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This may be in the wrong forum and if so will a Mod please move it? Thankyou.
I have a question about jewellers loupes; is a 5X powerful enough or would something more powerful work better? It seems liek a 5X would work fine and that something more powerful would just be too much, but I thought I'd ask the experts. Thanks in advance gentlemen.
-Tye
This should probably go under Honing, but no harm in leaving it here either. I believe that 10x is the minimum and something finer than that would be even better. I use non-visual tests for my blades most of the time.
I think most jewelers loupes start at 10x. thats the standard for most jewelry inspection. If you are using it for razor work and its the only think you are going to use I would suggest a hand lens. They are made by B&L and Zeiss and others. Mine has 2 swing out lenses of 12x and 24x and together they are 36x which I find ideal for a quick razor edge inspection while I'm Honing. You should check out edmunds Scientific on the web they sell many magnifiers at very reasonable prices
Powerful enough for what is the question. To see any nick is in the edge. yes, but barely so and/or you better have good eyesight. I'd recommend the 25x. For anything else you'll need a microscope.
X
I just picked up one of the $10 60x-100x Radio Shack microscopes this week to look at edges with. It works well for me and I'd recommend it. Easy to see the difference between a blade honed by Lynn and one of mine, saves the time needed for a test shave in a lot of cases.
I routinely use a 30x handheld, lighted, microscope from Minolta. The Radio Shack 60x-100x works well also.
The Radio shack is lousy device. It is very uncomfortable to use, will give you (me) headaches after short time staring at the edge. 15x and higher jeweler's loupe is much better choice.
Nenad
I agree with Superfly. I don't even know where my radioshack miscroscope is. I got one, used it a few times and never pulled it out again. The lenses are horrible, but that's what should be expected for that price. I guess I just hate cheap optics. Good optics don't just make things look bigger. They make things look BETTER. Clearer, crisper, better defined.
Oh great, now I have more to buy? :-) I really hope I get a new razor for my B'day. Now I gotta put away funds for a jewerlers loop? I think I have a way to persuade the girlfriend on this one, hopefully I don't have to get engaged to do it!
Yes Yes. I totally agree. I bought it used it once and threw it in the draw.. It is a piece of crap.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfly
Looking through a loupe makes me loupey as heck.......hahahahah.
They can be tough.
Lynn
That is also true when using a freehand loupe. I use the magnifying glass like this one:Quote:
Originally Posted by adjustme69
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...inc_1915_99805
and it makes focusing on the edge easier, as the distance from the object is already preset. Mine is somewhere around 6-8x
Nenad
That looking glass is pretty nice. I'm currently looking for something better than the radio shack hand held. I have a slight tremor in my hands so i like the idea of a magnifier on a stand or pedestal for support. That little radio shack model drives me crazy trying to keep it steady. I get headaches every time i use it. Where did you buy this model Superfly? What is the company name who manufactures it? Do you find that the image is suitable for a straight razor honers needs?
My minimal research lead me to believe a 30X Jewelers loop was the best choice.
I got one from ebay from about $8 shipped.
It arrived and looks totally adequate(sp).
Haven't used it yet. (juggling many things)
If I've said it once I'll say it a hundred times its not about the magnification its about the resolution. I have a Nikon Stereo Microscope I've had for years and the max magnification is about 40x and I can see more and better detail then these guys with their 100x magnifiers and you can take that to the bank.
I don't think anyone expects much in the way of optics from a $10 microscope, and I use mine at or near the lowest power. The only point I'm trying to make is that for 10 bucks and an easy to find tool I'm able to see what I need to.
Thanks. I knew that in the back of my mind, but now that I've formally distinguished both terms (magnification and resolution) in respect to lenses. I can verbalize it now.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I wonder what the resolution of my cheapy 30X is. hopefully good enough.
If I'm lucky I have a 30X with decent resolution instead of a some 100X i was looking at that might have had bad resolution.
I got it from a friend who is in the Graphic and desktop publishing business. It is regularly used to inspect the alignment of the colors on the paper. Mine is a plastic model, a cheap one, which companies give as a presentation material.Quote:
Originally Posted by kimw
you can try searching online for more quality one, like something from respected lens manufacturers like Bausch and Lomb ore photographic equipment stores.Quote:
Originally Posted by kimw
Yes, even at low magnification I am using, and I am sure it will be better with some 15 or 30x. A good quality freehand jewelers loupe will be ok too, but a little tricky to use, as Lynn stated...Quote:
Originally Posted by kimw
Nenad
That's true, but it's not like you have to use it very much, only if there's a problem with the edge. Mine gets hauled out maybe once a month and used for 5 minutes, the rest of the time it takes up very little space and if it gets lost or something gets spilled on it or it's dropped in the sink I don't really care.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfly
Here is my two cents...
I worked for about 10 years in the Graphics and Printing world. I used to install and calibrate printing devices. Having a good loupe was a necessity. The "power" of the loop was not as critical as the clarity. One of the things I learned from the old timers and long time printers was you always use a loupe with glass lenses. Never plastic. The clarity of a plastic loupe is not very good and is distorted.
Since I an a real noob, I will defer to the experts on straight razor honing and edge maintenance as to what works best. IHMO, with my face on the line, a nice clear view of the edge seems pretty important.
Iceman, just because someone knows how to hone, doesn't mean that he's a master of optics. You sound like you know your stuff and your observations are always welcome. As for me, the visual aspect of testing the edge takes the backseat to tactile observation and cutting tests.