Printable View
OK so I'm getting a microscope to help me with honing, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for, what each stage of honing the edge should look like at different grits? What do you have to shoot for? I'll be using the Norton 4000/8000 then stropping. If one of you honemiesters could give me some help i would be very grateful, or better still does anyone have any pictures they could post. Thanks
Mark
Unless your going to be buying a scanning electron microscope the main reason to have one is to do gross inspection of the edge. What your basically looking for is the presence of chips and microchips and the scratch pattern in the edge and the eveness of the bevel along with rust and corrosion. In general as you progress to finer hones the scratches on the edge will be finer. I'm sure others will add to this list but don't get carried away with a microscope. Whatever you see through it don't depend on it to tell if the razor is shave ready.
Thanks for the info, i'm only getting the $10 radioshack one
These shots are with a USB microscope. I use the Radio Shack for quick checks. simply put, I do not want any reflection from the very edge. The first picture is of an edge in bad shape. Lots of jagged chips along the very edge. The second is of a relatively good edge, it is upside down from the top one, I look for a clean edge and no bright line a long the very edge.
nice pics!!!
That just what I see too.
It's one way to show folks that their razor actually does come equipped with an edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildtim
Thanks Ken great pictures, so you are saying a good edge does not have a shiny reflection like the first pic? and to my other question, if my edge is in bad shape like picture one, what steps would you take to restore that edge? Also a little off topic here, does anyone know where to get a Belgian Corticule from? preferably in the UK? Thanks alot,Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenrup
Mark
If I have an edge that looks like the first picture, I start by honing on 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I will keep honing here until the chips are all gone and the bevel is straight and the width of the edge is evened out. When you have done all you can do at the 100 grit stage the edge will have look as I have described above and have an even scratch pattern that still throws those rainbow reflections.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fraserazor
The bottom picture would be then achieved after I have finished going through the honing pyramids on the 4/8k and am just about ready to either test shave or move onto my finishing step. I describe the look I see here as 'black ice' because thats what the edge tends to look like.
While this info won't be all that usable as a reference for a RS microscope it's pretty interesting, none the less. Check out Tim Zowada's scans of various edges prepared with different hones.
http://www.tzknives.com/razorhones.html
Unfortunately, you'll need one of these
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9...etuplt6.th.jpg
and one of these to duplicate what you see on Tim's site.:w
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6...ahathy1.th.jpg
very interesting pictures, i got the radio shack by the way, but i can't make a thing out using that thing. I'll just have to stick to using the tests, i just thought it would be cool to see my razors so close.
Mark
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 procedure:what 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