Uhlan
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Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 7, 2013 19:51:29 GMT
I have this nice Zhi-Sword katana with 11 steps polish and rather fancy hamon. The problem I have with this one is the following:
From the cutting edge up to and including the hamon, the polish is clear. Above the hamon to the Hi the steel is grayed out, so, probably etched. I would like to remove the etch without destroying the clear polish up from the cutting edge. I hope this makes sence? What grid of paper should I start with, or is an automotive chrome polish enough to get rid of the etch? Cheers, Ulahn.
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Post by adamthedrummer on Aug 7, 2013 20:20:26 GMT
Mothers mag might do it, just don't get it on the cutting edge or it may dull it. :-)
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 7, 2013 20:26:32 GMT
Okay, thanks. What grade of paper would equal the 11 steps polish?
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Post by frankthebunny on Aug 8, 2013 0:18:17 GMT
I would suggest sticking with the mothers polish only. It would be hard to know for sure what grit would be high enough to match the stone polish especially since there is no set designation per step so to speak. The mothers should be able to remove any grayed etch following the product directions but this in turn will likely reduce the contrast between the yakiba and ji/shinogi ji
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 8, 2013 5:43:17 GMT
Thank you for your replies. The reason I'd like to remove the etch is that it has that standard Chinese wave pattern and looks mechanical in contrast with the rather nice hamon. It blocks my view of the steel,like wearing glasses with one side blacked out. It is just uniform gray soup. Maybe I could start slowly with the Mothers and see whether I can bring some contrast in there?
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Aug 8, 2013 10:01:18 GMT
To avoid the hamon you could try masking tape carefully applied then a small pad of cotton with polish.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 8, 2013 15:40:55 GMT
Okay, I'll start under the habaki so no real damage is done, sort of like a playing ground. Maybe it is just me, but you guys do not seem overly enthousiastic about this project. I seem to detect severe caution? Next time I order a blade, I will ask them to hold the etch. Never seen a nihonto with an etched blade, Huawei does not do it either. Should have stuck with them. Cheers, Ulahn.
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Post by adamthedrummer on Aug 8, 2013 21:58:26 GMT
Mothers mag will bury the hamon, not sure why... but be aware. :-)
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Post by frankthebunny on Aug 8, 2013 22:51:44 GMT
I'm confused as to what you are trying to remove or highlight. Are you saying that you don't like the hamon pattern? Mothers will remove the grey-ish coloring resulting from the acid etch but won't actually change the pattern or remove the real hamon. Most likely when you finish polishing, there will be little difference in the blade from one part to another other than the absence or the dull grey. There are tutorials around that show examples of a dh blade polished with mothers.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 9, 2013 4:47:25 GMT
,,I'm confused as to what you are trying to remove or highlight''.
I would like to remove the etch. It blocks the view of the activity in the steel between the hamon and the hi. I'll look up those articles before I start. One last question: Mother's Mag is an aluminium polish. The brand is not to be found in Euroland. Can I use another alu polish, or is Mother's something special? In that case I will order from Ebay.
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Aug 9, 2013 6:50:23 GMT
Any good quality polish designed for aluminium and stainless steel is fine, I use Autosol Gold a lot with success, It's a German polish available in Aussie.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 9, 2013 12:22:43 GMT
Okay, I'll see what I can find then. Time to wrap up this thread. Would like to thank all who took the time to react and post. Cheers, Ulahn.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 9, 2013 18:31:13 GMT
I found some laquer polish and polished away for an hour. Workes wonders. Now one can see lots of detail in that former rather opaque gray. Lifted the 11 steps to another level, so I did the whole sword. Finished it with oil and Uchiko powder for half an hour or so. Cutting edge is a little duller, still cuts paper though. Will strop it tomorrow. Cheers, Ulahn.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Aug 11, 2013 17:34:05 GMT
If no one else is going to be "that guy," I guess I'll have to.
This thread is useless without pics.
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