Hamon technique question(s)

Kev

Well-Known Member
I have searched the forums and found a varitable plethora of information, most of which is over my head, a lot of which I did not find relevance in, and a little that I understood and found useful. That said here is my question.
What is the most efficient order of operations when revealing/polishing a hamon? I ask because I’m finding a lot of information that I feel like pertains to Damascus pattern etching, and I feel like a hamon is quite different. My hesitations are mostly regarding when to etch, and when to polish/sand?
Specifics of this case are; 1084 steel, 4” or shorter hunting/drop point style blades.
Thank you.
 
I've been told that 1084 doesn't give a good hamon because of the high Manganese content. You can get somewhat of a hamon on it, but it doesn't look near as good as some of the other steels. 1075, 1095, and W2 were recommended for good hamon's, due to their lower Mn content, which results in shallow hardening.
 
The hamon is actually secondary, to the differential heat treat. It’s my understanding as well that 1084 isn’t optimal for an active hamon. I just figured if the blade is going to be differentially heat treated, I may as well polish the hamon and make it visible, however much that is.
 
I did the same thing on a few 1084 knives. I didn't like the look of leaving the dark etch pattern on for the 1084, so I buffed it on a buffing wheel after. It still left a dark line from the hardening line, but the rest of the blade was fairly polished. I liked the look.
 
Almost everything we do in knifemaking is a "trade off"...... we sacrifice one thing, in order to achieve another. When it comes to hamons, very often, other attributes of a knife are sacrificed in order to achieve a "better" hamon..... that can vary from steel choices, to heat treat methodologies, to finishing techniques. It really comes down to what attribute(s) the individual maker prizes most. When it comes to hamons, each steel type requires different techniques to "bring out" the best hamon(s). 1084 simply isn't the best choice if a hamon is the desired goal. That being said, in my experience, finishing with stones, followed by a short etch in ferric, achieves the best hamons I can obtain with 1084. (which are really poor compared to hamons on W2 or 1075.)
 
The aesthetic of the hamon is secondary to its function on this particular blade. In discussing the blades intended purpose, I came to the conclusion that a differential heat treatment would benefit this particular blade. I’m willing to trade potential sharpness, and edge holding for a little extra toughness.
The hamon line itself could just as well be left as is when polished and not revealed at all. But I thought since it was not crucial and it was there I may as well get the education it will provide.
 
Based on your input, my advice would be a short etch in ferric chloride, followed by neutralizing, then a "scrub" with #0000 steel wool and flitz or wenol metal polish.
 
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