Basic acid etching (to bring out natural hamon)
Nov 2, 2010 21:42:22 GMT
Post by frankthebunny on Nov 2, 2010 21:42:22 GMT
Hey Guys,
I have been getting a lot of questions about acid etching a blade to help enhance some of the details and qualities that may be subtle at first as well as replacing the "frosty" Hanwei etched hamon.
there were a few posts with this info around but might not have found their way here yet, so I figured I would give my take on this pretty easy and fairly foolproof DIY technique. the following info has been put together from many other sources and adapted in a way I personally prefer, there is a lot of room for personal experimentation and modification here. remember that this is not a substitute for a full or modern polish but just adds to the finished look. remember that this method is for enhancing a real hamon that is really there, not a wire brushed or otherwise false hamon. if your blade has not been differentially heated where the edge is harder than the spine and instead has been through hardened, it most likely does not have a real hamon and therefore this technique will not work for you.
this is what has worked best for me and is not the last word on the subject so just use your best judgment and do some research.
from what I understand, different acids work better for different steel types. I use non diluted white or apple cider vinegar for 5160 steel with very good results.
I have also used lemon juice(smells horrible when heated!) and ferric chloride to etch with varied results.
I would start with vinegar or lemons as it is probably the easiest and least expensive and then try others to see which works best for you.
List of supplies:
White or apple cider vinegar (highest acidity possible) or lemons or Ferric chloride (FeCl3)
Windex, Glass plus or a similar cleaner containing ammonia to neutralize acid
Mothers mag and wheel polish
Bon Ami mild cleansing powder or other non abrasive grease cutting cleaner
paper towels or cotton balls
dish detergent
glass bowl
Prep -
make sure your blade is very clean before etching. I use bonami cleansing powder because it doesn't leave a residue after rinsing and won't scratch the blade. you can use similar products as long as it rinses clean so there is no grease or dirt or cleaning residue. be sure to remove all sword parts that can prevent you from cleaning the acid off thoroughly such as habaki or guard parts, etc.
make sure blade is completely dry after cleaning and obviously try to avoid touching it with your bare hands to avoid getting oil from your skin on it.
I use rubber dish washing gloves as the acid can be pretty harsh on your skin and remember to never touch your face, eyes or mouth with the acid (done it before and it's not pleasant)
Step 1
I put about 2/3 of a cup (depends on blade size, can be adjusted) of vinegar (or other acid) in a small bowl or pot with a couple of drops of regular dish soap mixed in (helps even coating) I heat this on the stove (or in microwave in glass bowl) until just before boiling.
if possible, you can also heat the blade either in the oven or with quick passes of a mini butane torch until the metal is very warm to hot (not red hot or you might ruin the temper) this opens the pores in the steel. you can also use hot water for this.
once the acid is heated I then use a clean rag or paper towels ( or cotton balls on a stick) and repeatedly soak the blade with the solution.
you can do this one side of the blade at a time but be sure to mask the side that you're not etching to prevent stains or rust.
I prefer to hold the blade vertically with the tip resting in the bowl (on something soft to not chip or dull it) and soak both sides at once. soak the rag and start at the mune machi and work your way down towards the tip loosely pinching the sides, you don't have to "rub" it in.
keep an eye on the steel and notice when it starts to turn a light to medium gray, this means it is fully saturated and it's time to stop. also, do not let the acid sit or pool in one area too long because it can cause rusting almost immediately (if this happens, just polish it out before continuing)
Step 2
once you are done with the first etching cycle (metal turned grey) quickly spray down the blade with windex or glass plus to neutralize the affects of the acid (key ingredient is ammonia).
Step 3
clean both sides of the blade with same cleaner you used to prep, rinse and dry. lightly polish the blade with mothers mag and wheel polish to remove the grey especially the shinogi-ji, bo hi (if it has one) and mune. you don't have to scrub the blade with polish, just follow product directions.
IMPORTANT:
make sure you clean all the polish residue off of the blade. use the same cleaners you used before just do a very thorough job because any residue left on the blade for the next rounds of etching can cause splotching or streaking.
Step 4
repeat the process.
I find I get the best results by doing about 5-8 of these short baths as opposed to fewer times in longer baths. it seems to bring out more of the smaller details, if they are there to bring out. not all hamon will have a lot of activity so final results will definitely vary.
remember to do a final polish with Mothers and then completely clean off any residue, dry and oil your blade.
this method can be altered as you see fit and is pretty fail safe as long as you have things set up well. you can always polish out the blade and start over again if you do not get satisfactory results.
experiment with different combination's of acids, time lengths, techniques and steel types to find what works best for you.
Some pictures of blades I've etched using the above method -
Thanks for reading
I have been getting a lot of questions about acid etching a blade to help enhance some of the details and qualities that may be subtle at first as well as replacing the "frosty" Hanwei etched hamon.
there were a few posts with this info around but might not have found their way here yet, so I figured I would give my take on this pretty easy and fairly foolproof DIY technique. the following info has been put together from many other sources and adapted in a way I personally prefer, there is a lot of room for personal experimentation and modification here. remember that this is not a substitute for a full or modern polish but just adds to the finished look. remember that this method is for enhancing a real hamon that is really there, not a wire brushed or otherwise false hamon. if your blade has not been differentially heated where the edge is harder than the spine and instead has been through hardened, it most likely does not have a real hamon and therefore this technique will not work for you.
this is what has worked best for me and is not the last word on the subject so just use your best judgment and do some research.
from what I understand, different acids work better for different steel types. I use non diluted white or apple cider vinegar for 5160 steel with very good results.
I have also used lemon juice(smells horrible when heated!) and ferric chloride to etch with varied results.
I would start with vinegar or lemons as it is probably the easiest and least expensive and then try others to see which works best for you.
List of supplies:
White or apple cider vinegar (highest acidity possible) or lemons or Ferric chloride (FeCl3)
Windex, Glass plus or a similar cleaner containing ammonia to neutralize acid
Mothers mag and wheel polish
Bon Ami mild cleansing powder or other non abrasive grease cutting cleaner
paper towels or cotton balls
dish detergent
glass bowl
Prep -
make sure your blade is very clean before etching. I use bonami cleansing powder because it doesn't leave a residue after rinsing and won't scratch the blade. you can use similar products as long as it rinses clean so there is no grease or dirt or cleaning residue. be sure to remove all sword parts that can prevent you from cleaning the acid off thoroughly such as habaki or guard parts, etc.
make sure blade is completely dry after cleaning and obviously try to avoid touching it with your bare hands to avoid getting oil from your skin on it.
I use rubber dish washing gloves as the acid can be pretty harsh on your skin and remember to never touch your face, eyes or mouth with the acid (done it before and it's not pleasant)
Step 1
I put about 2/3 of a cup (depends on blade size, can be adjusted) of vinegar (or other acid) in a small bowl or pot with a couple of drops of regular dish soap mixed in (helps even coating) I heat this on the stove (or in microwave in glass bowl) until just before boiling.
if possible, you can also heat the blade either in the oven or with quick passes of a mini butane torch until the metal is very warm to hot (not red hot or you might ruin the temper) this opens the pores in the steel. you can also use hot water for this.
once the acid is heated I then use a clean rag or paper towels ( or cotton balls on a stick) and repeatedly soak the blade with the solution.
you can do this one side of the blade at a time but be sure to mask the side that you're not etching to prevent stains or rust.
I prefer to hold the blade vertically with the tip resting in the bowl (on something soft to not chip or dull it) and soak both sides at once. soak the rag and start at the mune machi and work your way down towards the tip loosely pinching the sides, you don't have to "rub" it in.
keep an eye on the steel and notice when it starts to turn a light to medium gray, this means it is fully saturated and it's time to stop. also, do not let the acid sit or pool in one area too long because it can cause rusting almost immediately (if this happens, just polish it out before continuing)
Step 2
once you are done with the first etching cycle (metal turned grey) quickly spray down the blade with windex or glass plus to neutralize the affects of the acid (key ingredient is ammonia).
Step 3
clean both sides of the blade with same cleaner you used to prep, rinse and dry. lightly polish the blade with mothers mag and wheel polish to remove the grey especially the shinogi-ji, bo hi (if it has one) and mune. you don't have to scrub the blade with polish, just follow product directions.
IMPORTANT:
make sure you clean all the polish residue off of the blade. use the same cleaners you used before just do a very thorough job because any residue left on the blade for the next rounds of etching can cause splotching or streaking.
Step 4
repeat the process.
I find I get the best results by doing about 5-8 of these short baths as opposed to fewer times in longer baths. it seems to bring out more of the smaller details, if they are there to bring out. not all hamon will have a lot of activity so final results will definitely vary.
remember to do a final polish with Mothers and then completely clean off any residue, dry and oil your blade.
this method can be altered as you see fit and is pretty fail safe as long as you have things set up well. you can always polish out the blade and start over again if you do not get satisfactory results.
experiment with different combination's of acids, time lengths, techniques and steel types to find what works best for you.
Some pictures of blades I've etched using the above method -
Thanks for reading