Followed Dave's guide using a 2:1 Vinegar/Acid dip. It's a new Tanaka 160mm Petty, won the Tanaka lottery with this one (unlike my gyuto 
), straight as an arrow good cutter OOTB. Prepped by sanding the it. I had spent a fair amount of time rounding the spine and choil 220/400/600/1k sandpaper. Knocked the handle off using a plastic cutting board and hammer, luckily wasnt epoxied on. Petty was just short enough to fit in an nalgene type container I had laying around. Not knowing what to expect, checked in 5 min intervals, ended up removing after 10min. Scrubbed down with some #000 steel wool and water. All in all pretty easy once you gather all the materials.
Color came out really nice, darker than what's in the pictures. The lighter parts are a very smooth gunmetal which I dig. Being a nit-pick only areas that didn't come out perfect was a tiny spot on the heel (not sure why it didn't darken) and the right side behind the kanji the etch came out lighter (laquer or coating?). I noticed acid ate away at my smoothed spine a bit, tempted to sand down again but that'll probably discolor that part of the blade. Cut some onions afterwards, not as reactive let the juice sit on the blade for a while, it started to discolor after about 4min. Anyone know if BKF will take off the acid etch?
Tempted to resand and dip again to see if I can get the damascus contrast to pop more..
Sanded down ready for dip
In the bath
After 10 min in the bath
washed off in water, scrubbed with #000 steel wool
side by side with Tanaka 190mm gyuto unetched
), straight as an arrow good cutter OOTB. Prepped by sanding the it. I had spent a fair amount of time rounding the spine and choil 220/400/600/1k sandpaper. Knocked the handle off using a plastic cutting board and hammer, luckily wasnt epoxied on. Petty was just short enough to fit in an nalgene type container I had laying around. Not knowing what to expect, checked in 5 min intervals, ended up removing after 10min. Scrubbed down with some #000 steel wool and water. All in all pretty easy once you gather all the materials. Color came out really nice, darker than what's in the pictures. The lighter parts are a very smooth gunmetal which I dig. Being a nit-pick only areas that didn't come out perfect was a tiny spot on the heel (not sure why it didn't darken) and the right side behind the kanji the etch came out lighter (laquer or coating?). I noticed acid ate away at my smoothed spine a bit, tempted to sand down again but that'll probably discolor that part of the blade. Cut some onions afterwards, not as reactive let the juice sit on the blade for a while, it started to discolor after about 4min. Anyone know if BKF will take off the acid etch?
Tempted to resand and dip again to see if I can get the damascus contrast to pop more..
Sanded down ready for dip
In the bath
After 10 min in the bath
washed off in water, scrubbed with #000 steel wool
side by side with Tanaka 190mm gyuto unetched
