Vision aids for use when sharpening?

[Wrace]

I was curious what kind (if any) vision aids you guys use during your sharpening process? Things like magnifying glass, bright lights, Lupe's etc.

I have a 10x lighted Lupe that I use to inspect the machined surfaces of some of my machining projects occasionally... it also gets a lot of use looking for that illusive metal sliver embedded in my finger.

I was thinking more along the lines of one of those lighted large magnifying glasses on an adjustable swing-arm. Seems like with something like this you could use it during the sharpening process and not have to set the knife down to pick up a magnify glass. You could take few strokes and shift over a bit for inspecting it under the glass... Or maybe those swing-arm glasses are not powerful enough in terms of magnification?

How about task lighting, do you have some specific lighting set-up near your sharpening gear?

Wayne

 

[basjoo]

I have an inexpensive magnifying hood that I wear on my head (you'll see jewelers using them a lot.) The hood swings up out of the way when you dont need it. I really like it and use it all the time. With my old eyes the more light the merrier so I have fluorescent shop lights and spots in reflectors set up above the bench.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Wayne
Magnification and good lighting are essential to most precision projects.
If you learn to hold proper angles with a stone you should be able to sharpen in the dark. This takes some practice, but once you have the tecnique mastered it's easy.
Bill

 

[kerryd]

I have a lighted magnifying glass on a swing arm like you mentioned. I dkon't know the power of magnification but it may not be enough for you. It does fine for my other projects with wood and helps with sharpening also. I'd reccomend one.

 

[Doug C]

10X loupe,great for checkin' them edges.

 

[Saberman]

Red marker. Really helps to see were your working. Really helps to visualise the process.

 

[wetdog1911]

Best yet, combine the marker and the 10x loupe.

I use a black marker, but that isn't important (color), as long as you can see, with the loupe, what you are or aren't taking off and what's happening.

Rob

 

[sprokker]

I use this $10 lighted pocket microscope from Radioshack.

 

[nozh_scrap]

I use oil....yes oil.

I work up a little grey slurry of oil on the stone, and drag the edge across it, "loading" the blade with a bead of the slurry. Due to surface tension, the slurry will stay put right above the edge. When I lay the knife back on the stone and slowly lean it to the correct angle, the surface tension of the oil slurry breaks and runs off onto the stone, and I drag across.

The oil loads itself everytime you make a pass so you can repeat it.

hope that made sense... I've been sharpening for a long time, and that's just a little technique I've developed. I can sharpen without oil too. I just lean my head in right up close to the stone... I also pay attention to how the light plays off the polished edge to get the right angle.