Thread: Favorite method to check bevel?

I keep finding it tricky to judge the bevel without going the whole nine yards of going to the fine stone then stropping on various surfaces and then testing.

Do you use the thumbnail? Or a microscope? To me the ball of the thumb seems to be most accurate, but I still get ahead of myself quite often.

The only time I check a bevel is at the bevel set stage. If it easily cuts arm hair all along the edge I go up the progression checking things as I go with a low mag loupe. If it is not cutting arm hairs all along the bevel I stay on the bevel setter till it does before moving up the progression.

Bob

If it won't cut hair at 1k then it won't cut hair at 12k.

I use sound and feel on the stone to know when the bevel is set, then I check it with a loupe, then I check on my arm.

Do you wet your arm hair or just cut it dry?

Dry arm hair test - we should call it the DAHT On second thoughts let's not, we've got enough acronyms.
Seriously though, I do all of these tests, i.e.: thumb nail, arm hair cutting ability (dry), inspection with a loupe for an even bevel with good edge-hone contact - the ink test is useful here too. Holding the blade up to a light and looking for edge irregularities (with the naked eye) is useful too.

I agree with DAHT!

When getting the bevel set, I look almost straight down at the point of the apex to see if it is free of sparkles and lines. Once I find the entire apex to be complete, I begin my progression and check the sides of the bevel with a loupe to ensure I am ready to move up. I do very few other tests.

^^this.

I was struggling with bevel set as well but thanks to @maladroit 's patented DAHT system get bevels every time!

For the low price of $19.95 we'll send you your very own DAHT testing kit! But wait there's more! Act now and we'll include our amazing Chinese wonderhone guaranteed to take your edge to light saber level and beyond! [emoji23]

Seriously though- all of the tests mentioned helped me figure it out

Strop on linen then use the light test down the edge like RezDog outlined.

Originally Posted by trondsi

I keep finding it tricky to judge the bevel without going the whole nine yards of going to the fine stone then stropping on various surfaces and then testing.

Do you use the thumbnail? Or a microscope? To me the ball of the thumb seems to be most accurate, but I still get ahead of myself quite often.

There are many ways.

The one I like begins with a magic marker (Sharpie) and a hand lense or just bright sunlight.
I mark the edge, the bevels and the spine all five surfaces.
I pick a sharpie color that is easy to see and when the marker ink is wiped all
the way to the edge and from the spine I am doing something right. I have a couple
hand lenses that make this easier to see. Bright light is important -- I walk to a window
or even outside to get good light for my older eyes.

Next you need to make sure the top and bottom bevel meet and form an edge.
Feeling for a burr will help at 1K. A burr that extends the entire length is a nice clue.
Thumb tests for a burr and thumb tests for the edge look the same on some videos but
are different.

A wild hair test has value. I grab a hair from my or my gal's hairbrush and slide it along the edge.
If it slides on any part the edge is dull and where it grabs is good. Any bit that slides is part of the edge to improve.
It is necessary to touch test a lot of places on the edge. If any small bit of the edge is wrong and the hair
skates it is not time to move to a finer hone. A couple hones later a hanging hair test might come to play.

A sharp edge will catch on a thumbnail or thumb. But even at 1K a thumb or thumbnail can roll an edge if
done wrong. A burr can fool you. It works for many so see if it works for you.

A microscope has trouble seeing the edge itself but can see the scratch pattern change with a progression
of hones on the bevel surfaces. My 14x hand lense is more than enough with nice bright light to watch
the scratch pattern change. Some can feel the change.

The important bit is the entire edge toe to heel must be right at each step.
The wild skating hair test helped me more than once. I had an old PX (post exchange)
boar brush that supplied a lot of bristle to use for this test.

Once the bevel surfaces connect to an edge the marker test can be repeated on each grit.