What am I looking at here?

[Bühlmann]

On the bevels, parallel to the edge, perpendicular to the belt marks….can’t feel them, but they look like little bumps & ridges, kinda like a rash on skin.

-1084 from a known dealer, post HT
-finished by hand to 600 grit before hitting with a fine surface conditioning belt.

I worked the grits at opposing angles up to 600, so I am positive these aren’t scratches from lower grits. Also, I left the other side @ 600 and I don’t see anything on that side with that finish. What am I seeing here?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Alloy banding most likely. How was the HT done and what were the steps?

In the HT it will likely be necessary to heat the blade or bar stock to around 1800°F and hold for 15 minutes to dissolve all the carbides and such. Then refine the grain in thermal cycles.

 

[Bühlmann]

That’s kinda what I thought. This was done in a kiln, 1475 for 10 min, quenched in P50, double-tempered at 400F. Pretty basic I thought. Interesting to me that it isn’t visible with the hand rubbed 600gr finish, but is on the much rougher fine SC belt finish. Although the SC belts leave almost a burnished surface I think. Maybe that’s why?

 

[DevinT]

Carbide banding.

Hoss

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I'm going to add this to the massive list of reasons why I will never make knives.

You guys are wizards.

 

[Bühlmann]

So I’ve been reading alloy/carbide banding. From the industrial guys the answer seems to be it “could” be detrimental to a specimen, but for the practical purposes of a knife, is it something that is problematic beyond aesthetics?