Chinese sword: real or fake?

Tatyana Dianova · 10th June 2007, 09:42 PM

After some consideration, a light polish and light etch were made, and I am more than satisfied with the results

Tim Simmons · 10th June 2007, 09:45 PM

You are a winner thats for sure!!

Flavio · 10th June 2007, 10:06 PM

Cogratulations!!! This is a beauty

What you have used to etch the blade?

spiral · 10th June 2007, 10:17 PM

Wonderfull lamination! Congratulations!

Spiral

asomotif · 11th June 2007, 08:23 AM

amazing blade !!!
Congratulations !!!

Marc · 11th June 2007, 11:15 AM

... and, now, is this kind of lamination what started to turn on some red lights in my panel...

If I may ask... what was used as etching medium? For how long was it applied on the blade?

My familiarity with antique chinese swords is too limited, I'm afraid, that's why I'm asking, but... is THIS kind of lamination really likely to be found in antique chinese dao? Not lamination per se, but this one, with the big "pool" pattern, so similar to the cheapest kind of commercially available pattern welded steel, lightly forged, heavily ground down, with no inserted edge....
Maybe it's only my paranoia, PROBABLY it is, but I would appreciate anyone really familiar with this kind of weaponry to come and smack me in the head, if so...

Tatyana Dianova · 11th June 2007, 02:50 PM

Thank you all for replies! Now about etching: after the blade was polished several times with 600 grit wet paper (with oil) I have used 75 % Phosphoric Acid. After 5-10 minutes of etching the blade was ready. Then again a very light polish (with 1000 paper and oil) was applied to make the blade surface shining and transparent. The Damascus steel is now like a 3D picture ( if you see, what I mean) and really beautiful, but it is impossible to show on the pictures. To make the "flashy "pictures above (to show better the steel pattern) I have used a very strong contrasting tool in Photoshop (I love Photoshop

), but in reality the pattern is seen only under correct light and angle and is subtle, like hada and hamon on Japanese swords. The picture nearest to reality is third from top, where you can see the whole sword.
The interesting feature to me is that the blade construction looks like on old Indonesian Keris: it has a core steel (it is easy to see near the cutting edge) which is covered by the layers of the Damascus Steel. Maybe it is the same as inserted edge that the Marc talks about. And about Damascus pattern and the sword itself (its origin, name and age) I would like to hear some replies from specialists too, because that was really the theme of this thread. To me it looks and feels like a real old sword, which has seen some use during its life

(see description above)

10th June 2007, 09:42 PM	#1
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 734	After some consideration, a light polish and light etch were made, and I am more than satisfied with the results Attached Images

10th June 2007, 09:45 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	You are a winner thats for sure!!

10th June 2007, 10:06 PM	#3
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Cogratulations!!! This is a beauty What you have used to etch the blade?

10th June 2007, 10:17 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Wonderfull lamination! Congratulations! Spiral

11th June 2007, 08:23 AM	#5
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,228	amazing blade !!! Congratulations !!!

11th June 2007, 11:15 AM	#6
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	... and, now, is this kind of lamination what started to turn on some red lights in my panel... If I may ask... what was used as etching medium? For how long was it applied on the blade? My familiarity with antique chinese swords is too limited, I'm afraid, that's why I'm asking, but... is THIS kind of lamination really likely to be found in antique chinese dao? Not lamination per se, but this one, with the big "pool" pattern, so similar to the cheapest kind of commercially available pattern welded steel, lightly forged, heavily ground down, with no inserted edge.... Maybe it's only my paranoia, PROBABLY it is, but I would appreciate anyone really familiar with this kind of weaponry to come and smack me in the head, if so...

11th June 2007, 02:50 PM	#7
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 734	Thank you all for replies! Now about etching: after the blade was polished several times with 600 grit wet paper (with oil) I have used 75 % Phosphoric Acid. After 5-10 minutes of etching the blade was ready. Then again a very light polish (with 1000 paper and oil) was applied to make the blade surface shining and transparent. The Damascus steel is now like a 3D picture ( if you see, what I mean) and really beautiful, but it is impossible to show on the pictures. To make the "flashy "pictures above (to show better the steel pattern) I have used a very strong contrasting tool in Photoshop (I love Photoshop ), but in reality the pattern is seen only under correct light and angle and is subtle, like hada and hamon on Japanese swords. The picture nearest to reality is third from top, where you can see the whole sword. The interesting feature to me is that the blade construction looks like on old Indonesian Keris: it has a core steel (it is easy to see near the cutting edge) which is covered by the layers of the Damascus Steel. Maybe it is the same as inserted edge that the Marc talks about. And about Damascus pattern and the sword itself (its origin, name and age) I would like to hear some replies from specialists too, because that was really the theme of this thread. To me it looks and feels like a real old sword, which has seen some use during its life (see description above)