What causes this? Steerer scratches Bob Jackson Audax

[onyerbike531]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this? my bike is a classic style steel Audax Club by Bob Jackson.

Just want to ask what causes these scratches on the steerer?

Is it safe to ride with them?

The steering has been getting increasingly rough, the headset was only fitted last year, but has developed play, I can feel it rock under braking force. I was worried I might have over tightened the quill but can't see any distortion to the steerer.

The headset had very little grease in it so I've given it a generous amount now.

Any suggestions technically minded retro roadies?

Thanks

 

[Jonny69]

A head badge rivet sticking through and making contact? Is there anything sticking through the head tube about halfway down?

 

[onyerbike531]

No head badge on this Bob, here's a pic looking down the inside of the steerer

 

[KermitGKona88]

Is it possible a bearing might have been caught in there and dropped out when you removed the forks ? The scratching doesn't appear to be too deep so probably okay to ride.

 

[onyerbike531]

It's got a Tange cartridge bearing headset fitted to it, there has been some rocking in the headset when braking which the bike shop was meant to have sorted. The steering has just been getting stiffer amd stiffer, so I decided to look at it myself, I took it apart I found the smallest amount of lithium grease in there, another thing I've noticed is the keyed washer that goes between the two nuts doesn't seem to stay in the slot on the steerer when tightening the lock nut, it spins with it.

Thanks for your replies

 

[Southville Hop]

Could the key from the washer have caused the steerer damage?

 

[onyerbike531]

Not that I can see. It's on the bit that's hidden inside the head tube, on the non threaded section of the steerer

 

[onyerbike531]

I think I've seen this kind of thing on a couple of older bikes I've had before but this is a new frame which I got at the end of last year, I only finished the build properly in March this year.

Bit of a mystery really, I can't see how it would be the expander wedge of the quill stem, there's no bulge from over tightening, yet the scratches are at the point where it would be anchored inside the steerer tube. There's another one nearer the bottom of the steerer not too far from he bottom race.
Weird

 

[Midlife]

Have they always been there?

 

[KermitGKona88]

I am beginning to wonder if the two things are unconnected..... I am thinking the bike shop may have clamped the forks in a tube clamp to check if the steerer is straight and have casused the scratches that way...?