and there the usual practice of affixing the handle has to be changed as the damascus needs etching in Ferric Chloride to bring out the pattern of the two different stainless steels in the bar so the handle has to be dry fit and finished so it can be dismantled to do the etching. The problem to be overcome is that sanding the handle after the blade has been etched will inevitable sand through the etching on the spine and round the tang which will leave a different finish.
To that end the buffalo horn bolsters were cut, had the inner and outer curves sanded and pinned on the blade without the epoxy that is the normal procedure.
