Originally Posted by
zukahn1
I see what look like the tail end of two small cracks just above the crown, I suspect if you remove the crown race there much bigger at the bottom so yes it's unsafe. It also looks like someone ground down a bit of the steerer tube and paint to closely inspect the damage cracks.
Not seeing this at this time of night on my PC screen but not doubting the testimony.
For me, I could only judge by knowing for sure why the grinding was done (which could be explained by the above), and whether after the grinding, the steerer was deemed by the perpetrator to be fit or not for commercial sale, along for the rationale for the determination.
In the absence of answers to these unknowns, there is a lot of risk inherent in assuming the steerer is fit for use, given that [grinding] artifact, risk that is not easily mitigated. I can think of, but will keep to myself, some ways of mitigating the risk.