Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on December 16, 2014 at 12:29

I am still accumulating sharpening stuff to complete my Edge Pro kit so have not yet bought the USB microscope.  January is the earliest time due to the cost of Christmas but have managed to lay my hands on a jewellers loupe ,which arrived today.  Even at 40x the edge is so much more evident than with my weak old eyes.   Don't know yet how much difference this new found vision will make  but accurate information has to help , doesn't it ?   Will start on my pocket knives when the small knife attachment gets here ,so far I have mostly done kitchen knives with the Edge Pro.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lofvenmark on December 17, 2014 at 8:39

When you like to have a smooth surface on wood you use finer and finer sand paper, and you can feel with your hand how smooth the surface are.

Sharpening edges is done after the same principle - but it is impossible to feel how smooth the edge are with your hand :) you must do it with your eyes instead. A loup 10x is fine, 40x is better.

Experiment a little with light from different angles when you study the edge with your loupe - and you will se different things on the edge.

Thomas

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on December 17, 2014 at 11:03

Yes the 40x does make the edge really clear Thomas . This one has a built in light source which I think is a great help.  It really is amazing how much detail becomes available with a loupe and also how that lovely shiny edge is a little rougher than you might think. Anyone keen on sharpening would benefit from use of a loupe I think.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lofvenmark on December 17, 2014 at 11:23

So not forget that when you have polished your edge so that it shines and you cannot se any scratches anywhere - so with 120X - the edge looks like a dirtroad again :)full oxh scrathes and ditches... It never ends, it is just a question of magnifying...

But, if you decide that whennthe edge is perfect in 10X or 40X and that is enough - then you have decided a specific level that http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1244610-Mobile-sha... edges shall hold in the future- and that is nice. It is a quality levell for just your edges.

Innthe same time, when your edge works perfect and holds for long time of work - stop there, that is more important then the X times magnifying :)

Thomas

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on February 10, 2015 at 12:18

Well as of the 10th of Feb still no microscope . I am finding that with the jewellers loupe I can get pretty much all the information that I need at present . I will try to get a microscope in the future just because I have an interest in improving my technique. At present though I have made great strides in getting sharp edges with the Edge Pro and sometimes too much information is not a good thing !

One thing I have found very interesting is since buying an Edge Pro my freehand sharpening has made an enormous leap forward . I guess this is a case of watching so many sharpening video's since buying the machine and having to consider seriously what I am striving to achieve . Whatever the reason I seem to get the water stones out just about as often as the Edge Pro these days. When it is a matter of touching up a kitchen knife a fine water stone is easier than getting the machine set up.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Doug Webber on August 24, 2015 at 4:31

The pictures are of an Ulster Stockman spey blade, stainless I believe, and now she is sharp enough to shave with.

Pictures taken with a Celestron 150x USB microscope

1st. begining

2nd 600 grit wet dry

3rd 2000 grit wet dry

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Doug Webber on August 24, 2015 at 4:36

Doug Webber said:

The pictures are of an Ulster Stockman spey blade, stainless I believe, and now she is sharp enough to shave with. I used 1000 grit between the 600 and 2000

Pictures taken with a Celestron 150x USB microscope

1st. begining

2nd 600 grit wet dry

3rd 2000 grit wet dry

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on August 24, 2015 at 10:08

Great pictures Doug , that 2000 grit seems to be getting the job done .  I have yet to decide to get a USB microscope but looking at your pics makes me think it will be a good idea !

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 24, 2015 at 17:02

WOW!!  That is a clear difference and I know I would not have seen it without the microscope!  Doug, Thank you..rethinking this!

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Doug Webber on August 24, 2015 at 20:25

I bought the microscope to look at bone handles and hadn't thought of checking blades until I saw this discussion. Here is a before and after cleaning on jigged bone

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 24, 2015 at 20:51

fascinating difference!  Funny how much yuck can build up an the bone

Permalink Reply by Ms Data on August 24, 2015 at 21:38

I don't know if John, the original poster, ever got the answer he needed but yea, we have some of those microscopes at work, they are pretty cool.

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