Nathan Stanford

Should I do the vinegar bath after I complete all the heat treating?

I have not gone ahead and heat treated it (quench or temper). I should say I don't want to sand it bc I want to preserve the wrench look in the handle. Not really going for mirror just not such a huge contrast in color between the blade and handle. This is the third knife I have made. I'm a noob having a good time trying to absorb all I can. Here is a picture of my work in progress. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

I recently forged a knife from a wrench. I want to have a shiny finish but I can't figure out how to remove the dark color on the handle section. Not sure what is called but I just know it's the color you get after heating the metal in a forge. I can't sand it and buffing has not worked. Looking for some advice.