<$10 DIY Digital Microscope, >150x mag, using your smartphone

I just saw this tutorial. It gets better images than the ~$75 USB 'scopes I've seen. All you really need to build this is a phone and the lens from a cheap laser pointer (I have a drawer full from conferences, etc). The rest you could even build out of cardboard, so call it a $1 microscope, assuming you have a $martphone already.

I think I'll use this to track my sharpening progress over the years. All I've had to go on was memory of how cuts feel, the edge feels, etc. It'll be fun to have something a bit more objective to look at.

http://www.instructables.com/id/10-Smartphone-to-digital-microscope-conversion/

Here's a sample image of the cells in onion skin.

Nice! Thank you for sharing the find. Something I will definitely make, not nesesary for knife related topics tho

In the end, how much is REALLY "necessary" around here? I wanna see me some microbevel closeups. Just cuz.

I bought an inexpensive ($1.04, complete with shipping) 60x pocket microscope, with built in LED illumination, and I think it satisfies my needs as far as examining my edges, etc. -- though I still can't sharpen worth a damn. Is 150x magnification really more useful -- at least for purposes of sharpening quality control?

my kids will love this, thanks

The magnitude of magnification of a digital photograph is different than magnification when you're looking through the lens of a 60x loupe. That is to say the final image is a different size, but what you're looking at is fixed in size. The digital photo is more blown up, hence greater mag, but you MIGHT actually see the same (or more) detail through the loupe, especially since you view the photo from much further away than you do the loupe. Long story short: it's still a nice mag for looking at edges, it's cheap, and you can save the photos.

I'm using something like this. A few USD only if ordered from china. Image is crystal clear and you can see bevels very easily. It's my little helper for sharpening both kitchen knives and razors. Kind of uncomfortable to use (staring into this tiny hole and trying to focus the image etc) so I thought about getting a USB option to plug into my laptop.

I own a pocket microscope as well 60x-100x, but it suites different purposes all together. Try snap a pic from one of those. Possible, but such a PITA and the image you get is rather small. Check the video if you did not. Explains what is it.

I've build the microscope and it is quite a nice toy. Total cost was $14. Yeah, Canada is more expensive for everything.
Here are the pics of the device itself:




And here are few pics taken with it:
Edge on haburn petty

Haburn logo

Zoom on the letter A in hAburn


Masakage Shimo Nakiri Right side with Micro-Bevel

Zoom of the above

Same Nakiri Left side without microbevel

Zoom of the above


Random rotten leaf

Really is quick 'n easy, eh? Nice work! More convenient then squinting through loupes or mini scopes, that's for damn sure. Thanks for sharing.