how to achieve white hamon

eljockvis · Jan 2, 2009

hi all

can someone please advise on how to achieve the white hamon waves over the genuine hamon on an antique wakizashi hira zakuri ,the polish is good on the waki but just needs the finnishing touch of the white waves.
any info would be appreciated, i dont want to pay 30 usd per inch at a polisher just for the hamon enhance.

sodak · Jan 2, 2009

You might want to try swordforums. I'm not sure there are a lot of sword afficienados here, although I could be wrong.

5370H55V · Jan 2, 2009

I believe many bladesmiths here use hydrochloric acid etching to bring out damascus patterns and differential tempering. I doubt you'll want to do that to your wakizashi though.

SShepherd · Jan 3, 2009

do not polish it yourself,more than likely you will dammage it and reduce it's value.
if it's a true nihonto, it may well be worth sending it to a professional.
I'm not aware that they use any acid or etch to polish, just stones.

http://www.nihontoantiques.com/polishing, step by step.htm

5370H55V · Jan 3, 2009

I didn't say it polishes, I said it brings out the contrast between layers in damascus and in differential tempering. They soak blades in it. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.

nozh2002 · Jan 3, 2009

You may check this site:

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/index.html

Thanks, Vassili.

SShepherd · Jan 4, 2009

5370H55V said:
I didn't say it polishes, I said it brings out the contrast between layers in damascus and in differential tempering. They soak blades in it. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.

no wrong impression, but it will ruin nihonto

Kim Lau · Jan 4, 2009

If its a real antique, even from WW2, it may be worth more untouched than if you try to modify it in any way. Better let a professional work on the sword. But to make sure its real, I would have somebody assess the sword first.

154cm · Jan 4, 2009

It is something called clay tempering. It is a special process which the put a special clay on the sword to make the design. The hamon is actually harder wile the back of the sword is soft to absorb shock. Some people use acid etching which (in my opinion) ruins the blade because it is very harsh and it does not make the edge harder.

Will Leavitt · Jan 4, 2009

The "hamon" delineates the difference between the hardened edge and softer spine. Most smiths use Ferric Chloride FeCl or warm vinegar to etch. The hamon is polised using "finger stones" that the polisher makes himself. One of the polishing mediums is forge scale that is powdered and filtered then mixed with clove oil to really make the hamon "pop"

I know of no easy to do this yourself without experience. If it's true Nihonto then it's worth the money for a pro to do it. If you really want to go ahead on your own look on youtube for "hybrid polishing"