Khul old Moro Barong

Well, since everyone mentioned individual vendors, let me tell you what's on my list...bit less on the beauty side, all utility "every day" traditional blades: http://filipinobolos.com/bolos.html .

(I don't know if they can source any shiny barongs, the rough ones towards the bottom of the page look scary enough to me!)
 
Silly question but here goes: Has anyone ever sandblasted one of these old laminated blades to get relief out of the metal before etching. Maybe thats voodoo:rolleyes: Seems you could then polish the high spots with 2000 grit or something to get some even better contrast. Not saying id do it to this blade but just curious. Id try it if I had a beater blade or a scrap piece. The apple cider vinegar is helping to bring out the the contrast but I didnt have enough to sumerge it so I did phillllls paper towel trick but now it has paper towel pattern etched into it as well so ill be starting it over. I know that was for removing scale but i figured it would work for etching too. Answer is no. Time to find my wifes cider stash or I guess ill have to go buy my own:grumpy:

btw: That Sansibar and Talibong are killer also! Looks like too much fun.
 
You have to make sure the paper towel is perfectly flat on the blade, no wrinkles or folds or voids.

Once I got it on there nice I just kept adding more juice, I used the apple vinegar to keep it damp.

It worked well for me. Did Phillllll invent that process, I'd forgotten. I should send him a thank you card and maybe a onezie that says my dad's knives are bigger than your dad's knives.
 
Are you heating the blade and vinegar up? It really speeds the process up.

Submersing the blade on etchant is best, but if you can't I highly recommend rubbing the etchant into the blade.if you just splash the stuff on the blade or wrap with a paper towel, you'll get uneven results.

And if you're lazy and impatient like me and you want immediate results, skip the vinegar and go straight to ferric chloride. It will taint the blade an odd color if you don't dilute it enough though.
 
Bawanna said:
You have to make sure the paper towel is perfectly flat on the blade, no wrinkles or folds or voids.

Once I got it on there nice I just kept adding more juice, I used the apple vinegar to keep it damp..
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In my experience you still get the "quilt" pattern of the paper towel on the blade, no matter how much you press the paper against the blade or douse it in vinegar :(
 
seems to be moro week. just won this one on epray, a nice straight bladed moro kris 56 cm. blade, 69cm. overall.

straight kris 001.jpg
 
blue lander said:
In my experience you still get the "quilt" pattern of the paper towel on the blade, no matter how much you press the paper against the blade or douse it in vinegar :(
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On my side of the tracks I use the cheap paper towels, not the quilted northern soft on your backside expensive stuff. Maybe that's my secret?

Ferric Chloride sounds plumb skeery to me.
 
kronckew said:
seems to be moro week. just won this one on epray, a nice straight bladed moro kris 56 cm. blade, 69cm. overall.

View attachment 545390
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Well how sweet is that? Looks in real nice shape. You guys and your worldly cool knives.

I'm still working on a Searles bowie, can't move onto this moro stuff yet.

I plumb give up trying to keep up with the jones's around here. Your lead is much to large, I'll never catch up. Course don't mean I won't try.
 
blue lander said:
In my experience you still get the "quilt" pattern of the paper towel on the blade, no matter how much you press the paper against the blade or douse it in vinegar :(
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Yep! Your experience is mine as well. I rubbed it flipped it over regularly etc. and I got a perfect well defined quilt pattern. No I didnt heat it or the blade. Might have just got me a deeper quilted pattern. Gotta fix that first.

You may be on to something Bawanna. The cheap non-quilted stuff might work. Maybe just mix up some mud or sand mix and leave it wrapped in foil or something? Ill keep playing with it and maybe order some ferric chloride. Maybe ferric chloride mud mix? Ill look into the FeCl. Sounds easier?
 
It used to be easy to get FeCL because Radio Shack used to carry it. I don't know where you'd get it now. You've got to dilute it like 1/6 with water so it isn't that scary. I've gotten a bunch on my hands without irritation. I just always spray my hands with Windex to neutralize any acid.
 
blue lander said:
It used to be easy to get FeCL because Radio Shack used to carry it. I don't know where you'd get it now. You've got to dilute it like 1/6 with water so it isn't that scary. I've gotten a bunch on my hands without irritation. I just always spray my hands with Windex to neutralize any acid.
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Dinna use the radio shack stuff these days-their etchant now has hydrochloric in it as well-which does different things to both steel and eyeballs/fingers. I believe Jantz has it in bottles-I've also gotten it as a powdered concentrate, which is kinda terrifying to mix-in that concentration it is Not Your Friend.
The liqui from Jantz I mix with cider vinegar instead of water.
 
I think im getting somewhere? Instead of further Barong testing i switched to a more manageable piece of damascus for testing. First I sandblasted it clean then cleaned again in lye (sodium hydroxide). Then let it sit in sulfuric acid all night and this is the result. Time to clean it up and see if I got any contrast. This dont mean squat really because the other steel may be different but then again it might. We will see. If nothing else this skinner needs to be finished anyway.
71e007ee4b8e3db9d5b47617de2c524f
 
What's happening with the pizza cutter in the picture, butt end of handle covered in blue tape?
 
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