Thread: Microscope

Having seen USB microscopes for sale on Ebay, and like meny requiring glasses myself. has anyone tried these to inspect the 'Invisible edge' of a razor ? If you have are they any good ?

This type of thing
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-DIGITA...item33679010e4

Like most microscopes, they can give you some useful information but they are not the magical doorway to honing nirvana.

IMO they don't show the edge well enough to be reliable for showing a set bevel. The will show microchips and scratch patterns.
Scratch patterns can be unreliable unless you can get the lighting exactly the same every time.

I had thought it would show if you was forming a wire edge or a burr . or if you had turned the edge slightly whilst stropping. Also a small chip in a blade or part where for some reason the blade has been previously badly honed frown etc if honing leaves a small spot un sharpened whilst the razor appears sharp cleanly cutting whiskers each whisker hitting the blunt spot will get tugged adding to irratation. It also has 8 LED's for light if you place the blade on a black background I thought it would show up well but possibly it would just reflect off of the polished edge and ruin the image.

really wondered if anyone had tried it.

Thanks for your thoughts so far.

Looks like it should do a very decent job for you; if you get one and it works well, please by all means let me know. Thanks for posting this interesting little microscope. Something to think about. Sonny082

I have one and its not bad, not 500x though.. You may need a different stand though as they are touchy to use.

let me know if you want a pic of what it can do, you can get them cheaper then that. I think i paid $25usd

Here is an example of what it is like at full zoom, the bevel on that blade is about 0.5mm +\- and this blade gives an A+ Shave

M'scopes can tell you a lot if you listen carefully
Buy the best you can afford tho 500x is not essential. Even 200x can make your otherwise smooth edge look like a hacksaw

The most expensive isn't always the best, i originally purchased this 500X 5MP USB Digital Pen Microscope Endoscope Magnifier | eBay but it wasn't as close as the one listed above and it failed after a day, so i sent it back for a refund.

I think i e-mailed you about that about that one didn't i Oz? I cant remember lol

Good point Brighty & then there can be the problem of software that works with your system.
The pic you posted looks good enough for diagnosing tho.

My veho 400x USB microscope gives similar images as Brighty83's, I don't hone without it. It tells me when all the tiny chips are out when I'm bevelsetting and if I'm hitting the toe and heel properly. I always look for a scratch or a pit above the bevel as a landmark to take pics. That way I can compare pics to see if older scratches are being removed and if the edge is getting better although with very fine finishers it just becomes a line.

The stand which is the same as the one in the op is lousy. It's lightweight and will easily tip over, also the two plates don't hold the ball joints that tight anymore. To fix this I tape it to my desk and I put the razor on a little magnetic stand from plexiglass. When you use the focus wheel the entire miroscope moves, but a light touch helps.

The image is from using a (green) Charnley Forest, there was a chip in the middle. I choose this spot because I thought it would be nice to slowly see the chip disappear from testing stones Not quite a perfect line but close.