Wootz surprise on one of my blades!

FenrisWolf · 3rd February 2007, 11:26 AM

I posted this originally on my collection thread; a Balkans jambiya with a brass-covered scabbard, a plain horn hilt, and a solid blade with a little pitting:

After reading some of the threads on different methods of bringing out damascus patterns on blades that had been polished, I decided to try it out on a few of my own pieces that had been subjected to overzealous polishing by previous owners. I didn't have any ferric chloride, copper sulfate or arsenic compounds, but I did have a bottle of old fashioned grocery store 100% lime juice from concentrate.

The first few blades did produce much, though one little kard I have appears to have a differentially tempered blade, almost like a hamon pattern on a japanese blade.

Then I got to the aforementioned jambiya, and look what popped up!

I enhanced the photos a bit to make the pattern clearer; the lime juice works, but it's slow. I have an order placed for the ferric chloride and copper sulfate and will mix up some of those to see if they work better. Needless to say, I'll be checking out the rest of my collection for hideaway wootz!

3rd February 2007, 11:26 AM	#1
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Wootz surprise on one of my blades! I posted this originally on my collection thread; a Balkans jambiya with a brass-covered scabbard, a plain horn hilt, and a solid blade with a little pitting: After reading some of the threads on different methods of bringing out damascus patterns on blades that had been polished, I decided to try it out on a few of my own pieces that had been subjected to overzealous polishing by previous owners. I didn't have any ferric chloride, copper sulfate or arsenic compounds, but I did have a bottle of old fashioned grocery store 100% lime juice from concentrate. The first few blades did produce much, though one little kard I have appears to have a differentially tempered blade, almost like a hamon pattern on a japanese blade. Then I got to the aforementioned jambiya, and look what popped up! I enhanced the photos a bit to make the pattern clearer; the lime juice works, but it's slow. I have an order placed for the ferric chloride and copper sulfate and will mix up some of those to see if they work better. Needless to say, I'll be checking out the rest of my collection for hideaway wootz!