Magnification Nightmare

Lately I have been using a 40X loupe to check the bevel during the honing progression and to make sure I don't see any reflection of light on the edge and once I finish a razor I use a 60x-100x microscope perpendicular to the edge to make sure it is smooth and no chips or imperfections that I don't want to see. Well I made the mistake of checking a razor that was one of the first razors I honed. It was before I got my current finishers, the microscope or my current techniques and it looked awful. Looked like a hacksaw blade. It was honed to 8k and 30 laps on my PHIG without slurry. I couldn't believe it because it is one of my best shavers. I decided to shave with it to see how it shaved thinking maybe I needed to touch it up and to my surprise it shaved flawlessly, but I still couldn't get over how that edge looked so I decided to go back to the stones. I am scared to even use the microscope to look at some of my other razors that I first honed, but most of the razors after that one I started to work more on my finishers. Wish I never used it. Heres hoping it just looked like that after continued use. I am liking the looks of my current edges, but they don't seem to shave any better than this razor. I am really glad I don't use anything higher 100x.

I'm in no position to teach you anything about honing, but as a general rule in life: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! As long as it shaves properly, I don't care what it looks like!

I've often posted half tongue in cheek, that the higher the magnification, the worse my honing. I say half, because when I look at some of the photos posted of edges @ 100x and above, it is as if I'm looking at a mountain range or something like that. For my needs a 30x loupe, and occasionally a 40x stereoscope is more than enough. Interesting that the razor looks so bad, but shaves so well. When I was a kid, and my mom would say I was handsome, my grandma always said, "Handsome is as handsome does." :)

I always had in the back of my head the thought that after a certain point more magnification for honing was not really that useful. Well, that is unless you wanted to drive yourself crazy. Reading your post seems to have re enforced that notion to me. At the very least it will save me spending extra money on a microscope and driving myself crazier than the wife already thinks I am.

Bob

Yea I agree that if it isn't broken don't fix it, but the edge looked like it was a mishap waiting to happen. I never even considered getting the scope till reading the posts on here. Everyone is a bad influence on here. Making me buy things I don't need like multiple razors, a lifetime of soaps/creams, shaving accessories, tools and materials to restore razors, and whatever else. I wish I had one of those usb microscopes so I could have taken a picture of how bad the edge looked. See something else I am going to have to buy. I have to blame someone for all my spending. :D

8k followed buy a Phig is still pretty much gonna look like an 8k scratch pattern so yes, will look pretty rough at high mag.
Even the finest stones can look surprisingly rough at high mag but the shave is what it's all about.

If she shaves well, then that's what matters, You don't want to go down the magnification rabbit hole. 12x loupe is all I have ever used.

If you are using 60x and making improvements to the edge, you will have a better shaving edge… how much? That, is the million dollar question.

After a good 8K edge the amount of benefit on the shave is really very little, probably 1-2 percent.

If you look at a good Coticule edge compared to a 12K SS or film edge they are night and day, but often the Coticule edge is a smoother shave.

Either way, magnification will improve your honing, do you need it?

YMMV.

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Originally Posted by JSmith1983

Yea I agree that if it isn't broken don't fix it, but the edge looked like it was a mishap waiting to happen. I never even considered getting the scope till reading the posts on here. Everyone is a bad influence on here. Making me buy things I don't need like multiple razors, a lifetime of soaps/creams, shaving accessories, tools and materials to restore razors, and whatever else. I wish I had one of those usb microscopes so I could have taken a picture of how bad the edge looked. See something else I am going to have to buy. I have to blame someone for all my spending. :D

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Many of us, like Jimmy have always said too much mag is of no practical use and can just drive you nuts unless you want to do a scientific treatise on honing. Too much of anything is no good for you. Too much ice cream can make you really sick.

The point is just use what you need to get an good idea what the edge looks like. With good optics 10x is all you ever need.

I'm going to say a variation on the same theme that has already gone on here. I use a stereomicroscope usually at about 20x to evaluate edges before honing and for bevel setting. After that, I don't bother looking again.

The other time I use another microscope (at 100x, 200x, and occasionally 400x) is simply for evaluating the edges produced by various finishing hones.