Best loupe? 20X? 30X? 40X?

S

shinbone

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Dec 13, 2005
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I've got a Bausch & Lomb Hastings Triplett 20X loupe to examine scratch patterns on the bevel as I sharpen my knives.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OVHUPS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While not an essential tool for knife sharpening, I do find it informative to view scratch patterns from the various grits as I go through a stone progression. This particular loupe is 8.3mm in diameter, and is relatively hard to use.

Can anyone recommend a better 20X loupe? By "better" I mean either easier to use, or a better image, or, preferably, both.

Also, I would like to get another loupe in a higher magnification level, so, can anyone recommend a 30X and/or 40X loupe?

I am also open to other magnification options beside the traditional loupe.

TIA.
 
I'm like you and found the loupe hard to use. I went to the OptiVisior headset and
got the 8X lens. And found I like it. Perhaps they have since made higher powered lenses. DM
 
I also own and use a couple of Bausch & Lomb loupes. One I have is a straight 10X and it is handy for quick checking during sharpening and just nice to have for quick inspections of how badly a blade needs sharpening. I have another Bausch & Lomb loupe that is 8X x 17X and it's not bad for checking out intricate work that I've done on blades.

I just recently had the privilege of chatting with a real life "watchmaker" and I spoke to him about his use of Loupes in his trade. He told me that the current best loupes on the market are the German made Zeiss loupes. I've been checking them out and I do want maybe one or two of them that I've looked at but they are high dollar. I know that the "Carl Zeiss" company has had a great reputation over the years for all kinds of super high quality optics ( especially in the medical field).

I hope more people chime in on this thread because I would also like to know more about loupes.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. The strongest Zeiss loupe I could google-up is only 10X. No doubt it is a good loupe, though.
 
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Zeiss have been the Premiere Lens for all Optics for many years! A 10X Loupe is the standard for Jewelers for a couple of hundred years! I don't personally use a Loupe while sharpening... Rely on feel & test results. Though the OP's use of one to examine grit lines may be very information on the Stones, Belts, Rods Etc...


When a dealer of Gem stones, Diamonds is glancing at stones, they use a hand held loupe, When working, they have a 10X that fixes to their glasses over their dominate eye...

I use a set of 10X glasses over my normal spectacles when going over fit on my Custom knives at times, I may start doing more inspection of my grit lines from my belt sharpening... Good way to see the pattern as the belts start to wear...
 
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They were (are) big in the world of astronomy as well...telescopes and astronomical projectors.
 
View attachment 912459 View attachment 912458 10X loupes are the standard by which Diamonds are rated for inclusions, voids, flaws, cracks, cut, color, etc. I find it hard to hand hold a magnifier over 10X because of the shake factor. I switch to a binocular dissection microscope when working above 10X. The Opti-Visors go up to 10 diopters (3 1/2X). I add T lights to my Opti-Visors. For long distance work, I use a Zeiss loupe at 4.3X with focus at 40cm.
 
David Martin said:
I'm like you and found the loupe hard to use. I went to the OptiVisior headset and
got the 8X lens. And found I like it. Perhaps they have since made higher powered lenses. DM
Click to expand...

Is that 8x or 8 diopters? I have a set of PeriOptix loupes at work that are 3x and that's about as strong as I would want.
 
Yes, they supply up to a 3 or 4X with the headset. Then I had a flipper loupe sold at Sears with 3 large lenses, each being 5X. I took one out and connected it to the headset right side on a swivel screw. Bringing it to 8X when it is swing into play on the right eye. It works great and is all the power I need for use. DM
 
tiguy7 said:
View attachment 912459 View attachment 912458 10X loupes are the standard by which Diamonds are rated for inclusions, voids, cut, color, etc. I find it hard to hand hold a magnifier over 10X because of the shake factor. I switch to a binocular dissection microscope when working above 10X. The Opti-Visors go up to 10 diopters (3 1/2X). I add T lights to my Opti-Visors. For long distance work, I use a Zeiss loupe at 4.3X with focus at 40cm.
Click to expand...
Do these visors cause any neck or headaches?
 
No, the binocular loupes are sometimes used for extended surgery. The Opti-Visor is even lighter than the binocular loupe. Headaches are usually caused by poor quality optics or misadjustment of the optics. The binocular loupe is focused by moving your head back and forth. Same with the Opti-Visor. You can wear prescriptive glasses with either one.
The problem with single lens loupes is: the higher the magnification, the shorter the working distance. The highest power Opti-Visor (3 1/2X) is utilized just inches from your face.
 
The Opti-Visors come in 6 magnifications: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10 diopters. The corresponding powers are: 1 1/2X, 1 3/4X, 2X, 2 1/2X, 2 3/4X, and 3 1/2X. The corresponding working distances are: 20”, 14”, 10”, 8”, 6”, and 4”. A swingaway side loupe can boost the power of any of the lens boards by 2 1/2X, but you lose the stereo vision, and the working distance is further decreased.
 
annr said:
Do these visors cause any neck or headaches?
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The headsets are light plastic , as mentioned , any headaches are from poor quality optics or possibly using to much magnification for the focal point of the job.. Most think higher mag, is better! Not always... there is a sweet spot. Like most everything else..
 
Get a USB microscope. They are inexpensive, easy to use, and have adjustable magnification. Plus, you can get screenshots
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
The headsets are light plastic , as mentioned , any headaches are from poor quality optics or possibly using to much magnification for the focal point of the job.. Most think higher mag, is better! Not always... there is a sweet spot. Like most everything else..
Click to expand...
I use custom prescription glasses (bifocal) with the correct focal point and magnification for the job at hand—plus I get the depth of field I’m looking for.

I bring my gear to the doctor, and they find the correct power so that I can hold the object where I need to and see the detail I’m interested in. (I have several pair.)

I don’t like extra things on my head.
 
annr said:
I use custom prescription glasses (bifocal) with the correct focal point and magnification for the job at hand—plus I get the depth of field I’m looking for.

I bring my gear to the doctor, and they find the correct power so that I can hold the object where I need to and see the detail I’m interested in. (I have several pair.)

I don’t like extra things on my head.
Click to expand...
Annr, Alright, LOL , You asked
, and I gave my Experience. LOL I don’t sell those things! LOL, take care!
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Annr, Alright, LOL , You asked
, and I gave my Experience. LOL I don’t sell those things! LOL, take care!
Click to expand...
I appreciate it! I’m very picky and look at stuff in the micron range —on and off—for what can be an extended period of time. This is what I found to be the only thing that I’m comfortable with. So they pay for themselves in usefulness and wearability. (A surgeon that I taught also uses custom prescription glasses for surgery.)

I’m still going to research some of these other ideas…in case I missed something.
 
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