Etching wootz, opinion needed.

[Drabant1701]

I am once again in need of assistance when etching. I have etched an indian sword in my possesion. I have etched with ferric chloride at about 30%. The sword etches very quickly, about 5-10 seconds will give it a good dark etch.

Now to the problem. There is an area that etches diffrently then the rest of the sword (see picture) the area is on both sides of the sword. I tried ligthly polishing it and the etching again, and repeated three more times. But the result was only slightly better.

I do not think it is a forging flaw. Maybe some result of heat treatment, but the why would the are around it be lighter.

I am thinking that maybe there was rust on the blade and someone sanded away the rust and this is why it looks this way.

I was thinking that if I polished the blade with starting with a rougher polishing paper 400 then upp to 2000 the blade would etch lighter but more uniform. BUT since I dont really know that that will work I am unvilling to try.

I know that there are members on this forum that has had a lot of experience with etching and I am hoping that someone has encountered something similar and is willing to share there knowlege. So In your opinion should I just leave it as is or is there a way to etch it more uniform. If I polish the etched blade it the flaw will become allmost invisible while the pattern is still visible. But we all want that dark etch, dont we