What Causes INFI Dimples?

Horn Dog

Horn Dog

Joined
Sep 9, 2005
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I have stripped and convexed quite a few knives. Many are quite rough under the paint. But INFI has these "dimples" unlike other steels I have worked. Could anyone explain what causes this? Is it unique to INFI steel?
 
This is a completely uneducated guess, but I suspect it has less to do with INFI and more to do with their heat treat process. :confused:

We may never know.



.
 
The pits are where the speckles of fairy dust land during the heat treat, then burn away, leaving an imprint ;) :D


Seriously, I'm guessing it has something to do with the nitrogen in the mix forming bubbles at the surface when the bar stock is extruded, or something along those lines.
 
I have stripped Rangers, Beckers, Swamp Rats, Ontarios, Scrap Yards, and Ka-Bars. They vary a lot in roughness, even within a brand, but I think the only ones I've seen with those dimples are in INFI. Just curious.
 
I'm pretty sure Jerry explained it once. Something to do with the fresh INFI air cooling and it's unique composition.
 
most other knives have this after HT but if they are being coated they are left there instead of being ground off like many satin finish knives as they help the coating stick as well as keeping the cost of the knife down by not grinding them away
 
It's where the JWB boiled off in the quench:thumbup:









It's really probably a result of the heat treat process, I don't know if any JW is involved (though I do suspect;))
 
The INFI dimples are a combination of results at BC. First, whilst tempering the blade, the knife maker splatters JWB on the blade, or is that spills from his goblet? The end result, as we all know, is kinda of a honey-combing of the steel, hence the dimpling. As you all know, a honey-comb is the strongest natural formation, although the dimples are spherical which, of course, is inherently, naturally strong. And reduces weight.
 
theamazingdrew said:
most other knives have this after HT but if they are being coated they are left there instead of being ground off like many satin finish knives as they help the coating stick as well as keeping the cost of the knife down by not grinding them away
Click to expand...

Can you show us pics of the texture we call "INFI dimples" on any other knife? Did you notice where HD said he has stripped the coating off many knives and has never found these same pits?
 
Must have something to do with the chemical composition of the steel, must be something bleeding out during either the heat treating or tempering processes.
 
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