Jeweler’s Loupe

[Ken Buzbee]

$4.05 and free shipping? AAA batteries? Looks like a no-brainer. Thanks for the tip!

Yeah, seems like shipping would be more than that! These must cost -$27.21 to make 🙂

Ken

(but hey, I ordered one. Why not?)

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

I first used the loupe when doing the Sharpie Trick. It gave me a much more accurate view of the wear on the knife after just a few passes with the 1K grit stone. It’s especially helpful when you’re off by just a bit and it’s difficult to see exactly where the stone is hitting the bevel.

Now I also use it to look at scratch patterns. Of course, most of the time I’m baffled by what I’m seeing… but I figure it’ll make sense some day! 🙂

And now I want to ammend my recommendation. This 40x Loupe sold by Fasttech, direct from China is my new favorite.

It has a much better depth of field than any of my other loupes, and it’s only $1.00 more. It uses standard AAA batteries, so you don’t have to hunt around the internet (and pay extortion fees) for replacements. DId I mention the depth of field? That’s really what sets this one apart, making it significantly easier to see the details.

-Pie

Pie, I liked this loupe so much I went back and ordered a second one to have. I can’t believe something so cheap works so great!!! The one I payed $30. for fails compared to this little $5. unit!! You are absolutely correct about it’s great field of depth and it is really nice and bright with the three aaa batteries!!
Thank you, Eamon

[Ken Buzbee]

My Fastech loupe arrived yesterday. I was so excited to give this guy a go. I like the format. The large lense is easier to use than my old Bausch & Lomb and it’s nice to have the light built in:

But…. (sorry guys) There is just no comparison on the optics. The B&L is vastly superior. Yeah, it’s very small and can be a royal pain in the a.. to use. I have to get the lighting just right (a true joy while the knife is mounted 😉 ) and I can only see a small section of the edge at a time but I see MUCH more detail through the B&L

I know this is supposed to be 40X and my B&L is only marked 20X but they don’t behave that way. Must have to do with the focal length? (I’m not an optics guy so all I know is what I see)

This new loupe is nice to have as a back up. The price is terrific (I paid a lot more for the B&L a LONG time ago 😉 ), and it would be better than nothing, but it isn’t going to replace my B&L.

Ken

[cbwx34]

Hey Ken,

Is it possible for you to snap a photo of an edge looking thru the magnifier(s)? (Or at least the big one?) Might give some perspective.

Thanks!

[Ken Buzbee]

Hey Ken,

Is it possible for you to snap a photo of an edge looking thru the magnifier(s)? (Or at least the big one?) Might give some perspective.

Thanks!

😉 You’re taxing my photo skills, Curtis…

I’ll see if I can figure out a way, but I have my doubts.

Ken

[wickededge]

Hey Ken,

Is it possible for you to snap a photo of an edge looking thru the magnifier(s)? (Or at least the big one?) Might give some perspective.

Thanks!

Curtis,

I have one of these up here at the office just for you for the next time you come up. 🙂

-Clay

[cbwx34]

Curtis,

I have one of these up here at the office just for you for the next time you come up. 🙂

Bribery works well with me! :whistle: 😆
(It’s scary that you know that). :S

[Mikedoh]

Mr Allison,
Would it be possible for you to snap a picture thru the new big loupe and post it?
Much appreciated in advance.
Mike

[Eating Pie]

My Fastech loupe arrived yesterday. I was so excited to give this guy a go. I like the format. The large lense is easier to use than my old Bausch & Lomb and it’s nice to have the light built in:
…
But…. (sorry guys) There is just no comparison on the optics. The B&L is vastly superior. Yeah, it’s very small and can be a royal pain in the a.. to use. I have to get the lighting just right (a true joy while the knife is mounted 😉 ) and I can only see a small section of the edge at a time but I see MUCH more detail through the B&L

I know this is supposed to be 40X and my B&L is only marked 20X but they don’t behave that way. Must have to do with the focal length? (I’m not an optics guy so all I know is what I see)

This new loupe is nice to have as a back up. The price is terrific (I paid a lot more for the B&L a LONG time ago 😉 ), and it would be better than nothing, but it isn’t going to replace my B&L.

I think this is an issue of conflicting international standards. There’s the accurate “40x is 40x” standard that B&L (and other name brands) use, and then there’s the Chinese “40x is whatever I say it is” standard. Ah China, the magical land where goods are cheap, and rules are [strike]rules[/strike] nonexistent! 😀

I actually suspected the Chinese loupes were mis-stating their ratings when I first started using them. Sounds like that’s the case after all.

-Pie

[cbwx34]

I got the loupe… here’s a quick pic…

(If I turn the light on, it washes out the pic).

It’s decent… I agree with Ken though… I don’t think it’s 40x. Has better depth of field then a 15x one I have though.

Attachments:

• IMG_0090_2013-04-20.jpg

[Phil Pasteur]

I would bet that if Ken looked for it, not only would the field of view be clear and in focus from edge to edge, he would notice much les, if any of the pincushion effect that is in the pic above… though some of tha may be due to the cameras lense interacting with the Loupe. You will almost never find those characteristics in a cheap Loupe.

As to the magnification, I have 10, 20, 30 and 40X Chinese, under $10 loupes, they all look about the same to me as to magnification…. Yes they lie…

All that being said, for around $5 I will probably get one.

Is the light an LED, or incandescent bulb?

Phil

[Ken Buzbee]

I wish you could look through my B&L, Curtis. You’d be shocked at the difference in quality of what you can see. The 50 grit diamonds look like boulders in it. 😉 I can kinda/sorta make them out with this one.

Ken

[Ken Buzbee]

The lights are LEDs, Phil. And they are quite bright. Almost too bright. I find they “wash out” just looking through it, not only under the camera.

A reflection off a polished edge almost blinded me 😉

Ken

[Ken Buzbee]

Here is one similar to mine

http://www.usgeologicalsupply.com/bausch-lomb-20x-coddington-magnifier.html

As i said, mine is pretty old. I think this may be a newer model but it looks about the same.

Yeah, it’s 7x more expensive but well woth it, IMO.

(sorry, I still haven’t figured out how to hold everything while taking a picture)

Ken

[Phil Pasteur]

http://www.amazon.com/SE-30X-Illuminated-Jewelers-Loupe/dp/B001T4OWZ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363482344&sr=8-1&keywords=jewelers+loupe

That is the one I use.. works pretty well.. got it as an add on item for one of my previous amazon orders

I have that same type of magnifier… looks identical except for the claimed magnification. In fact, I ordered the exact one that you linked to, but got one labled 40X.
Strangely have one like the above model that claims 20X and One that claims 40X… no difference in magnification… I do like the lighting and often use it for a quick look at the edge…

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