Thread: Microscope Help

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.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

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.

Originally Posted by Kenrup

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.

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,

Mark

Originally Posted by Fraserazor

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,

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.

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





and one of these to duplicate what you see on Tim's site.

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