$13 well spent. Carson mm300 MicroBrite 60-120x pocket microscope

Well it arrived today, thanks to Prime shipping.

I've got magnifiers and I've got loupes. They all have one thing in common, their underpowered and they fog up. Plus I'm shaky when it comes to holding still.

As I've gotten older, 40x isn't cutting it any more.

So when I was at my pops the other day, I saw him fiddling with his ol Radio Shack 30x pocket microscope he got back in the late 80's. A lightbulb went off and I had to go.

Searched Amazon and found this. Beautiflly clear, steady, and plenty of Zoommm...

Best 12 & change I've ever spent.

(One thing though, the image is inverted. So down is up & right is left). No if it can make rust silver, I won't need the buffer. :)

Requires (1)AA battery (not included. :(

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...pshu1cqcru.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...psphcoysui.jpghttp://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...psbhnldds4.jpg

Looks pretty cool. How big is it from end to end? Does it have I light? I think I'd like 60-120x if it's compact enough and handheld.

I tried one of those but I can see the edge better with a lighted loupe. I have a difficult time adjusting the edge under the microscope.

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Originally Posted by BeJay

Looks pretty cool. How big is it from end to end? Does it have I light? I think I'd like 60-120x if it's compact enough and handheld.

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Updated original post. Please revisit.

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Originally Posted by feltspanky

I tried one of those but I can see the edge better with a lighted loupe. I have a difficult time adjusting the edge under the microscope.

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Yes, it takes a Lil getting use to. But when your eyes go,:shrug:

I can't remember who suggested it but I went to a Triplett lenses loupe and now I can see clearly on 30x before the first cheap single lense I couldn't ever get a clear look. Tc

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Originally Posted by feltspanky

I tried one of those but I can see the edge better with a lighted loupe. I have a difficult time adjusting the edge under the microscope.

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I agree - I have one like this and it just didn't work for me, went back to using the loupe.

One thing that has worked out though, is another type of loupe I got on Amazon, still like $5.00 or something, that clips onto the camera part of your iPhone and lets you use your camera to see the edge on the screen.

You have to rest the scope on the spine and the bevel and adjust the focus on the bevel, then lift the spine end off the spine a couple of mm, with the bevel end on the bevel so you are looking at the bevel at a bit of an angle.

You might want to glue a piece of 2mm craft foam on the clear plastic piece, then cut out the circle where the lens is, because if you slide the scope on the edge, it will cut into the clear plastic and when you pull it off, you will chip the edge.

Once you get used to the feel,, focus and the reverse image, it is a great little scope. Once it is focused you are set, just watch the edge, if you hear a “tink” you just chipped it.

I just took out the little screws and removed the clear plastic.

When I view the edge I set the blade down flat and towards me on a table of some sorts. Then I rest the scope on the table right in front of the edge and line up the image. This allows for a stable picture and focus adjustment, or if I need to lift the scope a little for focus, I can pivot off the table so that the image is still steady. I love mine. It was a good "cheap" investment.

Nice, I haven't seen one of these before. I recently got a 60x loupe w/ light, but haven't used it for honing yet. It seems to give a pretty good view of the bevel, but I'll have to see how much it benefits my honing. If I hadn't already bought it, I might consider ordering one of these little adjustable microscopes.