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You're doing good Bart, hang in there.

The loupe helps to identify problems on the surface that, depending on the problem, may go beyond the surface deeper into the steel. Loupes help to determine if surface rust runs to the edge, for one...

I would get a 10x loupe so you can evaluate razors as you come across them, especially the edge.
Also, the presence of a loup at time of purchase, has helped me bargin down the price a few times. ...