Maybe you guys are wanting the blade to have something which is just not in it!?!?! Does a laminated blade make the kris so much more. . . . .???

>I know I may be striking against most folks opinion here, but from my opinion a laminated blade is most often just visible even before etching. Though many are of the opinion that any layers in iron (or imperfections) becoming visible by etching must be laminating.

Reason of this note; we are all just temporarely owners of these antique pieces, as after our death (or before) we will pass them on to the next owner. As has been done before we got these antique pieces. And extreme etching does efect the iron as it eats certain ingredients away (forever).
Sorry, its not my intention to sound like a schoolteacher or so, but as collectors of antiquities one does/should have responsibilities :o ;)

Here here, I also dare to suggest that some lamination may well be far from special. Just the outcome of bashing up what comes to hand and standard forming.

An etching with vinegar isn't extreme but very soft! :)

Hi, wel dont get me wrong as I am not against etching. For example; I would certainly clean pepperskulls blade up a bit if it were mine. After the first clean up I think I would be able to judge if the piece was created with a lamination or not.

Though I have seen some blades which were put in acid until all oxidation was gone and until the bare metal; leaving a strange greyish shine to it (or strange brown flecks/stripes!) and -so to say-in fact all history was removed. Really a pitty; piece destroyed actually.
I have also handled some pieces so heavily oxidated that the only resource was to put them into a strong acid (and no sanding and specially no sandingmachine which leaves those nice small circles, which many of you will also recognize!! :shrug: ). Personnally I like to leave just a bit rust as it gives the piece a bit character. But I would also etch a blade to bring a lamination up more stronger.
>>repeated etching does go deeper and deeper removing the imperfections out of iron; just the same with polishing silver; every time one takes away a tiny surfacelayer away. And it can alsoactivate other chemical processes as oxidation after cleaning<<

The "etch" which most folks do on Moro blades can barely be called an "etch" at all. If there is erosion to the blade i would call it almost indiscernible for the most part. It is generally done with vinegar which is an extremely mild etching agent and is usually done with a brush a method, not left to soak for any long period of time that might do damage to the steel. There has been some question in the past about whether this was actually done traditionally, though frankly i have seen no definitive answer to that question. But for the most part Indy, you are worrying about nothing here. I have etched Moro kris, found nothing particularly attractive, and then simply gave it a light polish to bring the blade back before etch appearance (only a bit cleaner). Sometimes you can do this form of "etch" and reveal a magnificent pattern. I have not noticed any particular lose of metal in this process and don't feel that i have at all damaged the blade for future custodians. No one is talking about "extreme etching"on these pieces. :)