Using the Radio Shack microscope
Mark,
Guys have told me they can't make out anything with the RS microscope and when I've shown them how to use it, they say they then love it! Lay the clear plastic viewing hole end on the straight razor the same way you would on a hone. That's the only way to keep the edge in focus. Start at the heel of the razor by the pivot and proceed to the curved toe of the razor. There are two knobs. One is for adjusting magnification and the other for focusing. The great thing about this microscope is the light comes from above the razor. Biological microscopes illuminate from below and are useless. As in Ken's pix, look for no nicks, a satin finish to the edge (not shiny), and scratches that are even and of the same size. If the scratches aren't the same size, someone didn't hone enough with the next size grit hone. Honing is a progressive process that goes from coarser to finer and the scratches in the steel follow suit.
Hope this helps!