Thread: Loupe use?

I just recieved my 60-100x mini microscope and i have no clue how to look at my edges. I tried it on one of my honed razors (dumb by the way) and messed the edge up a bit. I had it on 60x and could not see the edge at all. Should o look down straight on the edge or what? Thanks gents.

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I hold my razor edge up and hold the loupe so my finger rests on the blade with the loupe right next to it and slightly above. Look at the side of the edge and once again slightly above. Proper angle to light is the key along with distance from the edge. Have I confused you enough ? You should be able to look at any blade no matter how sharp but pratice with something dull might be wise if your having that much trouble.

I will give it another go thanks so much i went straight down on and accidently went to far. Ill keep working with a dull razor until i get it.

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With the scope on the spine and the lens over the bevel, focus on the bevel at 60X.

Then, as Jerry said, hold the scope between the thumb and index and ring fingers and use your ring finger on the blade, hook your pinky over the spine. This will give you stability. The edge of the spine is locked, between the tip of the ring finger and the tip of the pinky. You can adjust focus, with your thumb, just bumping the dial with your thumb and micro adjust focus by moving the scope up or down a hair.

Now lift the scope off the edge, an eight to a quarter inch, re focus, you should be close.

Once you focus on the edge, you can slide the scope from heel to toe and maintain an even gap off the edge, and stay in focus.

You can for edge safety, to keep from biting into the scope and dinging the edge, apply a piece of craft foam to the bottom of the scope. I use 2mm craft foam with PVA backing.

If you use the foam, you will after a few uses, cut a groove where the edge is in focus, and that will make aligning and focusing the scope a snap.

Here is a post doing just that.

There is a bid of a learning curve for these scopes, but once you figure it out they are quick and give a good picture of what is happening at the bevel and edge.

Post 78 of Show the World How you Modified your Tools.


Practice on a steak or pocket knife.

I shake so much i am having trouble hold scope and knife but ill come up with something to hold one or the other. Thanks so much for the link and helpful info its gonna go to good use. Ill keep on trying.

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Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

I shake so much i am having trouble hold scope and knife but ill come up with something to hold one
or the other. Thanks so much for the link and helpful info its gonna go to good use. Ill keep on trying.

About a month ago, I ordered one of those from China and I'm hoping to get it before Christmas. I've
recently received a Carson MM-840 eFlex digital microscope with a flexable neck. This has solved a
lot of my problems. It takes a couple minutes to set up, then I can just lay my SR on a sheet of paper
and slide the paper around. Having it hooked up to my monitor saves me a lot of eye strain and I can
take pics or vids with it.

Originally Posted by Panama60

About a month ago, I ordered one of those from China and I'm hoping to get it before Christmas. I've
recently received a Carson MM-840 eFlex digital microscope with a flexable neck. This has solved a
lot of my problems. It takes a couple minutes to set up, then I can just lay my SR on a sheet of paper
and slide the paper around. Having it hooked up to my monitor saves me a lot of eye strain and I can
take pics or vids with it.

That is a nice set up. Thanks for sharing, that would be great to get. I noticed a bit of strain like behind my eye after playing with my scope. I might upgrade to something like you have un the future.

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USB scopes are great, give a lot of detail and have, really come down in price.

But, they are slow to use, and you don’t always need that level of magnification or detail, as when honing and you just want or need a quick look.

You can’t beat an hand held loupe or scope for a quick look at a problem area.

I only use USB scopes for documenting an edge or when teaching so we are all looking, at the same thing, at the same time.

I've got a 50+ year old 20x jewelers loupe I got from my dad. With my eye on the loupe the focus is about 1.5" from the blade so no danger to the edge. It's enough power for my needs, I can see the scratch pattern and holding the edge up to a light in silhouette I can see any micro chipping

i have a usb scope and found the stand that came with it was hard to adjust and flimsy. after i made a more solid one out of wood and a magnetic holder for the blade it made it easier to use and less prone to hitting the blade. that being said; i find my 30x loupe to be more useful and easier to use.