Ok so Ive read over and over the cranks are forged. Well when I had mine out it doesn't look like any forged crank I've seen. There is no bluing from being hardened. So any insite on if they are forged but not hardened?
It is probably hardened in one way or another. There is different types of metal strengthening. Same with different forging methods and materials. What material is the stock crank?
The blue color you are referring to is caused by the hardening process -back in the 90's they used to harden the entire crank. Now they just harden the journals then micro-polish them, so you don't see the discoloration.