Thread: 8k edge

What should a 8k edge look like of a naniwa ss using a 30x loupe? and how does one tell if the scratches are gone from each preceding hone?

While honing on your stone, use consistent pattern. Say left to right draw. Inspect with your loop.

Go back to the stone and rehone in a different pattern, say right to left. You will notice under the loop that you will start to see checkering or X patterns. Continue until the checkering is gone, and all you have left are right to left striations.

For your 3rd pass do circles until the right to left pattern is gone.

As far as what 8k looks like under a loop, I have now idea. I've never honed a blade before, just knives.

I'll be honest, I have never been able to tell with a 30k loupe. Others here think I'm crazy because I insist on at least 200x. It's what works for me.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I'll be honest, I have never been able to tell with a 30k loupe. Others here think I'm crazy because I insist on at least 200x. It's what works for me.

Thank-you for saying that, lately in my honing journey, looking through the loupe, I really can't see the striations or any real detail at all with the 30k...200x it is.

Any particular brand you can recommend?

Originally Posted by Phrank

I really can't see the striations or any real detail at all with the 30k

That is because magnification is not the only parameter. Resolution is just as important and it is entirely dependent upon the quality of the lenses.

I am not a Naniwa user, however 8K should be the same more or less. There are a couple of factors, one of course being how wide is the bevel, because a big wedge with a moderately wide bevel is easier to see. If you look at the edge at 30x at 8K it should start to look very straight with no fuzziness. If you have a very tiny bevel that might be all you get. Lighting plays a big part in this. With very good lighting you should be able to see the scratches in most bevels. I have a well lit loupe but find myself at the kitchen window more times than not trying to see better. Also the light ove the kitchen sink is bright and easy to get right under. With tiny bevels it's not that easy.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Thank-you for saying that, lately in my honing journey, looking through the loupe, I really can't see the striations or any real detail at all with the 30k...200x it is.

Any particular brand you can recommend?

I use a cheap $4 Amazon, hand held. Utopian brings up a good point on resolution but you really don't get much from a loupe anyway. As I said, it's what works for me. I've tried the other stuff, minus Utopians super high quality stero scope, and I see what I need to with my $4 Chinese deal.

Originally Posted by tintin

What should a 8k edge look like of a naniwa ss using a 30x loupe? and how does one tell if the scratches are gone from each preceding hone?

Scratches from the 1k often manifest as microchips by 8k. You can track back from the chip under magnification & see the single deeper scratch tho they are not hard to see in a polished bevel.

You will need at least 100X to distinguish stria. 1 & 4-5X stria should easily be distinguishable from 8K stria.
I use a Carson 60-100 Micromax 200, lighted hand held, the new version of the old Radio Shack 60-100 scope. You can buy them for 10-15 bucks.

Really the stria you want to remove is the deep 1k stria, and that should be done with the 4 or 5K.

Rest the back of the scope on the spine and the bevel and focus the scope on the blade, slide the scope over the bevel and lift the scope so the flat part of the scope is flat on the bevel and then re-focus the scope.

Once focused, it need not be refocused, the 60x is great for looking at the edge for chips, 100x shows too small an area.

So it is not necessary to remove every bit of the previous stria, many a fine natural edge has some random stria and shave perfectly fine. But when you are learning, it is a good practice, to learn to maximize the performance of each stone. It is a simple way to judge when to move to the next higher stone provided you are honing all the way to the edge. Eventually you will not need to stare at your bevels through magnification, as much, but until then it is a fool proof method of learning your stones.

Here is the Carson MicroMax 200, .

Originally Posted by Euclid440

You will need at least 100X to distinguish stria. 1 & 4-5X stria should easily be distinguishable from 8K stria.
I use a Carson 60-100 Micromax 200, lighted hand held, the new version of the old Radio Shack 60-100 scope. You can buy them for 10-15 bucks.

Really the stria you want to remove is the deep 1k stria, and that should be done with the 4 or 5K.

Rest the back of the scope on the spine and the bevel and focus the scope on the blade, slide the scope over the bevel and lift the scope so the flat part of the scope is flat on the bevel and then re-focus the scope.

Once focused, it need not be refocused, the 60x is great for looking at the edge for chips, 100x shows too small an area.

So it is not necessary to remove every bit of the previous stria, many a fine natural edge has some random stria and shave perfectly fine. But when you are learning, it is a good practice, to learn to maximize the performance of each stone. It is a simple way to judge when to move to the next higher stone provided you are honing all the way to the edge. Eventually you will not need to stare at your bevels through magnification, as much, but until then it is a fool proof method of learning your stones.

Here is the Carson MicroMax 200, .

Yeah, something like that.....exactly. But I found the 200x to be a lot better.