KATANA ACID ETCHING ON A SOFT HAMON DH. BLADE @SWORDSOFNORTHSHIRE

[@TheGreenGamer33]

Hey Joe, bladesmith, as well as collector here. My method of bringing out a hamon is similar. First I sand the blade with very fine sand paper (no less than 1500 grit). Then I use pure lemon juice with a drop of Dawn (or etc) dish soap in it. The dish soap is to break the surface tension of the lemon juice, in other terms, to make it coat the blade and not spot up on the blade. After warming the solution up in the microwave until about "cup of coffee" warm, I gently coat the blade continuously with a solution-soaked paper towel for about 15 minutes. I do both sides of the blade at once, rotating often. I then clean the blade with isopropyl alcohol and polish with Mother's Mag metal polish until I get the desired effect. After cleaning with alcohol again I do another 15 minute cycle of etching with the rewarmed solution. I repeat this process atleast 4 times, usually more that. Hope this was insightful. PS, I use ceramic sharpening rods to touch up my blades, a lot less aggressive than a Worksharp, and you don't get those ugly grindlines. The ones from a Spyderco Sharpmaker work just fine.

[@TheGreenGamer33]

Please feel free to contact me if you want more info, I'm not a professional but I do know a fair amount about these things as a blacksmith. Have a good one!

[@JoeSteel1]

I have to tell you, that is some fabulous and helpful information and I sincerely appreciate that. I am in the process of gathering information on this subject as its my first couple of attempts at this. I see much value in your methods and will attempt to make up a project simular to this. I have always had great respect and admiration for people in your trade. I will definitely take you up on that and call upon you for my next project. Are you on Instagram?

[@TheGreenGamer33]

@@JoeSteel1 No but we can exchange email if there's a private message function on here? Not sure...

[@KF1]

Good comment. This lemon juice process also worked for me. Also gotta look up about the sharpening rods. Worksharp can make a katana sharp, but if blade aesthetics are important there are better options.

[@panoctic]

might i ask. sounds like the walter sorrells method. since you have experience can you restore a hamon if you buff it away. im a rookie and just ruined one side of the kissaki of my blade can i restore it or i have just accept its gone jaja.

[@choirboyzcutleryoutdoors]

Brother you are coming along very very quickly! This was absolutely impressive! I've said it a million times I'll say it a million more your video quality is second to none!

[@JoeSteel1]

Many thanks my friend and glad you enjoyed it👊👊👊

[@BigRedEDC]

Fantastic Joe! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!!

[@JoeSteel1]

A journey is best traveled with friends

[@Katana-Karl]

Your learning about katana very quickly. Proud of ya

[@JoeSteel1]

Many kind thanks Karl👊👊

[@TheCrusader1099]

for couple of years now i'm polishing my blades immediately after unboxing the first time. i only give them a light polish with my german polishing paste over cork ....sealing, sharpening and polishing it the same time:) ....hamon gets not destroyed with this method...

[@JoeSteel1]

Sounds like a good deal, I would only do this on patterns I would want to make more prominent or if I just want to rejuvenate older swords details, these acid treatments are most useful on folded steel, layered surfaces, where you really see the story of the folds...thanks for watching dude

[@choirboyzcutleryoutdoors]

Bad Assery!!

[@JoeSteel1]

👊👊Enjoying discovering new things

[@ScabsMegatron]

Great video, Joe!

[@JoeSteel1]

Thank you 😋 sweets

[@jeffaschbacher3334]

Great video, good job man !

[@JoeSteel1]

It's a fun learning experience for sure

[@bdwillis8284]

Hi Joe, I do this alot on my knives. My preferred method is with mustard and a q tip. The mustard doesn't run so you can pretty much draw a very precise pattern. I just finished my Preacher and it looks fantastic.

[@JoeSteel1]

BD, sure I guess any acid enriched substance would work, I'm gonna try the mustard as well to see what I get for finer applications, appreciated my friend

[@armoredsweatpants3997]

Hi Joe,..how do you keep the vinegar from beading up on the blade?, I heard of folk mixing vinegar with just a pinch of dish soap, i have a (s.o.n.) that I’m looking to bring out the hada.

[@JoeSteel1]

Are you on Instagram?

[@armoredsweatpants3997]

Nope, just KZbin, I’m not very tech savvy,….I don’t even do Facebook.

[@JoeSteel1]

@@armoredsweatpants3997 Hard to explain on this platform, What I didn't do on that vid, is to constantly rub the solution for 10 min. or more and not to let it sit, then immediately spray rubbing alcohol to remove it, have it dry and them metal polish like mothers Meg to shine it up....and yes I add dish soap drops so it can spread more evenly on blade, takes alot of trial and error to get it right...bro what's your first name again?

[@armoredsweatpants3997]

@@JoeSteel1 thanks Joe, that helps, my name is Chris,…I appreciate you and your channel, congratulations on 1,000+ subs,…U da man!!

[@PUREWATER1212]

Joe.. thank you..I'm always learning something new from your videos..I call that . beneficial 😁⚔️✅

[@JoeSteel1]

Ahhh thanks Kathleen appreciate you greatly 🙏

[@MichaelR58]

Very cool video Joe , looks good , thanks for sharing , God bless ! #22aday #22adaynomore

[@JoeSteel1]

👊👊my pleasure Michael thanks🙏🙏

[@AXAH78]

nice

[@JoeSteel1]

thank you

[@rustyknifelover4463]

Looks amazing Joe.

[@JoeSteel1]

Thanks Rusty, I'm in the preliminary stage in getting to know the process to see what works

[@michaelrs8010]

Hey brother, I kind of looked through your video list and maybe I just didn't see it, but did you ever do the how-to video regarding this? I just got my swords 10 & 11 from HBF with a custom hamon on #10. It's pretty simple. It's a straight line with little 1 cm high pyramids every 10cm down the blade. Problem is, it's very light. So I'm trying to figure out how to bring it out without killing the blade. Hence me stumbling on your video here. So can you link your how to video if you did want or if not tell me when it is and I'll look closer around those dates. Thank you.

[@JoeSteel1]

I thought I explained it, probably never did a detailed follow...basically you start with a bowl of warm water (distilled or filtered better) use either lemon juice or white vinegar anything that is acidic (I saw in the comments others mentioned other solutions they use) then add a couple of drops of dish soap for promoting equal spread.....then dap a thick paper towel or small rag into solution and spread evenly onto the hamon and upper mune (spine) trying to keep away from edge...this process has to be done for constant 10 to 15 min non stop do it evenly or you will get spots that remain on the blade...then take a DRY PAPER TOWEL and evenly remove excess from base to tip....let sit with solution for 5 to 7 minutes....it will look pretty bad that's how you know the acid is working....I usually take some rubbing alcohol and do a wipe down before next step to make sure its dry...the most important step now is to use METAL POLISH like mothers Meg. and paste it all over the blade...let sit....and forcibly rub it into the blade...until it's all off....the paper towels will be black...thats the metal removal which is very little, you should start seeing the shine on the metal....finish off spraying alcohol on it again wipe down totally and repeat process again if needed...some had told me they do it up to 3 separate times.hope that helps

[@JoeSteel1]

Also forgot the step of warming the solution in the microwave prior to using, not boiling hot but warm

[@michaelrs8010]

@@JoeSteel1 thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it

[@JoeSteel1]

I help when I can...my pleasure dude, hope it works out, yeah I hate soft looking hamon

[@Katana-Karl]

It looks.like there is a secondary bevel on this katana. Did you run this on your work sharp?

[@JoeSteel1]

Yes a while back I sharpened this with the work sharp

[@opusjosh]

Ive just polished to 2000 grit. Everything is fantastic. At this point do I A. Polish with Mother's mag and then do the vinegar, followed by more mothers mag? Or B. Do the vinegar then mother's mag? Sorry if that makes no sense. Happy owner of a jkoo T10 thanks to you. I told Van too

[@JoeSteel1]

I would say clean it off with Alcohol then do the vinegar acid etched treatment and then do mothers mag...then Alcohol again, repeat if needed...and many, many thanks to you!!!

[@opusjosh]

@JoeSteel1 alright sounds great! Many many thanks, I got my whole family cutting jugs! From down jersey way, Joshua-

[@JoeSteel1]

@opusjosh That's awesome, I Love it

[@jdlr369]

Have you tried using ferric chloride acid to bring out the hamon? That seems to be what a lot of hamon knife makers are using.

[@JoeSteel1]

Not yet, but there are many methods people use to acid etch I'm discovering in this journey, trial & error, and thanks for the suggestions

[@samuraibyrd]

Ive used lemon juice on a few blades,worked great. It really separates the polish and grains in the blade.

[@JoeSteel1]

Yea I guess any highly acidic substances will do the trick

[@samuraibyrd]

@@JoeSteel1 ever tried Pepsi?

[@JoeSteel1]

That should work really well

[@Moonwynd5]

The etching came out pretty good for sure. I would be remiss if I did not respectfully mention that your method of sharpening ruins the traditional geometry of the edge that is done only via polishing which makes the edge less prone to chipping.. Your edge looks very sharp and since it's a relatively inexpensive, Chinese made katana and not Nihonto or a more expensive traditionally made blade, it might not matter to you since I am sure your edge is very sharp. Not a criticism - just wanted to mention it. Thank you for the video.

[@JoeSteel1]

Ofcourse it does, I hate to have to sharpen my blades as traditionally with stones you will not create a secondary bevel, but a sword has got to work..lol...one day I will move to whetstone when I have more time on my hands

[@lornemcneil]

Acid etching removes the apex ,erode it off ,y will have to re sharpen after every etching ,not unless y etch for hours again and a gain then y need to sharpen 1ce ,if y wish to return it to the perfect apex its 100 dollars n inch ,80 pounds to me that's more than a grand😢

[@hachimanjiro]

Great video, I used white vinegar with soap, the soap helps it stick to the blade, also citric acid powder works just less bother with lemons, your camera work is excellent,beautiful filming and great looking swords thanks brother!

[@JoeSteel1]

Many thanks Jiro, yes I use a couple of drops of dish soap to help it spread on the blade as well, never tried Lemons. I appreciate the view and the compliment my friend, good day to you!!!👊👊👊

[@armoredsweatpants3997]

I was thinking of doing this but there isn’t a whole lot of information about it,.this is very informative, awesome vid!

[@JoeSteel1]

Thanks brother, I'm going to make a how to video regarding this, but I just wanted to really get it down packed first

[@armoredsweatpants3997]

@@JoeSteel1 I don’t like the finish on my (son) either but the folded hada underneath looks amazing, I’m hoping this may be the answer,…looking forward to your vid,..thanks again😁

[@JoeSteel1]

Hold tight getting more info on it to improve the method

[@shanewright344]

I've watched KZbinr and blacksmith Michael Cthulu do some acid etching on the blades he forges. I don't know if the kind of etching he does will work on a Katana though.

[@JoeSteel1]

Probably not, this a pretty straightforward approach fairly easy with some time and patience, the result can vary and depend upon amount of rub, time solution us left on, and doing multiple sessions, not to difficult

[@thefool876]

Is it method same as a wirebrush hamon?

[@JoeSteel1]

No not all, what your referring to is Fake Hamon, a non DH blade...this is a chemical process to highlight or bring out the natural real hamon in a more detailed view as well as any hada or folding steel grains

[@erichusayn]

Uh oh. I created a monster. Lol. Jk. Looks good dude.

[@JoeSteel1]

I'm hooked, really enjoying trying to cultivate this, thanks again my dude

[@LegionTacticoolCutlery]

Good morning Joe!

[@JoeSteel1]

Top of the morning to ya brother

[@lornemcneil]

Etching and sharpening myself ,made many mistakes that cost me days ,days by hand to correct,like yr sharp test post, tech machine, i find the sharper the more responsible 😂 respect y need to give it or it will give y a little bite ,the vinegar works ,lemon juice is good as well

[@JoeSteel1]

Thanks so much for sharing friend

[@lornemcneil]

Yr posts are informative 👌

[@JoeSteel1]

Thank you kindly

[@lornemcneil]

Add more washing up liquid and leave it mabye a half hour and i can see y shake yr head ,it looks terrible 😢 ,it takes longer to bring back the polish but ,but the hamon retains it difference but managed to bring it back to mirror 😊

[@JoeSteel1]

Ok thank you

[@T-DsGaming]

That secondary bevel on the edge hurts me to see on a katana. You can also use yellow mustard and lemon juice to acid etch as well. I have put fake hamons on kitchen knives with mustard before, it wears away quickly but looks cool. It's best to never let the acid being used to dry completely, then you don't get those acid etch spots on the blade.

[@JoeSteel1]

Yes I learned that the hard way...lol..gathering info as I go, thanks for tips, yes I hear you on the secondary bevel it pains me as well, since that sword I have learned to avoid that less, but when you use the swords they need to be sharpened and I'm not a stone guy.

[@T-DsGaming]

@@JoeSteel1 I did the same thing when I first tried to acid etch some blades. That staining is a real pain to get completely off. No worries man, most blades have that secondary bevel and it works well, it just for some reason hurts me to see it on a katana lol. The blade looks great after you were done with it, I say good job.

[@SnoPro440]

I have been making Japanese long blades for 30 years. I spent seven years in Japan learning from the best. The worst possible thing someone can do is to acid etch your blade just stupid.

[@JoeSteel1]

Thanks for sharing, to each their own...good day

[@Perkeletricksterservantofrher]

you ruined that blade lol.

[@JoeSteel1]

Dude, did you watch till the end, it brought out the hamon which was soft at first, but it takes many sessions to get the best results, completely a work in progress trial and error but by no means is the blade ruined but improved visually on the hamon line,

[@Perkeletricksterservantofrher]

@@JoeSteel1 ok i try it. with viniger

[@JoeSteel1]

The mistake I maid at first was you need to keep on reapply for 15 minutes straight don't let the solution sit, as it will leave droplet stains, keep on rubbing it in constantly till you remove it with Alcohol then dry off and apply a good amount of metal polish and clean off the solution residue, then Alcohol again, trial and error till you get it right