Hamon Clay

[Chalk]

If I wanted to create a hamon on a kitchen knife, what would be the easiest/cheapest clay to make/buy? Also what etching solution do you use? The steel is 3/32 and 1/8 1095.

 

[Craig Daniel]

You can get the satinite from the local stove store or maybe block and brick store, Not sure on the block store. I use ferric chloride from Radio Shack diluted with distilled water for etching. I hope some with more experience chime in with more help.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

I have used furnace cement thinned to melted ice cream consistency. Bake it on at 350 for an hour prior to HT to make sure it doesn't bubble or fall off.

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[i4Marc]

I have tried furnace cement and it works fine. I tried Do-All made by Durst which I didn't like. The consistency was too gritty or lumpy. It didn't get creamy when thinned. My favorite (not having tried Satanite) is Rutland's Black furnace cement. It thins to a nice creamy consistency and goes on the blade well. Then I let it dry to the touch. When it gets firm enough to handle carefully I put it in the oven. I find a warm heat, about 200˚ for 10-15 minutes works well before austenitizing. Otherwise it puffs up in the heat treat.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I think there is some translation problem with the previous post. Suffice to say that a hamon is primarily decorative in the modern world. A fully hardened blade has the same edge abilities.

Satanite and Rutland's Black cement both work. I far prefer satanite.
Most people put it on way too thick. I get best results by first putting a "wash" of very runny clay (melted milkshake consistency) over the entire blade, and then covering the spine area above the desired hamon with a thin layer of "sour cream" consistency clay. I only put it on about 1/16" thick. Let that dry well before the HT.

Yaki-ire is a big subject, and you need to do some reading on it before you try it. Use the custom search engine in the Stickys to search hamon and yaki-ire.

The etchant is normally FC in a dilution around 15:1. Other etchants are used for getting the finer details on complex hamon. The sanding and polishing methods are very important.

 

[Shipshores]

Stacy, have you done interrupt quenched for more activity? I just tried with 1 w2 knife and 1 w2 knife a regular quench. They are tempering now so I have not checked the outcome yet but wondering if you had any experience with it. This is my first time trying it so I have no idea.

 

[Natlek]

If I wanted to create a hamon on a kitchen knife, what would be the easiest/cheapest clay to make/buy? Also what etching solution do you use? The steel is 3/32 and 1/8 1095.

Here some use fireplace sealant ................

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

I tried the furnace cement for a while but Satanite works much better for me.

 

[Shipshores]

I use ferric chloride but you can use lemon juice or vinegar. That are slower but I think they help bring out ashi, the white whisky stuff.