The pattern is quite simple and no etching. I take my blade down to a finish polish, then keep normalizing it til I like the outer crust. When you quench it all that blows off and leaves the pattern. If you don't like it just keep finishing the blade to a more polished look. It just has a look of a real old blade. Only problem is cause the blade is near or at finish ie. thin, you can warp it in the quench. Just takes doing a few to find that point...Doc