Thread: got microscope - Where do I start?

Well, I took it to the 8k Kitayama (15 stroke) and seemed to have dulled the edge somehow. Maybe it's just more polished and not popping the arm hairs as readily. Not sure. Here are some pics; edge seems a bit rougher I think.

Originally Posted by Korndog

Well, I took it to the 8k Kitayama (15 stroke) and seemed to have dulled the edge somehow. Maybe it's just more polished and not popping the arm hairs as readily. Not sure. Here are some pics; edge seems a bit rougher I think.

Yup ..... back to the 5K, but not for long .... 15-20 max and pay attention to technique. Ditto the 8K ..... SKIP the 15K and strop 20-30 .... what happens?

We wait in anticipation. Will Korndog get it this time?

Great thread.

Ok, here are the latest images and thoughts. I went back to the 5k with 15 careful passes followed by 15 more on the 8k. The first three images are 60xtl,60xbl,200xtl. The last one is 60xtl after stropping 30 laps on the plain leather. The blade pops arm hairs at the root and passes thumbnail test. It does not pass hanging hair test at this point, but I have excellent shavers that do not. I guess I will try shaving with it tomorrow and report back, unless you see any reason that I should do some more honing. I also have pasted strops if you think it would help at this stage.

P.S. I wont be posting to this thread until Friday afternoon.

I've gotten good shaves from razors that perform as you describe, killing 'arm' hairs but not the hanging hair. Make sure the hair is freshly cleaned for best results. Once it gets there it WILL shave even better. Keep striving.

X

Originally Posted by Korndog

Here are some images of a DD Wonderedge I got off eBay. I am going to begin honing today and would like to ask the microscope mavens what grit you would start with based on these photos. They are 60x and 200x both top and bottom lighted.

left to right 200x/bl, 200x/tl, 60x/tl, 60x/bl

Take it to the 4K for 30 two sided laps on each side and see how it looks at 100x. Depending on how much it improved, repeat with the same or decreasing laps the edge looks flat. Then go to the 8K and hone until you pass your test.

Something is not right here. For some reason your 200x doesn't seem close enough. Even so, I don't see any scratch lines. Go to Steve Durfees pictures in the gallery and you'll see what I mean. They're diagonal scratch marks. They get finer as you use finer grits, but they're there. Where are yours?

At the very edge, I expect to see a tiny fin made up of microscopic pins. Where is it?

Owing to the absence of scratch lines, it looks like you didn't hone. You didn't mention stropping so you couldn't have polished them away (a LOT of stropping). Are you using such light pressure that you're not honing?

Here is a link to a 200x picture showing an edge (the edge only). http://www.straightedgerazors.com/fo...ttachmentid=14

Notice the scratch lines and the fin.

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Something is not right here. For some reason your 200x doesn't seem close enough. Even so, I don't see any scratch lines. Go to Steve Durfees pictures in the gallery and you'll see what I mean. They're diagonal scratch marks. They get finer as you use finer grits, but they're there. Where are yours? At the very edge, I expect to see a tiny fin made up of microscopic pins. Where is it? Owing to the absence of scratch lines, it looks like you didn't hone. You didn't mention stropping so you couldn't have polished them away (a LOT of stropping). Are you using such light pressure that you're not honing?

Please see my last post. I believe you will see a diagonal scratch pattern and the last picture is after stropping.

I just tested it this morning and this razor doesn't shave yet. I used another Wonderedge that I honed myself taking all the way from the 2k to the .25 paste before I got the scope. That one is near perfect I think.

Looks like Joe was right about the 200x shot. Not sure what happened, but here are two pics. One is of the Wonderedge that shaves and the other is our work in progress. Both at 200x. Clearly the experimetnal one is in need of some help.

Gentlemen?