Learning to sharpen and/or hone is difficult enough without having to avoid the minefield of bad, incorrect and misleading information that often leads to frustration and failure. In the following video, Dr.Matt (Youtube Drmatt357) is one of the people who I have had the privilege of being able to point in the right direction when he first caught the shaving bug, and he has certainly taken his honing and shaving to new levels!
Dr. Matt’s video presents a very compelling argument for using a microscope when honing a razor by comparing and critiquing several professionally honed edges under the scope. While he agrees that you don’t need a microscope to get a good shave, he concludes that the shaves are certainly better when the scratch patterns on the bevels are more consistent and have gone all the way to the edge of the edge.
Hello, Dr. Matt here. Today, I’d like to talk about how you can improve the edges on your straight razors and knives. Although I’ll be using a straight razor as the example, the same principles apply to knives as well.
Is There a Secret?
People often ask if there’s a secret to producing a better edge. The answer is simple there isn’t one. The biggest improvement comes from being able to clearly see what you’re doing.
If you’ve watched my previous videos, you’ve probably noticed that I rely heavily on microscope images to evaluate an edge. I use a Veho USB microscope, although there are many other microscopes available on the market.
I don’t have experience with every brand, but I am familiar with the Veho because it’s the one I’ve used for years. I also know several other sharpeners who use the same model.
The Veho isn’t a premium microscope. In fact, it’s often criticised for being inexpensive and somewhat cheaply built. Those criticisms aren’t entirely unfair. However, despite its simple construction, it produces surprisingly good images for the price. If you’re looking for an affordable way to inspect your edges, it offers excellent value.
Of course, there are more advanced microscopes available. Brands such as Dino-Lite provide higher-quality optics and additional features, but they typically cost five to ten times more than the Veho.
Setting Up the Microscope
A proper setup is just as important as the microscope itself. One detail that many people overlook is the Phillips-head screw located on the microscope arm. Make sure it is tightened securely. Also check that the wing nut is firmly tightened to eliminate unnecessary movement.
I keep my microscope permanently mounted on my honing bench. Years ago, I had the microscope in one room and the computer in another. Every time I wanted to inspect an edge, I had to walk back and forth between the two.
Eventually, I realized that I was spending more time moving around than sharpening. Now the microscope sits directly on my workbench, making it easy to inspect the edge whenever I need to.
I also recommend securing the microscope stand directly to the bench with tape or another method that prevents it from shifting during use.
When examining a razor, position the microscope so the lens is directly above the edge.
Another helpful tip is to open the razor to approximately 90 degrees. If the razor is left fully open, it tends to wobble while you’re trying to inspect the edge, causing the image to drift in and out of focus. Opening it to a right angle provides much better stability and makes it much easier to obtain clear images.
Why Look at the Bevel?
One of the most common criticisms I receive is that my microscope images show the bevel, not the actual cutting edge.
I’ve even heard people jokingly refer to the images as “edge porn,” which always makes me smile.
The argument usually goes something like this:
“Those pictures are interesting, but I shave with the edge, not the bevel.”
There’s some truth to that statement.
The actual cutting edge is so incredibly small that it cannot be viewed directly with a standard USB microscope. To truly see the apex itself, you would need a scanning electron microscope, which is well beyond what most sharpeners have access to.
However, that doesn’t mean the bevel tells us nothing.
Reading the Edge Through the Bevel
I’m a chiropractor, and I’ve spent more than 25 years interpreting spinal X-rays.
An X-ray only shows bone. It doesn’t show discs, nerves, ligaments, or the spinal cord.
Yet by studying the position and condition of the bones, it’s possible to determine what’s happening with the structures that cannot actually be seen.
The same principle applies to sharpening.
Although the microscope primarily shows the bevel, the scratch pattern provides valuable information about what is happening at the cutting edge. By examining those scratches, you can make informed conclusions about the condition of the apex and whether the edge has been properly refined.
The Reference Edge
Let’s begin with what I consider a reference edge.
When examining a properly honed bevel, the first thing I look for is a uniform scratch pattern. The scratches should be evenly spaced and consistent across the entire bevel.
Personally, I prefer scratches that run at approximately 45 degrees, which are produced by an X-stroke. Some sharpeners use straight strokes that leave scratches perpendicular to the edge. Both methods can work, but I believe the angled pattern provides a more effective slicing action when cutting whiskers.
Regardless of the direction of the scratches, consistency is the key. More importantly, those scratches must extend all the way to the cutting edge.
That is the single most important characteristic of a properly established bevel.
The “Not to the Edge” Problem
One of the most common issues I see—both on razors sent to me and even on some of my own earlier work—is what I call “not to the edge.”
In these cases, the scratch pattern stops just short of the cutting edge.
When this happens, the very tip of the edge has not actually been sharpened.
There are usually only two causes for this problem:
- The bevel has not been fully established.
- The sharpening stone is no longer flat.
Why Flat Stones Matter
Sharpening stones gradually wear as they are used.
Over time, they become slightly dished, meaning the center of the stone wears lower than the edges.
When a razor is placed on a dished stone, the center portion of the bevel may no longer make full contact with the abrasive surface. As a result, the scratch pattern fails to reach the edge, leaving portions of the blade insufficiently sharpened.
I’ve noticed that many users of natural stones don’t lap their stones very often. Some flatten them only once when the stone is new and rarely check them again.
Even after sharpening just a few razors, however, a stone can begin developing enough wear to affect the quality of the edge.
If you want consistent results, regularly lapping your stones should be part of your sharpening routine. A flat stone ensures that the abrasive reaches the entire bevel, including the part that matters most—the cutting edge.
The Importance of Keeping Your Stones Flat
Some sharpeners believe that a stone only needs to be lapped once when it’s brand new. In my experience, that’s simply not enough.
Even after sharpening just a few razors, a stone can begin to wear in the center. If you flatten the stone after only a handful of razors, you’ll often notice that the middle has already become slightly dished.
This may seem like a small amount of wear, but it can significantly affect your sharpening results.
If you want your stone to perform at its best and ensure the bevel is sharpened all the way to the cutting edge—the part that actually shaves—keeping your stones flat should be a regular part of your sharpening routine.
Identifying an Edge That Isn’t Fully Sharpened
Think back to the reference edge we looked at earlier. The scratch pattern should extend evenly from the top of the bevel all the way to the cutting edge.
In this first example, you’ll notice the edge appears slightly fuzzy at the very tip. That fuzziness indicates the bevel hasn’t quite reached the cutting edge.
Here’s another example showing the same problem. Once again, the scratch pattern fades before reaching the edge.
In the next image, not only is the edge still fuzzy, but the scratches near the edge are noticeably deeper. Those deeper scratches are left behind by the bevel-setting stone, which tells us the bevel still needs additional work before moving on to finer grits.
When the Bevel Refuses to Reach the Edge
Sometimes you’ll continue sharpening and feel like you’re making no progress. No matter how many strokes you perform, the scratch pattern still refuses to reach the very edge.
When that happens, you may be chasing a bevel angle that simply isn’t reaching the apex. One solution is to add a layer of tape to the spine. Raising the spine slightly changes the honing angle just enough to allow the abrasive to contact the cutting edge. In many cases, a single layer of tape is all that’s needed to finish establishing the bevel.
A French Razor Case Study
One razor that came across my bench illustrates this perfectly.
It was a French straight razor that had been given to its owner as a gift. Since he was relatively new to straight razor shaving, he assumed the painful shave he experienced was simply due to his lack of technique.
After examining the razor under the microscope, the real problem became obvious. The bevel looked excellent over roughly 90% of its surface, but the final 10% the actual cutting edge had never been properly sharpened.
In other words, the razor looked good, but the most important part of the bevel had been missed. The owner asked me to restore the edge using my nanocloth finishing progression. After correcting the bevel, the edge became clean, consistent, and fully sharpened from spine to edge. Fortunately, it was a straightforward repair.
Recognising a Stone That Needs Lapping
Here’s another example that demonstrates the effects of an unflattened stone. Notice that the reflective area which hasn’t been sharpened appears only in the center of the blade.
That pattern immediately tells me the sharpening stone was dished. As the center of the stone wears lower than the ends, the middle section of the razor no longer makes full contact with the abrasive surface. Instead, a small gap develops between the blade and the stone, preventing the center of the edge from being sharpened properly.
To confirm my suspicion, I simply ran the razor across a freshly lapped stone. The unsharpened area disappeared almost immediately, confirming that the problem wasn’t the razor—it was the stone.
A Small Angle Change Can Make a Big Difference
One experiment really demonstrated how little adjustment is sometimes required. I applied a single layer of Scotch tape to the spine of the razor. That’s all. Standard Scotch tape is only about 2 mil (0.002 inch) thick.
For comparison:
- Scotch tape: 2 mil
- Electrical tape: 6 mil
- Scotch Super 88: 8 mil
Even with just that thin layer of Scotch tape, the bevel immediately reached the cutting edge and produced a clean, continuous scratch pattern.
It doesn’t take much of an angle change to correct a bevel that has been missing the edge.
The same principle applies to stone maintenance. A stone doesn’t need to become deeply dished before sharpening performance begins to suffer.
The Microscope Is Another Sharpening Tool
Many sharpeners rely on tests such as:
- Thumb Pad Test (TPT)
- Thumbnail Test (TNT)
- Hanging Hair Test (HHT)
- Tree Top Test
These methods can certainly provide useful information, and each has its place in the sharpening process.
However, I consider the microscope to be another valuable tool—one that allows you to actually see what’s happening instead of relying solely on feel.
Personally, I believe it’s the most informative tool available.
To use a shooting analogy, the traditional tests will get you on target.
The microscope helps you tighten your group.
Instead of simply confirming that the razor is sharp, it allows you to verify that the bevel is consistent and that the scratch pattern reaches the edge along the entire length of the blade.
Examining Professional Edges
In the next part of this demonstration, I’d like to examine several razors sharpened by other people.
A few of these examples came from professional honers—people who sharpen straight razors commercially.
The first edge isn’t bad overall, but it does show some inconsistency. While the bevel appears reasonably well finished, the scratch pattern varies across different areas of the edge, indicating there is still room for improvement.
Let’s continue by examining several microscope images from professionally honed razors. The purpose isn’t to criticize anyone’s work, but to understand what different edges look like under magnification and identify areas where they can be improved.
The First Professional Edge
At first glance, the first edge looks fairly respectable.
However, there are a few details that stand out.
Near the center of the bevel, you’ll notice several nearly horizontal scratch marks. I’m not entirely sure what caused them, but they differ from the primary scratch pattern.
Another observation is the lack of a clearly defined finishing pattern. Much of what appears hazy is actually residue left behind by the honing slurry rather than the steel itself. This makes it more difficult to evaluate the actual finish of the bevel.
Examining Different Areas of the Same Edge
The next several microscope images are all taken from the same razor edge, just at different locations.
This immediately shows why inspecting only one section of a blade can be misleading.
In one area, multiple scratch patterns overlap each other. You can clearly see remnants of the bevel-setting stage near both the top of the bevel and the cutting edge.
The scratches also run in several different directions.
While this isn’t always a problem—especially if the sharpener finishes with circle strokes, which naturally create a less uniform pattern—I personally prefer a consistent X-stroke pattern that produces evenly angled scratches across the entire bevel.
More importantly, several of the coarse bevel-setting scratches were never completely removed during the finishing stages.
Inconsistent Refinement
Looking at another section of the same razor, the bevel appears even more irregular.
The scratch pattern lacks consistency, suggesting that different parts of the blade received different amounts of refinement.
In contrast, another area of the same razor actually looks much better. The scratches extend completely to the cutting edge, which is exactly what we want to see.
The only concern here is that the edge still appears rather toothy. While it would probably shave, it isn’t an edge I would personally consider finished before returning it to a customer.
The final image from this razor tells a similar story.
Although the overall scratch pattern isn’t bad, the slight fuzziness at the edge indicates that the bevel still hasn’t been fully refined all the way to the apex. That unfinished appearance is another example of what I refer to as “not to the edge.”
When you compare all of these images together, it becomes clear how much the edge quality can vary along a single blade.
Another Professional Example
The next razor also came from a professional sharpener.
Overall, this edge is reasonably well finished.
The scratch pattern is consistent, although the scratches become slightly heavier near the cutting edge while the upper portion of the bevel appears more polished. That difference is still acceptable.
The issue I notice here is what I refer to as “rat bites.”
The edge appears slightly rough and irregular instead of forming one clean, continuous apex.
Coarse Bevel-Setting Scratches
Moving to the next image, we once again see evidence that the scratch pattern never fully reached the cutting edge.
Those coarse marks along the edge were left behind by the bevel-setting stone.
The following image reveals an even larger issue.
The deep scratches visible throughout the bevel are characteristic of a diamond plate used during bevel setting.
Diamond plates establish a bevel quickly, which makes them an excellent tool for heavy restoration work. However, because the diamond particles are fixed to the plate, they produce deeper scratches than conventional sharpening stones.
Those scratches must be completely removed during the following stages.
Using an intermediate conversion stone makes removing those coarse diamond scratches much easier before progressing to the finishing stones.
The Best Area of the Blade
The next microscope image is probably the best section of that particular razor.
Even so, the edge still shows slight toothiness.
Some people might assume this rough appearance is simply the nature of the steel.
However, after rehoning the razor myself, the edge became much cleaner and more refined.
That tells me the steel wasn’t the problem.
The difference came from the sharpening process.
Consistency Across the Entire Edge
One lesson I’ve learned is that inspecting only one location on the blade isn’t enough.
Whenever I examine an edge under the microscope, I inspect:
- The heel
- The middle
- The toe
- Both sides of the razor
Only then can I be confident that the bevel has been fully established from end to end.
Once I’m satisfied that the bevel reaches the edge along the entire blade, I rarely need to inspect every subsequent stage under magnification.
Personally, I continue checking because I simply enjoy seeing how the edge develops throughout the sharpening progression.
Why a Microscope Matters
Interestingly, every one of these razors would likely pass traditional sharpness tests, including:
- Hanging Hair Test (HHT)
- Tree Top Test
- Thumb Pad Test
- Magnification with a standard jeweler’s loupe
None of those methods would reveal the inconsistencies visible under the microscope.
That’s one reason I place so much value on microscopic inspection.
The Shave Test vs. Microscope Images
After examining these professionally honed edges, I contacted both sharpeners and offered to share the microscope images with them.
Both gave essentially the same response.
Neither was particularly interested.
Their position was straightforward:
“The ultimate test is the shave. My customers are happy, and my razors shave well. That’s all I need to know.”
To be fair, they’re not wrong.
A comfortable shave is ultimately what matters most.
In fact, both razors shaved considerably better than their microscope images might suggest.
However, after correcting the issues I found under magnification, both razors shaved even better.
That, in my opinion, is the value of the microscope.
It’s not about replacing the shave test.
It’s about identifying small imperfections that can still be improved.
No matter how experienced a sharpener becomes, there is almost always room to refine an edge just a little further.
Examples of Excellent Edges
Not every edge under the microscope reveals problems.
One example in this collection is a beautifully finished coticule edge.
Natural stones generally produce a less uniform scratch pattern than synthetic stones because of their variable abrasive structure.
Even so, this particular edge is exceptionally well executed.
The scratches remain consistent from the top of the bevel all the way to the cutting edge, and the razor delivers an excellent shave.
This edge was honed by David (“Obi-Wan”), and it demonstrates that a natural stone can produce outstanding results when used carefully.
The final example is a synthetic edge from a Wade & Butcher razor finished with 1-micron CBN on balsa.
The reflective finish is immediately noticeable, and the scratch pattern is extremely consistent.
Every scratch runs at approximately 45 degrees, creating a clean, uniform bevel from spine to edge.
Not only does the edge look excellent under the microscope, but it also performs exceptionally well during shaving.
This razor was honed by Tom Blodgett of Jende Industries, whose work has greatly influenced my own sharpening techniques.
Final Thoughts
I hope this demonstration has shown how useful a microscope can be during the sharpening process.
Traditional sharpness tests remain valuable, but seeing the bevel under magnification provides another level of information that simply can’t be obtained any other way.
If your goal is to produce the most consistent and comfortable shaving edge possible, it all begins with proper honing—and proper honing begins with a well-prepared bevel.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch. Happy honing!
Great work, Dr. Matt!
You saved the best for last, too! 😀
Please email me how to order a set of your shaving cloths and pay for them. Rbuffington52@gamail.com