Hitch in my Hamon

[Robert Erickson]

My Hamon process is to hand sand up to 1200 grit, wash the blade with soap and water and then do a series of FeCl dunks starting with 10 seconds a couple of time then 5 seconds then quick dunks. After each dunk I rub with a felt pad or worn 2500 grit sand paper.
This is 1095 from Admiral Steel
I've re sanded this side a couple of times back to 400 grit to get these marks off the blade and they come back in the same way, same place every time I re etch. They are acting like raised areas in that they show up when I polish the etch. The other side looks better but there's a tiny area of the same type of phenomenon going on.
Is this something in the steel or do I need to sand back down further? Or something else?
Thanks

fullsizeoutput_5ce by Robert Erickson, on Flickr

fullsizeoutput_5cf by Robert Erickson, on Flickr

 

[javand]

From the photos they really look like low grit scratches to me, are you certain there's not some loose grit or something on some sanding stick you use or etc?

I've seen wierd marks and alloy banding before, but they don't usually show up bright. I will say that, to me, from the photos, it doesn't look like you've got a "full" 1200 grit finish. Lots of those dark scratches, especially in the ricasso area, look like 220 grit scratches to me, but maybe it's just the photo.

 

[Robert Erickson]

Thanks for the reply Javan, I'll try going back to 220 and back up. (There are some lower grit scratches as I was starting to re sand but stopped to take a photo and see what you all thought)

 

[javand]

Yeah I'd probably try to make sure they go away completely at 220/400, then make sure you get rid of all the scratches from the previous step, before progressing to the next. Once you get it up, before etching, I'd check that area in different light, moving the blade around, and see if you can still see a "shadow" or "shimmer" of the same marks in the steel. If so, the only option is to try and sand/grind past it.


Did you normalize this at least twice before austenizing? Admiral is pretty notorious for giving steel that acts screwy or needs extensive thermal cycling, or, even just giving you the wrong stuff.

 

[Robert Erickson]

I triple normalized with descending temps before austenitizing at 1475 and quenched in Parks 50, tempered immediately at 425 X 2hr X 2.

 

[javand]

I triple normalized with descending temps before austenitizing at 1475 and quenched in Parks 50, tempered immediately at 425 X 2hr X 2.

Well that certainly shouldn't be the problem then. Let us know how it works out after you clean it up.

 

[kuraki]

I've had something similar. I couldn't fix it. Left that hamon "dark" or unpolished after the last etch.

 

[Robert Erickson]

I've had something similar. I couldn't fix it. Left that hamon "dark" or unpolished after the last etch.

May have to do the same thing if the next attempt to re sand doesn't work.

 

[Robert Erickson]

I sanded down to 220 and then back up again and re etched the hamon. I left it a little darker to see if that would help. I'm still getting those bright marks on the blade in the same pattern and place. Could it be alloy banding or impurities in the steel?

fullsizeoutput_5d0 by Robert Erickson, on Flickr

fullsizeoutput_5d1 by Robert Erickson, on Flickr

 

[javand]

Yeah, it's possible, it's pretty weird.

I think I'd probably go back to the grinder real quick, and try to take away a little more material personally, usually, you can grind through that sort of stuff, although something else may pop up in another spot.

 

[Robert Erickson]

Thanks again Javan.
I might as well try to grind this stuff out.
Really bummed about this because I really like the way this hamon came out.

 

[javand]

Thanks again Javan.
I might as well try to grind this stuff out.
Really bummed about this because I really like the way this hamon came out.

Yeah man, I understand. I've been there, not this specific effect, but similar. I would gently suggest, don't buy your 1095 from Admiral. It's the single more ubiquitous cutlery grade steel out there (there are thousands of providers, that can give you much better prices, and likely quality, than Admiral can), almost any spring/strip steel supplier will have it, and 1075, just make sure you let them know you want non-coil, annealed stock. There's no shortage of anecdotes and experiences with their inconsistent quality, and customer care.

That being said, this could happen with any steel, from anyone, it's just more likely, in my opinion and experience, from Admiral.