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Originally Posted by celtan
How do I _safely_ etch a blade?
Best
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It's quite easy - you wash the blade and rub it with alcohol to make sure it is as clean as it can get, and then you dip it in some acidic solution. I prefer diluted vinegar: 1 part vinegar to 4 parts warm water. Then take out of the solution as soon as you are satisfied with the resulting pattern (assuming there is a pattern - keep in mind that sometimes the blade is plain steel and therefore there would be no pattern), wash with soap and dry thoroughly. If you search the forum, there are lots of threads on the subject.
The human effigies are typical of Persian art. I am not sure if it has anything to do with the Shia affiliation of the large majority in Persia, but it appears that living creatures depictions were not a tabu there, as opposed for example to the Sunni Ottoman Empire. I am not sure what material the hilt is made from, but it looks like bone from the picture - a pic of the pommel might help determine whether it is bone or ivory. Certainly does not look like bufalo horn.
Regards,
Teodor