How to clean sword etching without destroying the etching?

So what did you do?

That looks very nice indeed!
Good contrast.
Thanks for sharing.

Cheers.

My impression of the reproduction swords from India with engraving is that they accurately reproduce the look of a 100 year old well-used officer's sword. But perhaps that's what they were intending to do. To be fair, they don't all look like that but some do.

Well that turned out way better than mine. Gonna try out in out in the future, looks like a way better and way cleaner way of cleaning off blades. Hell I may even try to use it on non etched blades, to see where that goes.

Thanks for the resources.

Also some sarcasm - I can't believe he erased all those years of history and patina, matt just ruined that swords value, it's worthless as an antique. It would have never existed in that state of polish, Bleehegehgheehehegh.

Hmm, cant say I've ever heard of re-engraving. This sounds like Uhlan tier stuff

fwiw

John Lundemo is an ace etcher as well and has done volumes of work (including copper plates on the walls of Ellis Island). However, replicating the Ames etch is a somewhat different proposition. He would take any photo/rendering you have (by the way, the Hamilton Ames history book has a few pages of some of the Ames etchings) and then get it etched on the blade.

Wow! That is some wonderful work by Mr. Logan.

About re-etching: It can be done.
In some cases where the etch is still intact but very undeep: After degreasing cover the high points with nail polish and fill the deeps with etching agent. It is possible to even re-etch the very fine lines as these are no more than scratches into the lacquer cover.
Any publication on art etching will tell you the what and how of the process.
This method is slow but quite secure as you can study what is happening and stop the process any time you want. Etching is not rocket science.

Method 2: Same as above, but now with low volt electricity. I do not have the time right now to go into this, however this method is very fast and much of the results depend on how good you are at drawing, since you have to re-draw the entire etch. This method is good for executing a simple design in a sword blade, like: X. X. X. * MUR.E.SNOK * .X .X .X anno 1504.
Google ,, electric etching ''. Interesting stuff may roll out.

I would go for method one and do some training on an old replica blade.
Now, as it happens young Sire, I gots this wonderful old WEI replica of a Brit Navy ...........

Thanks for the references Edel.

The guide is helpful, I think I'll try to test it sometime on a windlass, And practice getting the details down. I'm fairly okay at detail drawing, And the designs seem simple enough on the sword but would hate to basically erase them.

Thanks Gandy, I would say I shouldn't have sold that Horstmann but the Ames I got is in far better condition blade and grip wise.