Thread: Unexpected Hamon

I'm starting to get the feeling I've messed up here.
I've just been hand sanding this razor I've made from an old file.
As I've got to 400 grit it looks as though I have a hamon showing up.
Its hard to see in the pics, but there seems to be a wavy pattern about 1/2 inch above the cutting edge.
I quenched it spine down, but I was outdoors in bad light, and now I'm wondering if maybe I didnt submerge the whole blade.
If i left the edge out of the oil for the first few seconds, would this leave it in a state too soft for a razor?
I just spent 20 minutes on my dtm 325 then king 1200 stone and the bevel still wasnt quite there yet.
So it seems pretty hard, but I'm tired and I want to go to bed now.
Am I kidding myself that this edge might still be useable
Thanks
Grant

I may be wrong here but sanding with sand paper will not reveal a hamon, it never worked for me at least. You need to etch with acid, or polish with Jnats to get a hamon to show.

Thanks Stefan, I hope your right, and I'm worrying about nothing
G.

Originally Posted by mainaman

I may be wrong here but sanding with sand paper will not reveal a hamon.

Yes, it will.
And if you used a polishing stone, it would as well. It won't jump out at you, but it will definitely show itself clear as day when held to the light.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yes, it will.
And if you used a polishing stone, it would as well. It won't jump out at you, but it will definitely show itself clear as day when held to the light.

+1 .. The Iwasaki I restored was showing quite early & on reaching 2000 wetndri was very prominent.

Grant, are you planning on making it feature of the blade ?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

+1 .. The Iwasaki I restored was showing quite early & on reaching 2000 wetndri was very prominent.

Grant, are you planning on making it feature of the blade ?

There are not that many options otherwise
It's a feature of the crystalline structure of the steel.
Even if you polish it to a mirror shine on the buffer, you'll still be able to see it. If not immediately, then eventually as the patina develops differently.

Well I dont think I have anything to worry about.
My main concern was that if I had a hamon line, and I quenched spine down, that I didnt fully submerge the blade in the initial quench.
In my mind the result of that would be the edge not being as hard as it should be.
However I've just taken it to the hones.
The DTM 325 started setting the bevel OK but was leaving it very chippy.
The King 1200 was getting me pretty much nowhere though.
So if anything its too hard, which is good. Because I can just put it back in the oven a little hotter than the last temper cycle.
If anyone see's any holes in my ameture logic please let me know.

So I still cant explain the Hamon other than what Charlie said earlier, really I cant even be sure thats what it is until i polish further, but to answer Oz's question. If all goes well yes I'll probably etch the blade to bring it out.
Hopefully have a good looking and functional razor
Thanks
Grant

Originally Posted by Bruno

There are not that many options otherwise
It's a feature of the crystalline structure of the steel.
Even if you polish it to a mirror shine on the buffer, you'll still be able to see it. If not immediately, then eventually as the patina develops differently.

Yes, not many options. It was almost a rhetorical question.
Not sure but I think Iwasaki western razors were just finished western style ? I may be wrong but I never saw one with a trad. polished hamon till I got to work on a couple.

Nothing to do with the question. But I was talking to one of my files the other day................. and when it grows up it wants to be just like that.............
I have to thank you Grant, I now have a collection of old files that I'm keeping just in the hopes, that I may learn to do what your doing with these files, someday.

Hamons or temper lines happen on their own with razors a lot of the time. The thin material down by the edge cools faster than the more meaty cross sections up by the spine. You can see the temper line during the sanding process. If you want to emphasize the line you can etch the razor in weak acid, if you want to make it go away buffing does a good job of obscuring the line.

Charlie