Thread: I need an eye loupe, what power??

Originally Posted by Gamma

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IMO _ illumintation on a loupe is a ridiculous consideration for this application. The lightsouce is too close to the working surface and it cannot splay the light evenly enough. LED is not a telling lightsource - natural or incandescent are best in most cases.

Obviously a case of YMMV as I have found the blueish tint of the LED's in the Widget supply loupe, to be the best thing I have found for looking at the bevel... Quick, fast, don't have to get up and stand under a light, and the tint really shows the striations off to my eyes...

The batteries are available online for 1/10 the price they are at Radio Shack BTW

Actually, I like the little Radio Shack Pocket Microscope. Makes me dizzy to use it, but in a pinch or on the road, it works very well. I think the Radio Shack one uses 2 AAA, but I have not had to replace any in the couple years I have been using it.

Have fun.

The pocket microscope gave me a headache, but the magnification is impressive for its cost.
One of the best loupes I've used is actually a camera lens held with the rear element to the working surface. It's easy on the eyes, and there's a pretty wide FOV too.

The wavelengths of light produced by LEDs hide some distractions - you can train you eye to see through the issue, but for me that's more trouble than it's worth. In some cases, it can make blackened engraving on chrome totally invisible to the eye - I found this out when working on tube amps. I was using a surefire G2 LED to inspect panels and I couldn't read or even aee the writing. After dialoging with their engineers - the story seems to be that the issue of color balance and reflectivity was a hurdle that was outshadowed by the extended battery life. The inability of LED to show black on chrome well translates to razor work to some degree, at least in my experience. I've used a few loupes like that, I still have one actually, I keep it in the bathroom.
At any rate, having spent most of my career using a loupe as a tool that was critical to my continued employment, I'm probably way more sensitive to optical and lighting distractions than most people. I've probably invested more on loupes in my lifetime than most people would believe. Like any tool - if it works then it works. But that doesn't mean there isn't a better option.

Originally Posted by Gamma

The pocket microscope gave me a headache, but the magnification is impressive for its cost.
One of the best loupes I've used is actually a camera lens held with the rear element to the working surface. It's easy on the eyes, and there's a pretty wide FOV too.

The wavelengths of light produced by LEDs hide some distractions - you can train you eye to see through the issue, but for me that's more trouble than it's worth. In some cases, it can make blackened engraving on chrome totally invisible to the eye - I found this out when working on tube amps. I was using a surefire G2 LED to inspect panels and I couldn't read or even aee the writing. After dialoging with their engineers - the story seems to be that the issue of color balance and reflectivity was a hurdle that was outshadowed by the extended battery life. The inability of LED to show black on chrome well translates to razor work to some degree, at least in my experience. I've used a few loupes like that, I still have one actually, I keep it in the bathroom.
At any rate, having spent most of my career using a loupe as a tool that was critical to my continued employment, I'm probably way more sensitive to optical and lighting distractions than most people. I've probably invested more on loupes in my lifetime than most people would believe. Like any tool - if it works then it works. But that doesn't mean there isn't a better option.

I value you're opinion. You think you could post links to some loupes that are better than the suppose "30X LED china" special that would not cost as much as a razor? Thanks Double O

If you can't see it, you won't worry about it! What power did your great grandfather use?

I had previously used an old England-made 10x loupe, which is fairly nice, however I just bought one of these on a recommendation from a friend and it is much better for this purpose:

http://www.amazon.com/Innoo-Jeweller...hted+magnifier

You can see a far greater level of detail than the 10x loupe, yet it is not so close that you lose your frame of reference, for lack of a better term. It has really improved my honing, particularly at the low and mid grits. Easy to see very fine microchipping and other edge issues that aren't visible with my 10x and sometimes don't show up until the shave test.

The light is pretty good. I initially hated it (the low light is very blue, where the very bright high setting is whiter), but have found that it works very well, maybe even better than just using it under an incandescent bulb. It does leave you a bit disoriented after you use it though. Overall it is a VERY easy product to use, assuming they are all manufactured to the same quality level as mine.

Originally Posted by Johnus

If you can't see it, you won't worry about it! What power did your great grandfather use?

So true John


I will leave the name off he can claim it if he wants, but one of the best statements I have ever seen on SRP was in one of these "What Power" threads by one of our very very senior members


quote "I have found with the lower the power of the loupe, the better my honing looks, and the better the shave feels"

You have to really think that statement through before you dismiss it

So I got my 6.00 ...30x lighted loupe from widget... Just what the doctor ordered, works wicked pissa .

Thanks for the tip about the Belomo 10X loupe. I ordered and received one a couple of days ago and it does the job very well. The clarity is very good.


Later,
R