Guys, I really enjoy sharpening blades and examining their edges in detail, I have a 15x magnifying loupe and bore light with one led. The bore light has one led that is powered by 3 AA's and has high/low setting, it is the best of the best lights for examining close objects I have ever seen!! Working in conjunction with the 15x loupe you would be surprised at the detail that is easily viewed. This bore light, original purpose of light, is made by Wayne Johnson at www.eleckrolumens who custom builds flashlights. No, I'm not his brother or anything but just thought that you guys may be interested in this product!!
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Examining knife edges
- Thread starter turkeyman
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- Jun 8, 2000
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I'm sure the loupe and bore light works well, but I like using a Bausch & Lomb Stereoview 7 stereo microscope with a fiber optic light source. The stereo optics gives a 3d field of vision not available with a single lens.
jmx
jmx
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I have a Celestron Model 4040 Stereo Dissecting Microscope. It has both top and bottom illumination which can be pretty useful for looking at shiny edged things. I got it specifically to look at knife edges.
[From the Celestron website]
"One of the best stereo microscopes in its class. The fully coated wide field image is sharp and clear. It gives true color with 20x and 40x power using 10x eyepieces and rotating turret of 2x and 4x objectives. It has a 45° inclined, 360° accurate alignment rotatable binocular head with the left ocular tube adapter ±5mm adjustment and interpupillary range of 55mm-75mm. The unit uses both top and bottom lighting with two viewing plates, one black and white, and one opaque glass at 94.5mm."
[From the Celestron website]
"One of the best stereo microscopes in its class. The fully coated wide field image is sharp and clear. It gives true color with 20x and 40x power using 10x eyepieces and rotating turret of 2x and 4x objectives. It has a 45° inclined, 360° accurate alignment rotatable binocular head with the left ocular tube adapter ±5mm adjustment and interpupillary range of 55mm-75mm. The unit uses both top and bottom lighting with two viewing plates, one black and white, and one opaque glass at 94.5mm."
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Just like a good mechanic, I can tell by the feel/resistance of the steel as it drags across the stone/hone.
But I did use a B&L 10X loupe to see and learn what a sharp edge was.
I could see a toothy edge, a polished edge, a rolled edge, I learned what a burr actually looked like, how steeling realigned the edge, and how stropping, and buffing made the edge look.
But I did use a B&L 10X loupe to see and learn what a sharp edge was.
I could see a toothy edge, a polished edge, a rolled edge, I learned what a burr actually looked like, how steeling realigned the edge, and how stropping, and buffing made the edge look.
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But how do you know if the other side of the knife is sharp?
Aren't you ambidextrous?
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T> but then you have to wait for regrowth(& I know this one)...
I'm usually able to tell by the feel on my thumb.
I'm usually able to tell by the feel on my thumb.
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- Apr 29, 2002
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I use my left ring finger pad. Sometimes I get my knives a little sharper than usual though, and I cut a little too deep into the skin. No blood, but it tingles a bit and I can see little grooves.
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You get a lot more information by looking at the blade than by cutting hair. You see chips, bevel uniformity (or lack thereof), rolling, and so on. It's actually pretty interesting to try and change how you sharpen or strop, look at the blade, and see if it made a difference. There's a lot of variation in edges that simply pass the hair cutting test. If you're feeling geeky, indulge yourself with a loupe or microscope.
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- Jun 8, 2000
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My B&L is a couple years old, but works pretty well. I've got 10x, 20x and 30x eyepieces and it zooms from 1x objective to 7x for a maximum of 210x. I usually just use the 10X ones. For the fiber optic lightsource I have a stereo light wand (think two flexy microphone holders in a Y shaped adapter) that can be positioned in almost any position to illuminate without shadows and also a ring light attachment that mounts around the objective lense.
The B&L is presently mounted in a bench stand, but I'm one small part away from a very flexible boom stand mounted on a 12" square inspection plate.
The B&L Stereoview 7 is popular in manufacturing and as presently mounted isn't set-up with a bottom lit stage. For what I use it for, I don't need backlighting (picking out tiny metal slivers, looking at knife edges, etc..). If I need that function, I'll have my wife get out her scope. It's an American Optics more suited to high magnification and does back lighting, darkfield viewing and all sorts of other stuff wild stuff. It's also got a movable stage with micrometer controls for the X and Y axis.
Sometimes it's really cool to have a wife who has worked in inspection in the semi-conducter and micro-electronics business for many years. Our scopes were actually written off and dumpster bound because they were out of calibration and no longer met current spec at a company she used to work for. She was able to get a friend who was a rep in the optics field to go through them for us and put them back in working order as a favor for all the business she'd sent him over the years.
Fine optics are a fine thing.
jmx
The B&L is presently mounted in a bench stand, but I'm one small part away from a very flexible boom stand mounted on a 12" square inspection plate.
The B&L Stereoview 7 is popular in manufacturing and as presently mounted isn't set-up with a bottom lit stage. For what I use it for, I don't need backlighting (picking out tiny metal slivers, looking at knife edges, etc..). If I need that function, I'll have my wife get out her scope. It's an American Optics more suited to high magnification and does back lighting, darkfield viewing and all sorts of other stuff wild stuff. It's also got a movable stage with micrometer controls for the X and Y axis.
Sometimes it's really cool to have a wife who has worked in inspection in the semi-conducter and micro-electronics business for many years. Our scopes were actually written off and dumpster bound because they were out of calibration and no longer met current spec at a company she used to work for. She was able to get a friend who was a rep in the optics field to go through them for us and put them back in working order as a favor for all the business she'd sent him over the years.
Fine optics are a fine thing.
jmx
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 2,986
Having photos of all the conditions noted above would be very instructive.
After all the descriptions of sharpening, seeing the finished results in a text book at least gives you the clear idea of what you're shooting for and can probably help your skill develop faster. Maybe even avoid deadends.
Wonder where such pictures exist?
After all the descriptions of sharpening, seeing the finished results in a text book at least gives you the clear idea of what you're shooting for and can probably help your skill develop faster. Maybe even avoid deadends.
Wonder where such pictures exist?
One of these things:
Tasco 30x handheld (illuminated) microscope
can be very useful.
I'm pretty sure this thing is sold under various brand badges.
This one's Tasco - who has gone out of business - so it can be found
as low as $5!
But as always with mailorder - WATCH OUT for SHIPPING costs.....
Tasco 30x handheld (illuminated) microscope
can be very useful.
I'm pretty sure this thing is sold under various brand badges.
This one's Tasco - who has gone out of business - so it can be found
as low as $5!
But as always with mailorder - WATCH OUT for SHIPPING costs.....