- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 3,397
http://www.dfoggknives.com/finishing.htm
First of several mentions is about 3 paragraphs into the page.
First of several mentions is about 3 paragraphs into the page.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Differential Polishing for 'Hamon'
- Thread starter ddean
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2003
- Messages
- 50
Dons a great guy but does not specialize in the Japanese craft.
Using higher grade stones on a kukri is a waste of time. There is no grain to open up, no features to highlight, no hamon details worth spending the time on. These are NOT works of art in steel-there is nothing there to SEE-no grain, no color, no details , not even a hamon with body and shape. These are simple temper lines since they are tools. Also the lines on the Hi kukris I have seen are a rough and will require work to bring in line with low grit artificial stones. The flats first for uniform thickness to start with- then the back angles to align them with the nice,new,FLAT side profile.... and last the edges. If there are fullers, you will need to flatten the sides then re-cut the fullers, then attack the back profile to realign the lines. The finish will be much more pleasing to the hand and eye.
His advice on NON-traditional polishes will work for most people here who want to work on Kukri. His advice echoes the same method I referred to in my earlier post on using ferric chloride 2 to 1 (water to acid) (Archer etch from radio shack). As I stated it is superior to the vinegar method-which I would never use.
Just a side note -pour the acid into water _NOT_ water into acid. I'll say it again put water in a container and then pour in the acid. In some cases with a stronger acid you will get a violent reaction if you put the acid in a bowl and then pour in water. Always wear eye protection and use it outside. You may not see them -but acid makes fumes that can hurt your eyes.
Try preping the blade up through a 600 grit sandpaper finish. Stones are not needed if you do not have them. A dremel tool with a wheel will fix and straighten the fuller lines. Use a hardbacked paper for the smaller cut-ins on a dui chira to clean them up as well.
Anyway.....
The rubbing
Wiping the blade down before hand is VERY important to the best clean etch . I use acetone to remove all oil residues. Then as don states using a paper towel to apply the etch at first will help with an even etching BUT from there I continue to swab with a cheap white china bristle brush. This helps to get a more even and deeper cut to the steel. Tip.....hold the blade point down over the container and reclaim the acid- it is re-usable.
Wash the brush-it is reusable too.
Wash the blade with a neutralizer-then rub it with water till you get the balck residue off of it, then sand with 600 grit sandpaper. You will get a black reflective body and whitish diffuse edge that shows whatever hamon you got. Really its just a temper line. A hamon has charactor and form that was planned and created with dozenes of features.
Forget the stones on a kukri-they arent worth it-theyre work horses not wall-hangers.
My Dui chira
I am applying a hamon (Choji Midare with ashi) to the edge and the back (in a prolonged return). I will draw the back to a spring temper (weaker hamon but stronger blade-and leave the edge at a 58-59RC I will then flatten the blade to a thinner profile, (the wheight is not needed on a properly treatd blade) recut the fullers and then reform a convex edge. I will post pictures when done.
Happy new Year
Dan
Using higher grade stones on a kukri is a waste of time. There is no grain to open up, no features to highlight, no hamon details worth spending the time on. These are NOT works of art in steel-there is nothing there to SEE-no grain, no color, no details , not even a hamon with body and shape. These are simple temper lines since they are tools. Also the lines on the Hi kukris I have seen are a rough and will require work to bring in line with low grit artificial stones. The flats first for uniform thickness to start with- then the back angles to align them with the nice,new,FLAT side profile.... and last the edges. If there are fullers, you will need to flatten the sides then re-cut the fullers, then attack the back profile to realign the lines. The finish will be much more pleasing to the hand and eye.
His advice on NON-traditional polishes will work for most people here who want to work on Kukri. His advice echoes the same method I referred to in my earlier post on using ferric chloride 2 to 1 (water to acid) (Archer etch from radio shack). As I stated it is superior to the vinegar method-which I would never use.
Just a side note -pour the acid into water _NOT_ water into acid. I'll say it again put water in a container and then pour in the acid. In some cases with a stronger acid you will get a violent reaction if you put the acid in a bowl and then pour in water. Always wear eye protection and use it outside. You may not see them -but acid makes fumes that can hurt your eyes.
Try preping the blade up through a 600 grit sandpaper finish. Stones are not needed if you do not have them. A dremel tool with a wheel will fix and straighten the fuller lines. Use a hardbacked paper for the smaller cut-ins on a dui chira to clean them up as well.
Anyway.....
The rubbing
Wiping the blade down before hand is VERY important to the best clean etch . I use acetone to remove all oil residues. Then as don states using a paper towel to apply the etch at first will help with an even etching BUT from there I continue to swab with a cheap white china bristle brush. This helps to get a more even and deeper cut to the steel. Tip.....hold the blade point down over the container and reclaim the acid- it is re-usable.
Wash the brush-it is reusable too.
Wash the blade with a neutralizer-then rub it with water till you get the balck residue off of it, then sand with 600 grit sandpaper. You will get a black reflective body and whitish diffuse edge that shows whatever hamon you got. Really its just a temper line. A hamon has charactor and form that was planned and created with dozenes of features.
Forget the stones on a kukri-they arent worth it-theyre work horses not wall-hangers.
My Dui chira
I am applying a hamon (Choji Midare with ashi) to the edge and the back (in a prolonged return). I will draw the back to a spring temper (weaker hamon but stronger blade-and leave the edge at a 58-59RC I will then flatten the blade to a thinner profile, (the wheight is not needed on a properly treatd blade) recut the fullers and then reform a convex edge. I will post pictures when done.
Happy new Year
Dan