Antonio's FANTASTIC Hybrid Polish article!

[William Frisbee]

Antonio was more than gracious enough to share this information with us all right from Brian Van Speyebroek . It's quite a detailed article covering the whole hybrid polish proceedure which he used to polish his incredible HC Sanmai tanto we all were drooling over not so long ago.

We all know how reserved Antonio is (even though I think he has a reason to "toot his horn" here, so with his permission, I posted this link...

http://www.arscives.com/bladesign/hybridpolish.htm

[Antonio Cejunior]

Hi William,

Its waaaay out of hand. It is not fair or just. I know you mean well and I thank you for that, but Please change the title.

I have simply fulfilled my promise and I am just a conveyer of this knowledge that was passed to me so kindly by Brian Van Speyebroek. Nothing more.

Truth must be predominant. I would never take anything that has been transmitted to me by someone else and present it as mine.

I know you know this, so its just that it has too many adjectives.
I really appreciate you changing the title. Please. Sent you a PM already.

[William Frisbee]

Originally posted by Antonio Cejunior
Hi William,

Its waaaay out of hand. It is not fair or just. I know you mean well and I thank you for that, but Please change the title.

I have simply fulfilled my promise and I am just a conveyer of this knowledge that was passed to me so kindly by Brian Van Speyebroek. Nothing more.

Truth must be predominant. I would never take anything that has been transmitted to me by someone else and present it as mine.

I know you know this, so its just that it has too many adjectives.
I really appreciate you changing the title. Please. Sent you a PM already.

Already taken care of. =) Ugh... well I thought it would update...

Bummer... message sent to the mods!

[Marco D.]

This is =really= interesting!

[Darryl D.]

I would just like to take a moment to thank both Brian and Antonio fo making this information readily available. I know I've personally been looking for something this sort of info for quite a while. I've read some articles and post on this subject before but nothing as comprehensive as this. Again, Thank you both.

Take Care,
Darryl

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by Darryl D.
I would just like to take a moment to thank both Brian and Antonio fo making this information readily available. I know I've personally been looking for something this sort of info for quite a while. I've read some articles and post on this subject before but nothing as comprehensive as this. Again, Thank you both.

Take Care,
Darryl

Hi Darryl,

There is nothing to thank for and I am sure that Brian feels the same way.
Knowledge was made to circulate. This is the foundation work that I believe leads to the path of making human beings into people.

I have been given plenty from many different forumites, so it is more than fair to share and make information available.
It is now also placed at the Links section of my BLADESIGN site.

So if you can use this knowledge, that will be our best gratification

Take care.

[Brian VanSpeybroeck]

Antonio has taken the time to transcribe our Email correspondence and add his own words and experience to my original information to him in a most wonderful way. I want to take the time to publicly say how gratifying it is to tutor someone like Antonio. He has been attentive and really patient and I *really* appreciate the fact that he has taken the time to compile this stuff in an organized and informative way and post it in an on line article so that all of you guys can get what benefit you may out of it.

I also really appreciate the fact that not only has he recognized my effort to help him but has doubled the blessing by taking the time to pass it along to *anyone* who needs it. He has been burning the midnight oil and polishing and working very hard on this whole project and I'm proud and pleased to have been, in some small way, a part of this entire process. It takes a lot of guts to pay for a blade of this caliber and then take the time to try and polish and learn about the whole thing and finish it himself. Sword craft for me is an intense spiritual thing and I feel that one learns a lot about himself and about the blade by doing as much work as possible for himself. I don't think for a minute that anyone or everyone is capable or has the interest or aptitude to undertake a project of this caliber or magnitude and I thank Antonio once again for taking the time to share a lot of really cool details about how it all happened.

It really kind of puts some of the crappy stuff people have said about Sword Forum in recent days into proper perspective. In the not too distant past we have heard people knock the direction of these fora and intimate that the prime directive of being primarily an educational site and dedicated to learning is moot or not a reality. But folks like Antonio (and to some degree myself) have taken up the gauntlet and are willing to share and care about what happens here and are trying to see that the fora *do* fulfill this directive by taking an active part in helping to enlighten, educate, or at least entertain the folks who hang here. Not to start a big flame war or dredge up old hostility.....just a reminder that this place and the world in general belong to those who will share and care and take the time to help others of like interests and motivation. It's simple.

Learn from the others that hang here if you can. And show someone else something of value that you have discovered if you can. Keep the faith, group hug, and all that.

Brian

[Antonio Cejunior]

Hello Brian,

Hey, hold the horses. What you say is out of your good eyes only.

The merit is entirely yours and the best I could do was to honor what you have given me by putting it into practice. I hope the next one will be better

Anyway what I feel about this is very much what O Sensei Ueshiba Morihei replied when asked if Aikido was The Way: many are the paths that lead to the top of mount Fuji. But the moon you see from there is the same.

We are basically spiritual beings enclosed in a body. There are many paths which we can take. I chose one which is never to bow to anyone but to always look into the eyes with an open heart. Brian has given me a lot so when the time was right I started to polish with great fear until it went away naturally.

Passing information is very much important because it is part of the path of Life itself.
I do have my own views on Education in the whole and they are very much rooted in the same essence as the Aristotelan and Platonic view of the Lyceum. Permanent dialogue, ending up in subverting the teach and learn process into something even more dynamic: the love to learn.

No guts my friend, just necessity. But hey, now I feel much better anyway and I have never been an orthodox.
Neither what Howard does is.

So what I did accomplish through your great help was to win over my own self.

Any victory other than over oneself is just pure illusion. Bless you Brian

I have added this wonderful picture to the article with full authorization from Brian. So when you review the article, please click refresh.

[W. Prue]

Hey, Antonio,

I commend you on your polishing article. It was extremely informative, and that picture above is incredible. Thank you again for being so generous with your abundant knowledge, my friend. Once again I salute you.

Regards,

Win

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by W. Prue
Hey, Antonio,

I commend you on your polishing article. It was extremely informative, and that picture above is incredible. Thank you again for being so generous with your abundant knowledge, my friend. Once again I salute you.

Regards,

Win

Hi Win,

Again I say it is not my deed. I have added some more knowledge to my experience. But again, I've learnt not to take myself serious. I prefer to be empty and eager to absorb more then to be full of myself.
So, I humbly thank you for your kind words,
Antonio

[David Knutzen]

I've got a quick question on this polishing procedure... I've been going at my sword with the sandpaper, and I've found that the paper gets worn out rather quickly. Is this supposed to happen, or is there something I can do to prevent this so I don't have to go through a couple tons of sandpaper?

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by David Knutzen
I've got a quick question on this polishing procedure... I've been going at my sword with the sandpaper, and I've found that the paper gets worn out rather quickly. Is this supposed to happen, or is there something I can do to prevent this so I don't have to go through a couple tons of sandpaper?

You must be sure that its sandpaper for metal of course.
You must see that the paper does scratch the surface evenly and does bring steel dust out. You must use it with water or a mild lubricant such as glass cleaner.

For me it did wear out normally. Let the sandpaper do its work, don't have to press down. Just move it and it will do the work.

Hope it helps. Good luck

[Will Graves]

Antonio and Brian,

Both eager to learn, both willing to share what they have learned, hoping that others may benefit and improve on what they offer.

A sensei and friend who passed away last year repeated what one of his own sensei told him, "It's an ART, you're supposed to GIVE it away"! Easier said than done.

Though I feel sword-making is primarily a craft, see how well these two men have have adopted this maxim. Thanks to you both. I hope we repay our own teachers by passing along what we can, every one of us.

-Will Graves

[Antonio Cejunior]

Hi Will,

You know what? You are a hell of a guy also.
And you know I love you also.
So if you were fishing for kisses, you are getting a hug for your own generosity.

As for me, I'm just a poor apprentice.

[David Knutzen]

Originally posted by Antonio Cejunior


You must be sure that its sandpaper for metal of course.
You must see that the paper does scratch the surface evenly and does bring steel dust out. You must use it with water or a mild lubricant such as glass cleaner.

For me it did wear out normally. Let the sandpaper do its work, don't have to press down. Just move it and it will do the work.

Hope it helps. Good luck

Ah, I see my problem is a combination of multiple things. I was using just normal Joe-Blo sandpaper (presumably for wood), pressing down on it, and wasn't using water. Thanks for the help, this is a mistake that I'll never repeat again!

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by David Knutzen


Ah, I see my problem is a combination of multiple things. I was using just normal Joe-Blo sandpaper (presumably for wood), pressing down on it, and wasn't using water. Thanks for the help, this is a mistake that I'll never repeat again!

Always welcome mistakes They are the best teachers.

Best of luck.

[William Marshal]

Oh---polish! For a minute there, looking at the title, I thought that Antonio was breeding Polish "hybrids"! Whew...

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by William Marshal
Oh---polish! For a minute there, looking at the title, I thought that Antonio was breeding Polish "hybrids"! Whew...

That's a very good one indeed

[John Mott]

I am going to try this out on my edge quenched Opinel knife. It has always shown a slight temper line. I need to thin the blade out anyways.

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by John Mott
I am going to try this out on my edge quenched Opinel knife. It has always shown a slight temper line. I need to thin the blade out anyways.

You may also use vinegar at room temperature or heat it.
There is no right or wrong way

[N. Creel]

Thank you Antonio and Brian for this information, and I have a question myself. With lengthwise strokes of the sandpaper along the ji, how does one acount for the convex shape of the ji while using a flat sanding block?

Nathan

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by N. Creel
Thank you Antonio and Brian for this information, and I have a question myself. With lengthwise strokes of the sandpaper along the ji, how does one acount for the convex shape of the ji while using a flat sanding block?

Nathan

You're welcome Nathan.

I'm now using a sanding block and the movement is similar to one that you would do with a stone, meaning that it is now the blade that runs through the sanding block that substitutes the stone.
But even with a small hand held sanding block which moves over the blade, since they are vertical and lengthwise movements, you kind of sand crosswise following the convex shape, and sand lengthwise different times so as to cover all of the convex shape.
It takes time and patience to follow the shape.

Hope this helps. You got to do it to feel what is described.

[Brian VanSpeybroeck]

Originally posted by N. Creel
Thank you Antonio and Brian for this information, and I have a question myself. With lengthwise strokes of the sandpaper along the ji, how does one acount for the convex shape of the ji while using a flat sanding block?

Nathan

You must roll the block and follow the "lay of the land"...attempting to sand the surface flat will destroy the proper shape of the edge.

This can be a difficult thing to do and requires that you practice a bit. You have roll the block and take notice of the scratches you are leaving on the surface of the steel as it removes the scratches from the preceeding grit and make sure you keep the geometry.

Different than traditional polishing...not easier or faster. Just different.

Brian

[Jeff Larsen]

Hi Antonio and Brian,

I have read and copied the article on polishing. Thank you for sharing your insights on this procedure.

Both of you, as well as other SFI members, who share their "secrets" with us lay people, do an outstanding service.

Again, thank you,

Jeff

[Antonio Cejunior]

Originally posted by Jeff Larsen
Hi Antonio and Brian,

I have read and copied the article on polishing. Thank you for sharing your insights on this procedure.

Both of you, as well as other SFI members, who share their "secrets" with us lay people, do an outstanding service.

Again, thank you,

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

I'm no specialist on polishing. Just posted something on what Brian thought me.

Rick Barrett also thought me another method, but then it should be his choice to disclose it. I have no right to do so.

Have fun