My old foreman Gus told me back in 2012 that a grinder has cost more good welds than a bad rod ever did, and I nodded along like I understood. Saw a post on a welding forum a while back where a guy showed before and after pics of caps he ground flat on a boiler job, and half the replies lit him up for it. Turns out the crown is what lets the inspector read your heat input and tie-in, and once it is gone all they can do is guess. I was the same way for years, thought pretty meant good, but pretty just means you hid the work. Now I wire brush and knock the toes smooth and leave the cap alone. That old timer gave you free money and it only took five years to cash it.