Repair katana hamon

[Hilda]

Hello I wanted to know if anyone knows how to get the scratches out of my katana and see the hamon again?

 

Note i only speak english with translator

[Brian Myers]

It will have to go through polishing again. First though, I have to ask the age of the sword? If its an antique, I wouldn't re polish it, that would ruin the value of the blade.

[Hilda]

13 hours ago, Brian Myers said:

It will have to go through polishing again. First though, I have to ask the age of the sword? If its an antique, I wouldn't re polish it, that would ruin the value of the blade.

It is not a antique it is 2-3 years old

[Alan Longmire]

You might be surprised how much these things can be worth, and how much of that worth can be destroyed by a single wrong move.  If it's signed on the tang, do nothing until someone can identify it.

 

Wir sprechen sowieso ein biβchen Deutsch.  Haben sie irgendwelche Bilder vom Tang?  Es sollte eine Reihe von Meißelschnitten geben, die die Signatur des Herstellers sind.  
Wenn es eine Signatur gibt, tun Sie nichts, bis jemand sie identifizieren kann.

 

If you must, here are two methods:

 

 

You can also ask at the Nihonto Message Board, but you will not get a polite reception about repolishing it yourself!   http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/forum/9-general-nihonto-related-discussion/  If you ask nicely they may recommend a togishi (sword polisher) near you.  
Wenn Sie nett fragen, empfehlen sie möglicherweise einen Togishi (Schwertpolierer) in Ihrer Nähe.

 

Edited to add: Oh, so this is new?  Where did it come from? 

Edited July 26, 2020 by Alan Longmire

[Hilda]

7 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

You might be surprised how much these things can be worth, and how much of that worth can be destroyed by a single wrong move.  If it's signed on the tang, do nothing until someone can identify it.

 

Wir sprechen sowieso ein biβchen Deutsch.  Haben sie irgendwelche Bilder vom Tang?  Es sollte eine Reihe von Meißelschnitten geben, die die Signatur des Herstellers sind.  
Wenn es eine Signatur gibt, tun Sie nichts, bis jemand sie identifizieren kann.

 

If you must, here are two methods:

 

 

You can also ask at the Nihonto Message Board, but you will not get a polite reception about repolishing it yourself!   http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/forum/9-general-nihonto-related-discussion/  If you ask nicely they may recommend a togishi (sword polisher) near you.  
Wenn Sie nett fragen, empfehlen sie möglicherweise einen Togishi (Schwertpolierer) in Ihrer Nähe.

 

Edited to add: Oh, so this is new?  Where did it come from? 

so it has to be polished completely

[Alan Longmire]

Yes.  That is how Japanese swords are sharpened.

Have you been cutting with it?

[Hilda]

1 minute ago, Alan Longmire said:

Yes.  That is how Japanese swords are sharpened.

Have you been cutting with it?

No i haven't cutting with them 

Which is better Wet sandpaper or japanese stones? And which grain

[Hilda]

27 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

Yes.  That is how Japanese swords are sharpened.

Have you been cutting with it?

I have wet sandpaper from 800-7000

[Brian Myers]

Polishing with stones takes experience. Keeping a piece perfectly flat over it's length while polishing is very difficult. Mess up just one spot and you have a visible mark. Instead, clamp the blade at the tang and use wet sandpaper. If you use the search feature here you can see what smiths suggest for bringing out a hamon.

[Hilda]

1 minute ago, Brian Myers said:

Polishing with stones takes experience. Keeping a piece perfectly flat over it's length while polishing is very difficult. Mess up just one spot and you have a visible mark. Instead, clamp the blade at the tang and use wet sandpaper. If you use the search feature here you can see what smiths suggest for bringing out a hamon.

Okey which grain i have 800-7000 wet sandpaper 

[Alan Longmire]

If there are no deep scratches, start with the 800 on a hard backing, wet.  Single sheet thickness on a flat steel bar.  do this, replacing the paper as necessary, until the entire blade shows the same finish.  Then move up to the next higher grit.  After you get to 2000 you should have a very shiny blade indeed.  Then apply warm lemon juice and wipe clean.  Just like in the thread I linked from Marius.  

[Brian Myers]

And don't forget you change the direction at each grit change. First in line with the blade, then at a 45 degree angle. It'll show any left over scratches as you go.

[Hilda]

10 hours ago, Brian Myers said:

And don't forget you change the direction at each grit change. First in line with the blade, then at a 45 degree angle. It'll show any left over scratches as you go.

do you mean first the 800 wet sandpaper from left to right and then with a 1000 sandpaper from top to bottom

[Alan Longmire]

4 hours ago, Hilda said:

do you mean first the 800 wet sandpaper from left to right and then with a 1000 sandpaper from top to bottom

Yes.  As long as the angle is different.

[Hilda]

11 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

Yes.  As long as the angle is different.

what do you mean with different angles?

[Alan Longmire]

Ich meine, der Winkel spielt keine Rolle, solange er sich von einer Körnung zur nächsten unterscheidet. Auf diese Weise können Sie sehen, wann Sie die vorherigen Kratzer gelöscht haben.
 

[Hilda]

Just now, Alan Longmire said:

Ich meine, der Winkel spielt keine Rolle, solange er sich von einer Körnung zur nächsten unterscheidet. Auf diese Weise können Sie sehen, wann Sie die vorherigen Kratzer gelöscht haben.
 

Das heißt ich poliere mit den 800er von links nach rechts und mit den 1000er von oben nach unten 

[Brian Myers]

Basically yes. You'll understand once you do it. The scratches from the previous grit will show up better and show where you need to keep polishing. Dont change grit or direction until the lower grit scratches are gone.

[Hilda]

1 minute ago, Brian Myers said:

Basically yes. You'll understand once you do it. The scratches from the previous grit will show up better and show where you need to keep polishing. Dont change grit or direction until the lower grit scratches are gone.

Oky That means with 800 until all scratches are completely gone and only then switch to the next grit

[Chris Christenberry]

Yes.  You've got it correct.  It'll be easy to see when you try it., Hilda.

[Hilda]

3 minutes ago, Chris Christenberry said:

Yes.  You've got it correct.  It'll be easy to see when you try it., Hilda.

Okey Thanks for the help I will give it a try

[SteveShimanek]

If this is a Japanese sword, the value will be lost by an amateur "polish"; as  a maker who also has done some restoration work on antique swords, i can state it is not an easy process to learn. If this is just a Chinese replica, have at it. Please respond as to the origin of this sword?

[Hilda]

4 hours ago, SteveShimanek said:

If this is a Japanese sword, the value will be lost by an amateur "polish"; as  a maker who also has done some restoration work on antique swords, i can state it is not an easy process to learn. If this is just a Chinese replica, have at it. Please respond as to the origin of this sword?

I ordered the sword online, it was only made from Japanese steel but not in Japan but in Germany

[SteveShimanek]

If you go the sandpaper route, start with the highest grit you can, and treat the entire surface the same to avoid any dips or waves; use a backing pad of something firm and flat. The kissaki area is finished perpendicular to the rest of the blade.

 

If this is a Japanese sword, the value will be lost by an amateur "polish"; as  a maker who also has done some restoration work on antique swords, i can state it is not an easy process to learn. If this is just a Chinese replica, have at it. Please respond as to the origin of this sword?

[Hilda]

4 minutes ago, SteveShimanek said:

If you go the sandpaper route, start with the highest grit you can, and treat the entire surface the same to avoid any dips or waves; use a backing pad of something firm and flat. The kissaki area is finished perpendicular to the rest of the blade.

 

If this is a Japanese sword, the value will be lost by an amateur "polish"; as  a maker who also has done some restoration work on antique swords, i can state it is not an easy process to learn. If this is just a Chinese replica, have at it. Please respond as to the origin of this sword?

in my case do you mean that I should start with 8000 wet sandpaper and always sand from left to right? and what does it look like who am I to finish with the 8000s then I change the direction let's say next 7000s I have to grind down from top to bottom?