Thread: Microscope Help

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!

Thanks Howard that really helped,there sertanly is a nack to it but i'm sure i'll get it. thanks

Mark

Mark,

Howard is who I purchased my Coticules off aswell. As you know I'm UK also, so it is quite easy to purchase from him.

Try and get a 6x2. They're worth that little extra than the bouts IMO with the current exchange rate.

6" x 2" (150mm x 50mm)

You also want to get a cotigura @

Cotigura Rubbing Stone - a small piece of coticule used to start the abrasive slurry
It may seem a lot to initially pay out but they will last you a lifetime.

A Belgian blue would be optimal for continuation between a DTM and a colticule. Again speak to Howard.

This place is where I got my DMT's from in UK

DMT D6E - 6inch Sharpening Stone - Extra Fine

http://www.tool-shop.co.uk/acatalog/...us_Stones.html

Hope this helps.

Does an edge viewed under a microscope showing no nicks, a satin appearance,and a fine even scratch pattern really correlate with a super shaving edge?

I often see assertions that the only real test whether a straight is sharp is to shave with it.

There seems to be controversy as to whether any non-shaving test is a predictor of actual shaving performance.

If a microscopic inspection does the trick, that would be great, and a big help to anyone trying to develop a consistent method for getting a straight to do its best.

Jerry

Thats one thing you can't tell with the microscope, whether or not the edge is sharp. What the microscope really hleps with is knowing when you have removed all traces of the previous grits work and diagnosing problems with the edge itself.

You could have an edge honed out really well to the 8000 grit stage that looks great under the microscope, yet its still dull as a butter knife. The thing is this scenerio isn't very likely, usually you will get a razor pretty sharp but not shaving right, or part of the blade just won't sharpen up well and the microscope can tell you where your prblem lies.

The other really important thing the microscope does is act as a teaching toll to allow you to see the effects your honing t each grit have on the bevel. Also by being able to look at the results of your strokes you see when you are not at and even angle, or using variable pressure. It can really improve th consistany of your honing by getting you close enough to see exactly what you are doing.

Wildtim,

Thanks very much for your clear explanation.

It's nice to know what the expectations are of any evaluation procedurehat it tells us and what it does not.

Jerry

Sorry, somehow I must have mis-clicked my mouse. A whistleface popped in where the w should be in "what".

Jerry