I’m posting some pictures of an edge that went through a synthetic progression. Please let me know how they look. This is 60x and 120x and there might be a 15x magnification in there. Thanks in advance friends. Not saying the progression grit just to see what you guys think that edge looks like.
Review these edges
- Thread starter Stapelfeld
- Start date
Are you asking us to guess the last grit you used?
I have no idea what I'm looking at in photos 17 and 18. Obviously, the side of a blade, but... Whatever that magnification is, it's not very useful. There is no clear view of the apex.
There are still visible sparkles on the apex and the edge isn't flat in photos 14 and 16. Are these before or after photos?
IMO, those look like razors that need to be put on a 1k and some metal taken off.
When I hone I go from setting the bevel to finishing. In one session. I inspect the apex after every step, but I can't tell you with any certainty what a given blade was last honed with.
I have no idea what I'm looking at in photos 17 and 18. Obviously, the side of a blade, but... Whatever that magnification is, it's not very useful. There is no clear view of the apex.
There are still visible sparkles on the apex and the edge isn't flat in photos 14 and 16. Are these before or after photos?
IMO, those look like razors that need to be put on a 1k and some metal taken off.
When I hone I go from setting the bevel to finishing. In one session. I inspect the apex after every step, but I can't tell you with any certainty what a given blade was last honed with.
How does it shave?
- Thread starter
- #5
It was shaving tuggy before this hone… after this it went through 1.5k shapton, 5k then 8k, naniwa 12 and shapton 30k no tape… now it’s doing the hht like a laser but I will do my shave with it today… I’m asking on the thread because on magnification the edge doesn’t look that great, it looks pretty bad tbh.
@Stapelfeld what are you using to get the images? Photos 14 and 16 are pretty good quality.
- Thread starter
- #7
Hi friend! I’m using this Carson micro bite microscope with phone attachment: https://a.co/d/0mYM6iF
The other pictures were taken with a loupe…
- Thread starter
- #8
But I will let you know how it shaves later today because hht isn’t shaving and it might be good at hht and suck at shaving who knows…
Look straight down on the edge. If you see any shiny spots, that is where bevels are not meeting, a microchip, or a burr.
Try to perfect the finish of the bevels and the edge from each stone.
So, the first photo is the finish edge?
Try to perfect the finish of the bevels and the edge from each stone.
So, the first photo is the finish edge?
Did you check your edge with a scope as you progressed? Maybe an uneven stone did the damage. Would freshly lap your last finisher and see what a few x strokes does to the edge.
- Thread starter
- #11
Yes! They are all finished edge. 1st picture is loupe 15x and the 3rd as well. 2nd and 4th are with the microscope 60x - 120x
- Thread starter
- #12
So I don’t usually use the microscope when honing… I usually use it when I finish if I’m feeling like it but I do more often use the loupe… mostly I just do HHT on my arm and thumb pad test.
It was a rhetorical question.
How the bevel looks, the HHT, the sparkely shiny spot theories, and all of the rest of the argument fodder - not important.
I can image an edge 3 different ways and it'll look like 3 different edges and one person will think the finish was perfect and another will think the bevel needs to be reset.
But all that matters is how it shaves. And if the shave was good, does it keep the good edge?
Some bevels look bad, shave great, others look great and shave bad. Same for the so called 'tests' out there.
You can see glints of light on any edge given the right circumstances. Polished steel is very reflective, seeing glints of light might mean trouble, might mean nothing.
But a good shave is a good shave. Period.
I have had natural stone edges typically from coticules that did not look great under magnification, but they still shaved good.
I have had synthetic edges that looked good but shaved terribly.
I have never had synthetic edges, especially 30k edges that looked bad but shaved well.
Most steel I have really struggle to handle a 30k edge, especially if I do too many laps.
To me it looks like you still have striations left from the bevelsetter.
How many laps did you do on the 30k?
Did you use a glass stone or a Pro stone?
I have had synthetic edges that looked good but shaved terribly.
I have never had synthetic edges, especially 30k edges that looked bad but shaved well.
Most steel I have really struggle to handle a 30k edge, especially if I do too many laps.
To me it looks like you still have striations left from the bevelsetter.
How many laps did you do on the 30k?
Did you use a glass stone or a Pro stone?
- Thread starter
- #15
Yes I think im understanding what you mean… keep it simple, what does it matter if it looks horrible if in the end it shaves great.
- Thread starter
- #16
Exactly this.
But the scientists and poobahs will argue otherwise.
It's just shaving. Be vigilant. Keep it simple.
If it doesn't shave well, go back and learn to set the bevel so it shaves. Then learn to refine.
Sometimes it might be helpful to figure out why it did or did not shave well.
Part of the story can be seen with magnification.
Part of the story can be seen with magnification.
- Thread starter
- #19
The edge shaved pretty good! Here’s the shave for those interested… had a little sign to it IMO:
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