible at standard distance, SC-2 consistent; meniscus rings/runs evident. Indicative relief: ~40-120 μm.
• CAT-4 (Severe): Bold, over-worked fills or re-etched layers producing strong whitening legible at standard and wide-field; SC-2 throughout, possible local undercut/roughness. Indicative relief: ~120-300+ μm local maxima dependent on exposure/dwell.
• Reclassify when: If strokes are incised with chip-flank sparkle → V.01.02 scribed/engraved; if field is uniform granular matte with mask-sharp edges → V.01.01 abrasive-blast; if residue is amber/oily without etch → R.04 family.
• CAT-5 (by condition/location): Between-pane/inaccessible by parallax, integrity indicators, or confirmed functional-coating loss on the surface to be worked → CAT-5.

CAT is appearance-based; acceptance is separate under VIS-A at 12/36/72 in. Do not abrade to “force” a response during classification.

• vs. Scribed grooves (V.01.02): Scribing shows sharp grooves with chip flanks and directional incision; acid-tags show whitened modeled texture, swirls, runs, and soft stroke edges.
• vs. Abrasive-blast (V.01.01): Blast fields are uniform within masks and granular; acid-tags show application artifacts (cream swirls/runs) and variable whiteness.
• vs. Mineral etch (Ch.03.03): Mineral etch forms halo rings and non-graphic fields tied to wetting; acid-tags form intentional stroke geometry with tool/cream patterns.
• vs. Coating anomalies (Co-family): Coating issues are planar on designated faces and lack runs/cream swirls; acid-tags are localized graphic events.

• Photo set (VIS): 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal + oblique; raking macros of meniscus rims, swirl/brush patterns, run legs; overview of entire tag and context of public interface. Record distance/angle in-frame.
• MSRT result (substrate): After a small reveal test patch, perform one light, non-marring pass through stroke body and halo; record SC-class (SC-2 body, SC-1 halo, SC-0 control).
• Forms: Pane ID; product family & surface numbering; worked surface Y/N; functional coating present on worked surface? (Y/N/Unknown); reveal status; lighting/time; geometry checklist; photos attached.
• Acceptance split: Post-restoration acceptance per VIS-A §6; classification ≠ acceptance. Coated-face appearance rules apply per VIS §6.2.e when the worked surface is a factory functional coating.

• V.02.01 Acid-Marker Tagging (HF-Bearing) - Whitened, modeled micro-texture with cream swirls/meniscus/runs forming [letters/symbol] on surface #___; post-reveal test patch shows SC-2 in stroke body / SC-1 in halo; visible at [12/36/72 in] under VIS geometry. Morphology: acid-etched strokes, application artifacts, no chip-flank sparkle. Classification: CAT-[2/3/4] by visibility and SC-class; reclassify per notes if scribed/blast/mineral criteria dominate; CAT-5 if between-pane or coating-side loss on the surface to be worked. Forms + photo set attached; acceptance per VIS-A §6.