Patent ID: 8104550

Claim:
An earth-boring tool comprising: a bit body comprising: an exterior surface; a plurality of blades; and at least one recess extending into a body of at least one blade of the plurality of blades and intersecting a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface of the at least one blade of the plurality of blades, the at least one recess extending along an edge defined by an intersection between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface of the at least one blade of the plurality of blades and extending along at least a gage region of the at least one blade of the plurality of blades; and a thermally applied hardfacing material disposed in the at least one recess, exposed surfaces of the hardfacing material being substantially level with the first exterior surface immediately adjacent the hardfacing material and the second exterior surface immediately adjacent the hardfacing material of the at least one blade of the plurality of blades, wherein the thermally applied hardfacing material terminates at edges defined by intersections between at least one surface defining the at least one recess, the first exterior surface, and the second exterior surface.