I have a microscope I use on occasion if I get a recalcitrant razor, but other than that it sits around doing not a lot. I personally do not see the need to check for microchips along the way, only at the end and only then if the shave test tells me something is up.

I know at least one retired barber who used a coti on all his old cut throats. I imagine they were very workman like edges that straddled the boundary between customer comfort and barber effort. They were businessmen after all.

James.