What's in your Hamon "kit"?

Re-etching. Going to have to order some of the powders that Bladsmth mentioned. I just figured out that the hamon was the transition line and not the differentially quenched and etched look. Ji-hamon-Ha are the three areas and I should approach them all almost separately. Eventually I catch on :)
 
I wouldn't recommend you buy any of that.

I have all of it, and have gone back to using none of it.

IMHO, the only time any of the stuff like Iron oxide will be of any use to a maker, is if they're actually working with Tamahagane.

I can't recommend etching in an old bean can. The one thing you really have to have for a clean/even etch is a clean blade. Any left over fat in that can is going to mess with your etch. I don't submerge my blades anyway...as I'm interested in bringing out the hamon...not etching the entire blade. :)

It's a never ending road... ;) :)
 
There really are no shortcuts. :). So you don't really mess with the ji or the ha? Pretty much staying along the hamon line?

So don't etch in an old bean can. Also don't chuck a pencil into your drill and use the eraser to try to get close to the line. You just end up with polished swirls that take forever to try to get out! Live and learn haha!

There is definitely a difference between the first one where I just rubbed and the submerged one. This is try # 2 on the second blade.
29awrv6.jpg


Chasing indeed! Gotta pick me up some 1075 so I can really be driven insane.
 
Last edited:
W2 1460f austentize, quenched in DT-48, no clay. It took three tries to get it where I wanted it. The first try, the edge didn't harden at the heel, the second, too much hardening, the third was this one.

15610975422_13ff63beca_c.jpg
[/url]IMG_5898 by Wjkrywko, on Flickr[/IMG]

15424143847_3293bcdc36_c.jpg
[/url]IMG_5899 by Wjkrywko, on Flickr[/IMG]

This one is a user, so I didn't go crazy with the polishing, but the effect is like billowing clouds as it reflects the light.

The blade was sanded to 800g. I used a combination of lemon juice and white vinegar, both with a few drops of dishsoap, and heated in the microwave. If the white starts to look faded as I'm using the lemon juice, a quick etch with the vinegar brings out the white again. I used 1500g loose abrasives only for polishing.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top