Determining if a blade has enhanced hada

[SwordGuyJoe]

All,

I have read in a couple of instances where a blade has had acid applied to bring out the activity. How does one recognize this from a good polish that emphasizes the hada? Long term, if one is bitten by a blade with acid enhanced hada, how does one remedy the situation and/or what is the long term effect of the process? Thanks for helping me - and the other relative newbies.

[cabowen]

It depends on the polisher as far as how they use acid in the polishing process. When used by an amateur, the usual result is a frosty look to the ha-buchi. The jihada will look hard and shiny, like a mirror. It is hard to describe but rather easy to recognize.

[loui]

Using acid is bad - bottom line, a polisher that uses it is performing a bit of trickery, enhancing the blade artificially. I won't say how they do it covertly, but there are methods - the kind that when when people see the blade they are floored by it. It's a shame.

 

If a blade is enhanced poorly it shows up usually with the blade being very one dimensional, or a blade with a white hamon the entire length of the blade - blaring white at any angle with a dryish black looking ji. A pro acid job is another thing all together, very fine techniques are used in certain areas to enhance certain things, for the most part a seasoned collector wouldn't know the difference.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Louis

[SwordGuyJoe]

Using acid is bad

 

Agreed. I am asking because in looking on the bay, I see some blades that have just radical hada, but it just doesn't seem right (can't explain why). I was wondering if there were some telltale signs to point out an acid treated blade.

[loui]

Here is an example that I sold on consignment, before it left it had a traditional polish. A blade that is acid etched like this looks very much different after a polish, it was much more subdued after a real polish - hence the trickery I mentioned.

 

Looks nasty.

 

http://www.japaneseswordcollector.com/tsuna/tsuna.html

 

Louis