Acronyms that contain the term Hamon 

Hamon

In swordsmithing, hamon is a visual effect created on the blade by the hardening process. Blades made in this manner are known as differentially hardened, with a harder ha, the cutting edge, than mune, the back edge as a result of clay applied on the blade during the cooling process. Less or no clay allows the ha to cool faster, making it harder but more brittle; more clay allows the mune to cool more slowly and retain its resilience. The hamon is the transition between the region of harder martensitic steel of the blade edge and the softer pearlitic steel of the back of the sword. This difference in hardness is the objective of the process; the appearance is purely a side effect. However, the aesthetic qualities of the hamon are quite valuable—not only as proof of the differential hardening treatment but also in its own right—and the patterns can be quite complex. Many modern reproductions do not have natural hamon because they are thoroughly hardened monosteel; their hamon is faked via various processes such as acid etch, or more crude ones such as wire brushing. Some modern reproductions with natural hamon are also subjected to acid etching to enhance that hamon's prominence.

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