What's Your Favorite Piece Of Sharpening Equipment?

[eKretz]

For fairly inexpensive USB scopes I would recommend immediately ditching use of the built in ring light. If on a budget, use a nice bright light source like a good spot LED flashlight, preferably with a choice of brightness levels and put it in some kind of holder so you can repeatably and precisely position it. To start, set your blade up such that the bevel is as close to parallel to the scope lens as possible, and adjust from there. Keep the light at an oblique angle such that the flashlight is pointed almost directly at and inline with the apex (so that if it were say, instead of light, a bullet shot out of a gun, it would hit with a barely glancing blow). Try keeping that angle and moving the light source around to different places but still pointing directly at the blade. Try changing the distance from the light source to the blade, as well as varying the brightness. Try raising and lowering the light. Do the same with the angle of your blade. Eventually you will find the happy spot for good informative imaging. This will be an individual thing in terms of exact placement for every scope and light source, and maybe even every blade.

There are additional tricks that can be used like placing a piece of white or black paper below your subject, or adjacent such that light bounces off and hits your subject, etc. Try them all, experiment. Different techniques will work better for different information - for instance, one technique might work better for viewing the scratch pattern, and another better for trying to view the apex only.

I liked the Celestron scope I had, it was decent and had a 5 MP camera, which isn't terrible. This image (Chosera 1k bevel set burr) from the microscope thread was taken with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-Handheld-Digital-Microscope-Pro/dp/B00CMJ1I08/ref=asc_df_B00CMJ1I08/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241899609306&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11842935608810770674&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016182&hvtargid=pla-406164245673&psc=1

 

[Agent Orange Peel]

I love breaking out the Dan's Ark stones.

Japanese water stones like the Shapton Glass stones are great too. I can see an argument for being better, but the Arkansas stones just have something special about them.

Enjoying your gear is just as important as the results.

 

[cudgee]

For fairly inexpensive USB scopes I would recommend immediately ditching use of the built in ring light. If on a budget, use a nice bright light source like a good spot LED flashlight, preferably with a choice of brightness levels and put it in some kind of holder so you can repeatably and precisely position it. To start, set your blade up such that the bevel is as close to parallel to the scope lens as possible, and adjust from there. Keep the light at an oblique angle such that the flashlight is pointed almost directly at and inline with the apex (so that if it were say, instead of light, a bullet shot out of a gun, it would hit with a barely glancing blow). Try keeping that angle and moving the light source around to different places but still pointing directly at the blade. Try changing the distance from the light source to the blade, as well as varying the brightness. Try raising and lowering the light. Do the same with the angle of your blade. Eventually you will find the happy spot for good informative imaging. This will be an individual thing in terms of exact placement for every scope and light source, and maybe even every blade.

There are additional tricks that can be used like placing a piece of white or black paper below your subject, or adjacent such that light bounces off and hits your subject, etc. Try them all, experiment. Different techniques will work better for different information - for instance, one technique might work better for viewing the scratch pattern, and another better for trying to view the apex only.

I liked the Celestron scope I had, it was decent and had a 5 MP camera, which isn't terrible. This image (Chosera 1k bevel set burr) from the microscope thread was taken with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-Handheld-Digital-Microscope-Pro/dp/B00CMJ1I08/ref=asc_df_B00CMJ1I08/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241899609306&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11842935608810770674&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016182&hvtargid=pla-406164245673&psc=1

Great shot, i only use a hand held micro-scope, but showed what you have just shown, but not in such detail. But it made a huge difference to my sharpening, when you can see what is actually happening, takes you to a different level. What you have shown is what those new to sharpening need to see, so they can grasp and understand the whole concept of a burr and it's formation.

 

[Mister Coffee]

I already own this Carson pocket microscope. It is no joy to use. Do you think this Celestron would be any better? Or maybe this Celestron USB? I have to stay on the cheap. Money's tight.

 

[eKretz]

I already own this Carson pocket microscope. It is no joy to use. Do you think this Celestron would be any better? Or maybe this Celestron USB? I have to stay on the cheap. Money's tight.

I think the USB scope you linked would be better than the Carson. But it is important to have a decently sturdy stand and easy fine focus adjustment, which that one doesn't have... I would recommend saving up a little longer and getting the one I linked or something more like it if you really want to take a step up. Otherwise you may be taking more of a lateral step.

 

[Caleb27]

this pair of dmt paddles , ride to work with me. i can , and do use them for most of what is needed at work.
for home sharpening, it is a toss up between my Venev 1x6 set , or my 8x3 set. i also appreciate my assortment of synthetic Japanese waterstones. for razors , i usually finish out on jnats or french Lalune hones. cheers.