# Voids/flaws in PM steel?



## Bert2368 (Oct 24, 2020)

I have a chef's knife in S35VN from North Arm. A while back, I noticed a small flaw in the edge, looked like a dent or chip from possibly hitting a bone, bonking the edge on kitchen sink or edge of stone. Assumed I'd been clumsy and it would go away after next sharpening.

After next sharpening, the flaw was BIGGER. ***?!!!

So I went after the area with missing edge again, carefully checking it several times with bright light and a 10X magnifier as I worked. The dent looked ODD under magnification- Looked dark, not shiny. Maybe a little like a cave, not a chip or roll. And it changed size/shape as I ground on the edge but didn't ever go away completely. After a while, I gave up and just lived with the little discontinuity in the edge.

Last night I tried out a new guided sharpening system, and while I was about it, went after that annoying defect again with a 200 grit diamond plate, followed by 800 - 3,000. I took far more steel off than the last 2 times, trying to get past this deffect.

The defect in edge is now 2 smaller defects, separated by perhaps 1/4". One is on the original site, a new one showed up towards tip. I have used several different stones while having these deffects remain and been QUITE careful that I'm not actually bonking the edge on something hard or otherwise damaging it while I work. Pretty sure it's the steel, not my tools or my lack of coordination.

Anyone found discontinuities/voids/foreign bodies in a PM steel blade or blank? And what are the odds they would only show up on the edge?

In the meantime, knife is still totally useable. Just ANNOYING to see those 2 little spots!

I feel like Lady Macbeth:

"Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why, then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!"


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