Fogg hamon- brine, forging, both, neither?

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
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What gives Fogg his amazing looking hamon? His 1095 pieces look like a dream and I'm sure it's a mix of a lot of things, but do you think the water/brine quench gives a hamon more character (than oil) or do you think it's the forging? Or both? Or neither? I want to do a brine quench on my next blade, but is it going to turn out like my oil quenches (which I'm happy with) because I don't forge?
 
I read that water gives the best hammon when I was maiking my sword.. but the down side is that it also yeilds more cracks if not done correctly..
 
Not to be a smart-a$$ Chiro, but Don has all that info on his site.

BTW- He doesn't quench in brine or water unless he wants to cause sori in a sword, he quenches in oil :)

-Nick-
 
Nick, I would never accuse someone with arms like yours of being a smart-ass! :D I'll check his site out. Duh. So, he must be using some crazy magic oil. Check out the pics of the Fogg/Fikes collaboration in the custom forum. You think that's oil quenched or water?
 
Then I reckon forging may have a li'l something to do wiith it! ;) Shoot. Well, if anyone in the W. MI area has an anvil they want to let go of, let me know! Thanks for the heads up on Fogg's site. I didn't know he had a whole forum over there. Started reading the metallurgy forum and now I REALLY know enough to know that I don't know a whole lot! Damn!
 
Alot has to do with the finish more that what is used as a quench. Being able to get a decent photo doesn't hurt any either.
 
Do you all think forging has a major effect? I would lean towards the natural thermal cycling that happens during forging, so could you replicate that without actually forging?
 
It's mostly heat-treating and polishing.

Don has long stated--- not to focus on the clay to cause your hamon, but rather the heat-treating itself. Use the clay to get the fine character and detail in your hamon.

I've done several blades with whispy, curling hamon that had no clay at all, just time/temperature/quenchant.

Don has spent several years getting to where he can do that repeatedly.

He is without a doubt one of my bladesmithing heroes!!!

I look at forging as part of the thermal cycling, and my chance to shape the metal to whatever I want.


-Nick-
 
doesnt he etch his blades with some type of acid? i know he said he didnt want to polish it too high, like most katana, because then he would have to raise his prices much higher.
 
The development of the hamon happens in the HT and finishing.It is born in the quench and developed in the finishing.The need to properly sand/polish/etch the blade to get the most from a hamon is the key.When most new makers read all that,"Take a small stone and rub repeatedly in one direction...",they say,"I can do that on my belt sander in 30 seconds." Well,there is the reason they don't get Don's hamons and edges.A proper polish on a sword can take weeks.
I remember a new maker on this forum ,a little while back, who was making a new sword every night and couldn't figure out why his were not coming out right!
 
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