Thread: Bevel Setting Under the Microscope

I've seen a few people ask about what a bevel should look like off of the 1k.

I took a series of pictures today as I was working on setting a bevel on a nasty, dull, pitted razor.

(note that the scratch pattern isn't very apparent in these pictures; I set up the light to show the edge really well, but it doesn't show scratches. These pictures are not useful in comparing the Chosera 1k to other stones...)

The first picture I had already done some circles. I didn't think to get a picture before taking out the chips.
In picture #2 you can see that the bevel still is not quite all the way to the edge. (does not cut arm hair at this point either)
In picture #3 it's actually looking pretty good; this is about as far as the microscope is useful for checking a bevel. It still does not cut arm hair.
Picture #4 is nearly perfect, but the edge still is not cutting arm hair; this is why people say that your microscope is not going to tell you everything... You still need to have a reliable means to check your bevel.
Picture #5 is after the bevel is cutting arm hair. Personally, I can't see much difference from picture #4 to picture #5... In both cases the bevel extends to the edge, with no chips etc... But, in one case the bevel is set, in the other it is not.

*note: All of these pictures are taken with the blade angled up into the microscope lens, to show the edge. Angling the blade away from the microscope to check the edge will really limit your ability to see the edge.

I agree that a microscope can't assure you the bevel is set. However, in this case, I do see a significant difference between the last and next-to-last photos.

HNSB,

That's a great sequence of photos! Thanks for posting this.

Originally Posted by pcb01

I agree that a microscope can't assure you the bevel is set. However, in this case, I do see a significant difference between the last and next-to-last photos.

I think most of the difference is because, in spite of my best efforts, the lighting is slightly different between the last two photos. The important thing to compare here is that the bevel runs all the way to the edge and the edge is straight.
Unless of course, you're seeing something that I'm not?

Very good pictures, thank you very much! I can see a bit of change too between the 4. and 5. photo, but the AHT or TNT is very good to see if the bevel is really set. The microscope is good to see if there is any reason to use these tests. It is totally meaningless to use any sharpness tests if you have microchips and/or the bevel doesn't look good under the mircoscope.

Originally Posted by pcb01

I agree that a microscope can't assure you the bevel is set. However, in this case, I do see a significant difference between the last and next-to-last photos.

I agree!
It might just be lighting, or wishful thinking, but I too feel there is a difference in the last 2 pics. #5 looks a better, more uniform edge.
Thanks for posting, very nice and uniform pictures with the tool at hand.
I have a similar one, and getting similar conditions on those photos are not easy

Originally Posted by pcb01

I do see a significant difference between the last and next-to-last photos.

Originally Posted by Birnando

I agree!
It might just be lighting, or wishful thinking, but I too feel there is a difference in the last 2 pics. #5 looks a better, more uniform edge.

Ok, now that I'm looking at the pictures on a different monitor I see what you guys are talking about.
Yesterday I just thought you were both nuts! It turns out it was me. Haha.
(I still think the lighting makes the difference between #4 and #5 more dramatic though)


The important thing here if you're a beginner reading this: there is no way to tell from the pictures alone whether the bevel is set. #4 could be a set bevel (but it's not) and #5 might not be a set bevel (but it is) and the only way to know for sure is to have some other reliable means of testing it.
All you should be looking for in the microscope is that there is a single bevel that extends all the way to the edge, and that there are no chips or pits at the edge.

Originally Posted by HNSB

All you should be looking for in the microscope is that there is a single bevel that extends all the way to the edge, and that there are no chips or pits at the edge.

This should be put in the wiki Very well said, and this is a good answer for a lot of topics about honing with a microscope.

You also need to realize that the bevel may appear to be set, but the bevels on either side may not be meeting one another yet:



This is another shortcoming of using optical devices to check bevels; you can't tell when the bevel is actually set, only when it looks pretty!

you can't tell when the bevel is actually set, only when it looks pretty!

*hihi* that´s exactly what I do, good point

A microscope can not show you when a bevel is set, but it can tell you when there is a problem with it.
Like, when you´re having one or two microchips or tiny cracks that you can not see or evaluate with any other method