Thread: Microscope for honing

Originally Posted by Deckard

Here's another one about magnification

I have that scope.
The only problem is that when you lie your blade down ,open at a 90 degree angle , the toe is closer to the table surface than the heel. Which means that as you move the blade along under the scope it gets closer or further from the scope meaning you have to constantly adjust the focus.
What I do is just look at one part of the blade, the toe area and use my naked eye for the rest.
I guess I need to manufacture some thing to hold the toe up equal to the heel and it has to be able to slide along effortlessly .
Maybe balsa wood, dremeled out to house the whole blade? I'm on a mission now.

You can also get a closer look at the edge than in the video but that wont show if your missing the edge, it shows the surface structure of the metal .

Look :



A brand new T.I with a huge chip , I returned it :

I have exactly the same focus issues, so do the same as you.
Maybe plasticine might help?

Originally Posted by Deckard

I have exactly the same focus issues, so do the same as you.
Maybe plasticine might help?

I'm gonna fashion a Straight razor cradle, from Balsa wood. Treat it with oils, the whole 9 yards

Good microscopes can be useful tools. Like any tool, the more you practice and use it, the more you can get out of it. Lots of cool pictures out now of edge images.

The skill is being able to identify what is occurring to the edge after honing on different stones, stropping on leather, treated substrates, after shaving. Once you look at a few thousand edges you realize maybe YMDV “doesn’t” that much after all.
MIke

Originally Posted by MODINE

Good microscopes can be useful tools. Like any tool, the more you practice and use it, the more you can get out of it. Lots of cool pictures out now of edge images.

The skill is being able to identify what is occurring to the edge after honing on different stones, stropping on leather, treated substrates, after shaving. Once you look at a few thousand edges you realize maybe YMDV “doesn’t” that much after all.
MIke

Excellent point well made. The point for me is are you happy with your edges however you achieve them? To magnify or not isn't the point. The question for me is can looking at your edges help you improve them in terms of keenness and make you better at honing? That's a matter of opinion. Mine is that it can.
I very often shave from edges touched up on a coticule which I love but consider them quite dull but am capable of getting a very close comfy shave so keenness is not the only criteria. I don't always look either, but when I do look I know I've got better at the other edge probing techniques because I've calibrated my senses against the visual feedback.
The other point I'd like to make is that if you do scope your edges you have to be able to interpret what you are looking at.

Pick up a piece of 6mm craft foam. Cut into 3 in strips and rest the blade on the foam with the scales off the foam and turn the scales so they rest 90 to the spine not the edge. This will also make the angle of the bevel paroral to the scope. The scales will hold the scope steady.

I also put a weight, (lead shot leather book weight) on the scope base to hold the scope steady. I also shimmed a piece of cardboard between the stand clip and the scope body, no wobble. Make the scope as steady as possible.

These scopes are great for taking photos, but a pain to use. I only use them for taking photos or when teaching someone so we are looking at the same thing.

I use the Carson 2 &300 scopes and a 60X lighted scope for honing. The USB scope is just too slow and fussy.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Pick up a piece of 6mm craft foam. Cut into 3 in strips and rest the blade on the foam with the scales off the foam and turn the scales so they rest 90 to the spine not the edge. This will also make the angle of the bevel paroral to the scope. The scales will hold the scope steady.

I also put a weight, (lead shot leather book weight) on the scope base to hold the scope steady. I also shimmed a piece of cardboard between the stand clip and the scope body, no wobble. Make the scope as steady as possible.

These scopes are great for taking photos, but a pain to use. I only use them for taking photos or when teaching someone so we are looking at the same thing.

I use the Carson 2 &300 scopes and a 60X lighted scope for honing. The USB scope is just too slow and fussy.

Any chance of a picture?

I love my Carson scope. No need for computer

That's a good idea Euclid, I'm thinking an old mini typewriter chassis stripped down to mount the USB scope on, use the roller and sliding Carriage to mount the razor so you can have end to end guided precision.
The mount may be a clip from a clip board with felt glued on.

Waiting for the scope to get here and if it works well will post pics.

Found an older microscope chassis, less mass to it and adjustable, Hmm.

Originally Posted by FAL

That's a good idea Euclid, I'm thinking an old mini typewriter chassis stripped down to mount the USB scope on, use the roller and sliding Carriage to mount the razor so you can have end to end guided precision.

Seems like overkill,
I like it!