1095 billet grinding project. So I noticed these little pits show up during the early shaping phase of the project (not the tool marks, but the dark spots running parallel to the blade). Obviously very significant, but I was curious that maybe normalizing the billet would smooth out any grain deformities. Normalized 3 times and it seemed to work - pits ground out and no more revealed themselves. I finished shaping, hardened and tempered the blade an bam, the pits are back. What are they? Is this blade just a failed science experiment, or is it somehow salvageable? It wasn't inexpensive steel, but I feel like I might have been grifted with some cheap Chinese scrap. A lot of y'all know a hell of a lot more about this stuff than me. Thoughts?
