Should I etch?
 

This is the old Tulwar blade, shown in the "mend a blade?' thread.
(Has a crack in the spine)
Should I give it an etch?

Thanks in advance!

Richard.

This is a pattern welded blade and what is showing now is fairly indicitive of what would be brought out or enhanced, a sort of open distorted lamination. I think Jens is fond of this type of pattern. What you will probably see is some lamellar activity along the edge and spine and the central portion of the blade will be the open, distorted lamination like what you see. An etch may accentuate some heat treatment to the blade as well which would show in changes in color tone. The blade seems to be in good enough shape, ie, no pitting or heavy oxidation that it should be fairly easy to etch.

I'd say yes. That looks like a nice, "tight" pattern which should come up nicely, particularly if the features Rick predicts appear. Some pattern-welded Indian blades are rather unattractive when etched but, in my experience, those blades are not as fine looking as your's.

Pattern welded blades can be found in a big variation of patterns. Some of them should not be etched, but others I find very interesting, like the attached.

I would etch it to have a look, should the result not be as hoped for, it can always be removed again.

Thank you for your suggestions, RSword, and Andrew.
I'll give it a bash.
Will try and find a local source for 'Metal etch' (Canada.)

Thank you again,
Richard.

Jens, Your post popped up whilst I was answering the first two.
That is an amazing pattern on your blade! certainly would have been a shame to leave that one hidden!
Thanks for posting the picture.

Hi
now you decided to etch.
you could use white vinegar...it would take a little bit... (less time if heated)
- it'll look abit muddy... .. heres a tip... use some FINE pumice powder on a soft cotton pad..... and rub the oxide off... till you have a nice pattern...

you could do it with ferric chloride.. but shorten the etch time.. its can be very aggressive

remember... this will be a subtle patternweld ..... there won't be a bold look like steels with nickel in the mix... what your seeing here is mostly the weld boundaries in the steel... so try not to over etch...it'll only go so far

my self personally... i'd polish it a little bit higher... then a etch in dilute acid/and pumice rubb

but thats just me

Greg

Hi Greg,

A good piece of advise, and what you write about the fine pumic powder is a very good piece of advise - seldom given, but good non the less.

Jens

Greg,
Thank you for the reccomendations.
Will find some pumice powder and try & follow your instructions..........
They Must be good if Jens agrees with you!

Thanks again,
R.

Thanks for the kind words Richard, but when it comes to blades, Greg and a few others are specialists, and I am not, I am only doing what I have learned over the years:).
Jens

welcome

i think everyone has a different idea of how a patternweld should look like.... some people like a heavily etch blade....so much so that you have topography...
- in other cases ... like in japanese blades... you can see the patterns but only due to the high level of polish...

although the etch and pumice works for a nice subtle pattern.... sort of inbetween..

i've used it in the past to bring out quench lines ... same process as above

here's the pumice i use... its something that Don Fogg posted on his forum a good while back.. ... and i've liked it ever since

take care
G

ps... almost forgot the link

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,190,43040

Thank you for the further information and link Greg,
I will 'phone them tomorrow for the fine pumice.

I will keep you posted on how I get on with it, (I have Way too many irons in the fire already!.........but this is so interesting I can't wait to get cracking at it!)

Thanks again,
Richard.