The lever not being fully closed "May" be a result of the Re-Case-Hardening.
You can believe it or not as You see fit, but parts DO MOVE when they go through the Critical Temperature in heat treating.

"IF" the part does not go through the Critical temp, it has just been colored at the expense of original hardness & not Re-Hardened.


Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra