another buffing question

[Gene Martin]

While fomishing a knife recently, I was doing final cleanup and found a scrtch on the ricasso, just in front of the bolster. I had hand sanded to 800 grit, then buffed the D2 blade, so it was close to a mirror finish.

I carefully buffed the scratched area and then cleaned the compound off the knife. After cleaning I found very tiny pits in the area I had just buffed. There had been no rust or anything else on this flat, shiney surface, now it's got tiny pits.

I've never had this happen before. Any ideas why it did? I was thinking that maybe I pulled some carbides out of the surface. Anything else eludes me.

Thoughts?

Gene

 

[mete]

Knife makers have this problem usually with something like 416 and the sulfides that make it free machining are pulled out .But pulling out carbides is a different story .BTW they do make a free machining grade of D-2 ! I'd like to see the microstructure of that steel.

 

[Gene Martin]

Thanks, Mete. I'd love to show you the microstructure, but it was made from a planer knife and I don't know which one. I do know, having checked with the mfr, that it was D2. I figure it just added a bit of character to the blade and let it go at that, but it bothers the heck out of me that it happened.

Gene