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Gene had asked about etching the wootz. I used a diluted ferric chloride solution. It actually took three etchings to get it right, and I had to refinish and polish the blade each time. Wootz is etched by a quick wiping of the etchant followed by a rinse and oiling. I finally got my wife out in the yard with a garden hose and I would wipe on the etchant and she would hose down the blade. You can't let the ferric stay on the steel more than a few seconds or you loose the crystiline carbide structure that makes the pattern. Wootz takes a surface finish, rather than the topographical etch more commonly used on pattern welded steels."
DAVID
Question:
Did you polish the wootz after the last acid etching?, what did you use to do the polishing, and how? What was the dilution ratio of the Ferric Chloride? What oil, preservative did you use on the finished blade?
Now aren't you sorry for asking for more questions?
And one last question, Did you pay your wife for her help in the etching of the Kris?
WELCOME TO THE FORUM
Gene