I own a couple saw mill knives made by a guy that goes by Highpockets.  I have noticed what look like blisters in the blade and have seen the same thing in a few of the mill blades seen in this forum.  What am I seeing?  I'm not being critical, I actually like the character.  Just being curious.

Possibly the remains of scaling that wasn't completely ground away when the blade was being finished.

Larry

I never sand my blades smooth. I like the pits.... to me it gives the knife soul. Not a big fan of shiny smooth blades or mirror finish. when used they get all scratched up. but that just me. I like a rugged looking knife.<><

Yes, I like to pits aswell, but Inot talking about the little depressions (pits) I'm talking about a slightly raised portion, for lack of a better word, a blister.  I told Highpockets to leave my blade pitted.

One of the ones I nade just did that and it was from heat treating them. It looks like a raised blisted in the metal, the one i had wouldnt sand out.

Never had that happen. Maybe they were heated to high?<><

Here is a pic where you can see the little circles in the blade near the spine. They are actually rised ever so slightly and they werent there before heating and quenthing.

Is this what you are talking about?

Yep, thats it.  You have to hold it in the light the right way.