A method is used to manufacture a knife of an end effector of a surgical instrument. The method includes forming the knife using metal injection molding. The knife has at least one feature having a molded shape. The method also includes machining the at least one feature of the knife to have a machined shape without machining the entire knife. The method also includes incorporating the knife into the end effector of the surgical instrument.

A method is used to manufacture a knife of an end effector of a surgical instrument. The method includes forming the knife using metal injection molding. The knife has at least one feature having a molded shape. The method also includes machining the at least one feature of the knife to have a machined shape without machining the entire knife. The method also includes incorporating the knife into the end effector of the surgical instrument.

The invention relates to a stainless steel blank for making a Damascus patterned article, wherein the steel blank is made from at least two different nitrogen alloyed stainless steels having a chromium content of 11-25 weight %, of which at least one of the steels comprises nitrogen in an amount of 0.10-5.0 weight % and, optionally, at least one of the steels comprises nitrogen in an amount of 0.01-0.5 weight %.