Sharpening. A microscopic contribution

[Dave D]

David Charlesworth recommends using a microscope to observe progress when sharpening so I bought a cheap plastic microscope from ebay and gave it a try.
The images were very useful but I found it very fiddly trying to manipulate the blade in its honing jig, the focusing adjustment of the microscope, the focusing distance and the light source all at the same time.

I have now discovered the perfect solution and it is even cheaper!

Maplins sells a 100x microscope for £5.99 part number L11BK.
It has a very bright and even white LED light source and a fixed focusing distance of zero.

Whatever you touch with the end of the microscope is in focus, No adjustments at all.

I can now tell the difference between a polished blunt edge and a polished sharp edge while still having hairs on the back of my hand.

(The back I said not the palms)

 

[HandyTim]

Thanks for the heads up Dave. I'll pop into Maplin and have a look

 

[Derek Willis.]

I thought Maplin's was a holiday camp, or so Ruth Maddox led us to believe.
Derek.

 

[Ironballs]

All respect to David Charlesworth, but a microscope, seriously! The ability to take hairs off the hand and plane thin shavings easily tends to be enough for me

 

[cambournepete]

I thought Maplin's was a holiday camp...

Sadly now demolished and replaced with a housing estate
I spent many happy summer weeks there when I was young - it was Warner Brothers holiday camp in Dovercourt in Essex.

 

[Anonymous]

All respect to David Charlesworth, but a microscope, seriously! The ability to take hairs off the hand and plane thin shavings easily tends to be enough for me

For me, the thin shavings is enough and I find it very odd that anyone would bother shaving hairs off their hands or anywhere else with a tool they have just sharpened

 

[Ironballs]

I think if I got a microscope out I'd probably worry more about the imperfections/hollows in my sharpening stones!

 

[Chris Knight]

David,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for the info.

I reckon this could be very useful for the army of folk who start woodwork and find sharpening difficult. The nature of a typical edge, before, during and after sharpening is not necessarily obvious and a magnified view of it will help a lot. For the price it's hard to beat - if it does what it says on the tin, I haven't seen it.

 

[frugal]

There is a really useful page about using a microscope to look at the effects of sharpening: http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/qx3.html.

 

[Philly]

At the sharpening classes I helped out on at the WIA event, Ron Hock set up a microscope connected to his laptop (like the one in Brents pages) so trainees could come and examine the edge of their tools as the went through the grits - and to see what they were achieving.
A very useful thing, being able to see what you're doing. And a great help in understanding bevel angles.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Karl]

For me, the thin shavings is enough and I find it very odd that anyone would bother shaving hairs off their hands or anywhere else with a tool they have just sharpened

How do you know the blade is sharp without shaving the hairs off your hands?

Cheers

Karl

 

[ByronBlack]

I do the quick hair of the arm method to check the blade is sharp while still in the jig, this saves a lot of faffing around setting up the plane only to find the shavings aren't quite right due to a not-sharp-enough blade, it's a quick visual clue (shaving a few hairs) that saves a lot of mucking around fitting and un fitting the blade (chisels are obviously a different kettle of frogs).

 

[Ironballs]

It's true, I was getting iffy results from my smoother today so decided to stop for a sharpen. Pre-sharpen the blade wasn't even pulling the hairs, post sharpen it had the mothers right off and produced lots of nice shavings

 

[Dave D]

Thanks, Frugal, for the link to the microscope images.
I am able to observe, but not of course photograph, results just like these with my Maplinscope.
I am happy to follow the instructions of the experts on sharpening but even happier when I can see exactly why the various steps make sense.
Since it now only takes seconds to take a quick look at progress I do it at every sharpen and I am getting consistently better results than previously.

I am not suggesting that microscopes are essential. Experienced experts know how to sharpen already, but at six quid this tool can help those who are setting up a routine for sharpening at a very reasonable price.

 

[gidon]

Dave
I have one of those - very useful, although slight knack to using it I find.
I also have one of their loupes (10x IIRC) too which is also useful.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I use a X10 loupe for a quick look or an Olympus microscope for more nerdy examinations :wink: although the depth of field is a problem.

Pete

 

[Benchwayze]

The eyepiece from an old telescope would be adequate for this job. If DC meant it as as an exercise in 'educating' yourself as to what is going on at the business end, then I can see the reason. It is interesting to see how jagged a supposed 'razor edge' is. The idea though is to go from 'Something to Nothing', as Jim Kingshott used to say. So, overall I am with Tony.

If I can't get shavings fine enough to read newsprint through, then either the edge has yet to reach 'nothing', or it's become blunt.

Shaving your arms? No thanks. I can cut myself using a safety-razor in the mornings! :lol:

 

[bugbear]

Thanks, Frugal, for the link to the microscope images.
I am able to observe, but not of course photograph, results just like these with my Maplinscope.
I am happy to follow the instructions of the experts on sharpening but even happier when I can see exactly why the various steps make sense.

I think this is as good a response to ironballs question about the need for magnification as we're going to get

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

The eyepiece from an old telescope would be adequate for this job.

If you had such a thing about you. A new telescope eyepiece (of any quality) is a good deal more expensive than a loupe or Maplin-scope!

BugBear

 

[Benchwayze]

The eyepiece from an old telescope would be adequate for this job.

If you had such a thing about you. A new telescope eyepiece (of any quality) is a good deal more expensive than a loupe or Maplin-scope!

BugBear

Hi BB,

I just happen to have have a couple of useful telescopes bought from junk-shops. They work perfectly, but I do unscrew the eyepieces for cleaning. I also use the eyepiece of one to inspect the object-glass of the other for scratches.

I wasn't denegrating use of a loupe' or Maplins gizmo. I just offered the info for anyone who happens to have a telescope and might not have considered using the eyepiece as a mini-microscope. Saves buying from Maplin, if you do already have one.

So having sharpened my fave smoother last night, I'll be away to the shop, and do what I promised SWMBO I would do!

All the best BB