Do you check you edge with magnification?

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kane22

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Feb 25, 2013
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I bought one of the little cheap pocket microscopes, and its one of the best things I've done to help my sharpening. It's the quality you would expect for $15, but at 60x I can get a good look at my edges, and really see what's going on. You can see micro chips that I sure can't see with the naked eye. Easier to make sure you're getting all the way to the apex over the whole blade. Being able to actually look at what I'm feeling has helped me. Just thought it may help someone else too.
 
Been using a 15x loupe. Not as good as a microscope, but still helpful. I think some kind of magnification is a very good thing to have around if you want to learn more about sharpening and edges.
 
And your blades are noticably sharper?
 
Not so much anymore.

When I was still learning, it came in handy to directly correlate how the edge was cutting vs. what it looked like at that level of cutting performance. After some time doing that, it becomes easier to recognize if the edge is at good geometry, fully apexed and properly deburred, all based on the cutting performance alone. I test by cutting in fine paper, like phonebook pages (or catalog pages, newsprint, etc.). All of the things one can see under magnification can also be 'seen' in how the edge cuts fine paper. If it's slipping and not cutting, it's either not fully apexed or incompletely so, or a lengthy burr is rolled to the side. If it's cutting, but only with some effort and pressure applied, that could indicate edge geometry is wider than it should be. If it's snagging while cutting, that usually indicates incomplete burr removal - those tell-tale snags, when cutting SLOWLY into fine paper, will show you exactly where the burrs are. They can also indicate edge damage, like chips or dents along the apex.

If I examine an edge under magnification anymore, it's usually just to see if scratch patterns on the bevels are as uniform and 'pretty' as I'd hope they'd be. There's always room for improvement there. ;)
 
I use it when reprofiling to see how close I am to the apex, and determine what parts of the blade need more attention. Very helpful and much more useful than the Sharpie trick.
 
Sometimes I can get a little obsessive, mostly with the very tips of my knives, and particularly when a tip gets damaged and I'm in the process of fixing it. In those situations I use a little single power microscope I have. I don't remember what the power level is, but it's pretty powerful.

I'll also use it to get a closer look when there's some kind of damage to the edge like a chip or ding that's just small enough to feel when cutting something (snagging) but too small to see with my naked eye.

My microscope is actually one of the lens attachments that came with a telescope I had as a kid, the attachment is designed to double as a microscope. It really comes in handy to help me remove those irritating microscopic steel slivers that you can get in your hands when you work with steel, the kind that are too small to see even with a standard magnifying glass.
 
I just do the three finger test or see if the blade catches my nail when I run it against it.
 
Yes. I use a lighted magnifying glass. I believe mine is 4" in diameter and 20x or 30x.

I tried a loupe back in the day but they are too small for me. I found myself squinting through them. I much prefer the bigger, lighted magnifying glass.

I should also add I wear glasses and have bifocals.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
And your blades are noticably sharper?
Click to expand...
I think I am getting a slightly better edge. The bigger thing for me was I could see what works, and what doesn't. I've learned a few things that save me time now. Before it seemed to take for ever when I went from my 100 grit plate to 300. Now I could see that the 300 wasn't actually hitting the apex at first. I checked my plates and the 100 is .008 thinker than the rest. So now I raise my angle after the 100...if I have to do a little reprofiling or get a bad spot out. I cut test on phone book paper too, and if you feel a snag you know it's a bad spot. Now I can look and see if it's a micro chip or a burr. Same with light reflecting off the edge. I had a 30x loupe and it's actually better quality, but I do find more magnification helps. I've done it enough now that I know what I want to see. If it looks like a nice clean edge at 60x it's going to be really sharp.
 
As I'm getting older, this sounds like something I'm going to need to do soon...
Probably better than Feeling.

I'm hoping to hear from more users, and possible makes.

Thanks.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
As I'm getting older, this sounds like something I'm going to need to do soon...
Probably better than Feeling.

I'm hoping to hear from more users, and possible makes.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I turned 50 this year and my eyes went to crap. This getting old sucks:(
It's not a must have, but I'm trying to get the most out of my KME. I've got enough money is stones, and diamond plats, strops, another couple of bucks seemed worth it.
 
I use a loupe.
if I needed a magnifier for something else and already had it on hand, I'd probbaly use it to look at the edge.
more so out of my own curiosity than any real sharpening help
 
I rarely use a loupe. I generally just test with my fingers and slicing phone book paper or other media.
 
Yes i use a loupe with led light 30x. I like it. It gives me confirmation when i suspect part of the edge is off.
 
I used to use a loupe as a learning tool and a way to check the results of my work.
Now I use one because I like to, and I like to see my work.
I also like to use one prior to sharpening to check the condition of the edge and to able to see any edge damage.
 
That's a great point...It's nice to be able to see what it looks like before you do anything.
 
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