I just purchased a brand new Tanzania that comes with Ditting burrs (similar to the Ditting 804s with no screw hole). After taking it apart today to clean it, I notice the top burr has a lot of "flashing" along the cutting edge. See photos. I contacted Ditting as well to get their take.

I am not machinist so of course don't know if this is normal. The bottom burr doesn't appear to have any at all.

Hopefully I am just a being paranoid as these things aren't exactly cheap. Anyone's thoughts on this?

I don't think it should be like that. It does not look like the edge got deburred...

The Mahlkonig Tanzania is a rebadged Ditting 805 (no longer produced) So your burrs should be screwless and secure with magnets and pins. The Ditting 804 has burrs that use screws..So your burrs should be be 805's I would think..I used to own a Ditting 805 and my burrs never looked like what you show in your pix.

Since the grinding surface is on top, I wonder whether the unfinished edge makes any difference?

Bob_M wrote:The Mahlkonig Tanzania is a rebadged Ditting 805 (no longer produced) So your burrs should be screwless and secure with magnets and pins. The Ditting 804 has burrs that use screws..So your burrs should be be 805's I would think..I used to own a Ditting 805 and my burrs never looked like what you show in your pix.

You are absolutely right. I actually named the thread using the Ditting 804 since that is how many people know this specific burr (plus screw holes).

I edited to keep it consistent though, thank you.

I would be concerned also, what happens to the flashing if or when it flakes off?

It would be a good question for Doug or Barb over at Orphan Espresso, they purchase burrs in bulk and probably have seen manufacturing variances/defects.

The flashing should have been cleaned off but if the cutting/grinding surface looks fine I'd just run a file around the outside edge to knock off the flashing, reinstall & start breaking them in.