Hello All,

Could somebody share a simple method to give more contrast to a damascus blade knife?

Please bear in mind I am in a 3rd World Country, ;-)

Early thanks,

JC

JayCee,
The Japaneese swords are what I would call Damacined (sp). They heated steel to bright red and then slit it open and introduced another type of steel and then hammered it, heated it, folded it, hammered more and folded more, stretched it out to the length they wanted and then hammered more.
The end result was that looking at it hightly polished you could see waves of where the steel was introduced and folded.
I have a kitchen knife by Ken Onion, it's called Shun and it has that pattern in it. This one is made from Cobalt and stainless, which isn't a good knife steel, but for women/men who don't dry after using this is what they do.
Overall length is about 14 in.

Hello JDW,

Very nice kitchen knife. It looks very comfortable and efficient.

This is the knife I am talking about:




I got the blade blank in the US and the knife was put together by a local amateur craftsman (he fixes outboard motors for a living) using a stag's antler that was hunted by a friend who also gave me the skin on which I took the pictures.

The idea is to enhance the pattern using some acid? or a rust blueing solution that will react differently on the steels used (I do not know what they are).

Can this be done?

JC

JayCee,

I have a damascus knife that was made by a custom knife maker out west who on his website gives a good description of how he makes his damascus blades. This excerpt from his site confirms that you are on the right track, although this is all done to the blade before the handle work starts:

"After grinding the sides and handle section, it is polished. After the initial polishing it is hardened at the forge, repolished, tempered and polished again. Next it is acid etched in hydrochloric acid. The acid eats away at the different steels at a different rate so that a one of a kind pattern is visible on the blade. After rinsing, the blade is coated with a brass black solution (like gun bluing) then polished with a worn 600 grit sandpaper. This highlights the raised portions of the steel pattern and leaves the recessed layers dark so that a beautiful contrast is achieved."

Now you can give it a try on your knife.

Dave

Thank you Dave, I'll have to do some experimenting.

I realize it is not ideal to do it on the finished knife, but I'll go at it carefully.

If you could give me the website you mention I would appreciate it.

Best,

JC

JayCee,

Here's the link to his home page:

http://raysknives.netfirms.com/about.htm

Good luck!

Dave

Jaycee,

You can use Ferric Chloride, http://www.damascus-barrels.com/Finish_Restore.html
The barrel factories were using Sulphuric acid for a time. They also used Hydrochloric acid when they wanted a deep etch. There is also evidence that early on Nitric acid was used.

Pete

Thank you Dave.

Pete, thank you also. I hadn't thought of looking there. Great detailed pointers.

JC