Hi Dan. That's exactly how I felt, but couldn't put it into words.

It's a commoner's sword, like an arsenal tulwar. The small hilt fits my small hand perfectly, and the hilt is very solid. The baca baca is attached to a metal strap that runs the full lenght of the hilt under the rattan. It's incredibly sharp.
I etched with ferric chloride diluted 4:1. Do you thing vinegar would bring out something more? Would soaking in vinegar possibly soak into the forging flaws causing corrosion in the future?
Thanks much for your reply!
Steve