Microscope?

So, here's a question for you old hands... I do not intend to do restorations.. I intend to buy new, or restored, and, at most, set a bevel (although, for now, I intend to avoid that too.) Since my predominant tasks are using a Naniwa 12k, or a Barber hone to bring an edge back, or using crox/diamond spray to do the same, do I need/want a microscope/jeweler's loupe?

If all my razors come pre-honed, and the most I'm doing is a 5k/8k, 12k, then pasted strop, then strop... I shouldn't need to micro-examine the edge, right?

Also, if a razor comes shave ready, I know it will need occasional touchups on barber stone/naniwa 12k, or a pasted strop... Will it ever need to go back to anything between 3k and 8k? (barring a ding or chip in the blade, if it always stays in good condition, and never goes through more abuse than common shaving, I should only need touchup stones and paste, right?

Thanks,
Jeremy

Jeremy, IME you can look at an edge with the naked eye and it will appear to be fine. Take the same edge and put it under magnification and there may be micro-chips or other anomalies. So for me an eye loupe or a microscope is as necessary as my waterstone.

I once set a bevel on a razor and was doing the TNT to see how I was progressing. By the results of the test I was ready to move on. I looked at the bevel with the loupe and it had chips that I couldn't see with the naked eye or feel on my thumbnail. So it was back to the bevel setter to further refine the edge. I wouldn't have known that without the magnification.

Here is an eye loupe I bought and have been very happy with. The same outfit sells 30x loupes that are much cheaper but I wanted good optics and this one has delivered the goods. Some guys like the hand held microscopes such as this one here but I have no experience with those. I've got an old B&L stereo scope that I have for other applications that works for me. I highly recommend a source of magnification of some kind.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Jeremy, IME you can look at an edge with the naked eye and it will appear to be fine. Take the same edge and put it under magnification and there may be micro-chips or other anomalies. So for me an eye loupe or a microscope is as necessary as my waterstone.

I once set a bevel on a razor and was doing the TNT to see how I was progressing. By the results of the test I was ready to move on. I looked at the bevel with the loupe and it had chips that I couldn't see with the naked eye or feel on my thumbnail. So it was back to the bevel setter to further refine the edge. I wouldn't have known that without the magnification.

Here is an eye loupe I bought and have been very happy with. The same outfit sells 30x loupes that are much cheaper but I wanted good optics and this one has delivered the goods. Some guys like the hand held microscopes such as this one here but I have no experience with those. I've got an old B&L stereo scope that I have for other applications that works for me. I highly recommend a source of magnification of some kind.

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I have that same eye loupe, it's nice to have with you when you go out antiquing to check for cracks in the blade. Although this is outside of Zombie's intentions, you never know.

Alright, thanks guys, however, I still would like to know, if I only get razors that have already been restored/sharpened by men of skill, so I know all the edges are clean, would I still need the loupe if I was just trying to upkeep an edge? If all I used for blade maintenace was a Naniwa 12k, or another Barber's hone, and a pasted strop, would I really need to micro examine the blade? (I'll probably end up getting a loupe, I just want to know how necessary it is for now.)

Also, As I asked above, as long as I don't ding, dent, scratch or damage the blade, will I ever need to go to a lower grit than a Barber hone/polishing stone? and is a Naniwa 12k comparable to a Barber hone, as far as blade upkeep goes?

Thanks guys!

Jeremy

Well a razor can be honed by the best but in stropping, shaving and refreshing on your 12k chipping can develop. It is just a good thing to have regardless of what you're doing.

I'm not an expert but from what I've read I believe that a barber hone is slightly more aggressive than a 12k Naniwa. Not talking about the level of the grit compared to the Naniwa but the type of abrasive and the binder. OTOH, the 12k should serve you just fine for maintaining your edge IMO.

Ok, I'll look into a loupe, then...

Will I ever need any lower grits than 12k? I'm looking at getting them in this order: Naniwa 12k, Jeweler's loupe, 8k, 5k.

That should be all I need right?

thanks

+1 to JimmyHAD!
Personally, I have no experience with the jewelers loupe he linked, but I DO own that microscope he linked. I think it is a useful tool in learning to hone.

Do you need it? No, of course not, but it WILL help. Like Jimmy said, it will enable you to spot microchips in the edge which are not visible to the naked eye, as well as helping you see if you have the bevel set properly.

It is also useful to see how the edge looks at each stage of sharpening. Take a look at a new, professionally sharpened razor, and get an idea what the edge should look like, then, later, when you are honing another razor, you can have a benchmark to shoot for.

I would recommend either option highly for someone just starting.

Any advice as to which stones I'll need, and when?

Sorry Jimmy, I differ here.
Shave Zombie. If you are going to be buying only pro honed blades and a barbers hone there will be no need for anything else, maybe the jewelers loupe for curiousity's sake. Ok so maybe I didnt differ so much!

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Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

Any advice as to which stones I'll need, and when?

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Naniwas, Nortons, Shaptons are all good. A bevel setter @ 1k and the 4/8 or the equivalent depending on which stones you go with. Any of them are good and will do the job. There are other alternatives but those are the stones I'm familiar with. Some guys like natural stones and those are an alternative.

What Lynn frequently says about a system that is predictable and consistent is what I have found with the synthetics. I've grown to appreciate that as I've gained more experience. There is a lot to be said for predictability and consistency when honing razors ..... or for life in general. :)

Edit; What nun2sharp said works too ..... but it ain't as much fun. :D