Originally Posted by
Mike Blue
Ferric chloride can also be found at art supply stores. Ask for etchant for copper. FeCl3 is the chemical nomenclature.
Lemon juice is a pretty light etchant, but the Indonesians used it to good effect on their Kris blades.
Another option is warmed vinegar. Just warm enough to sizzle in the pan a little and wipe on with a paper towel. Mind the heat on your fingers. It will gray the steel a little, but enough to highlight the pattern.
I suspect you will see the banded pattern on the tang if you etch things. Razors are too small to avoid heat traveling into the tang when forging. I think you'll find some there.
Either way, alloy banding from cycles through the forging process, or shear steel from blister and the subsequent forging and you have a very fine blade of very good steel. If this is shear steel, it's much older than it looks. There are both positive arguments and negative against the effects of alloy banding. It does suggest some overheating at some point if it is alloy segregation.
I don't think any of those will affect your shave with this razor. Enjoy the aesthetic appearance. Your beard won't care a bit.