Loupe Recommendation Please

[BookCat]

My birthday's coming up soon and friends have been asking what I would like. I could do with a good loupe. I currently have two, both cheap Chinese models; one is 10x, the other claims to be 20x. The former hardly magnifies and the second has a very small, difficult to find nib viewing area, so the nib is always going out of focus.

 

I use loupes for readjusting nibs: tine alignment, smoothing and even the occasional regrind. Please recommend one with good magnification with a reasonable viewing field.

Thanks.

[adyf]

I'd recommend a Belomo loupe. I have both the 10x and the 20x but almost always use the 10x. A good compromise may be the 15x. Check out eBay.

[newlife]

Belomo loupes are highly recommended. I have the 10x and the 15x but I only use the 10x, because the 15x makes it hard for me to focus on the nib. The 10x is fully sufficient for checking your nibs.

 

Klaus

[wgrant83]

I've used the Paragon Fold-Out Loupe 10X for a long time in the printing industry, now I use it on fountain pens too. You can focus the glass depending what your looking at, you can get them with lights, and they fold. Only thing, they are pricey compared to other loupes, about $60-90. Like others, I use a 10x, if I can see dot patterns on paper, its good enough for a pen.

 

http://www.nationaloffsetwarehouse.com/original-paragon-folding-loupe-10x/?page_context=category&faceted_search=0

 

http://cdn6.bigcommerce.com/s-1lrxxs/products/309/images/479/a20791912af7987785b58a_m__94759.1411072846.1280.1280.png?c=2

Edited June 8, 2015 by wgrant83

[BookCat]

I would go for a Belomo if they had LED lights because I prefer illuminated loops. The Paragon loupe is a little too much to ask and may not be easy to find in the UK.

 

Please keep making suggestions.

[ziptrickhead]

My favorite loupe I bought off amazon. It's the top search result if you look up "SE led loupe 10x 21mm". I've ordered 2 of them at different times and both have been excellent quality. I had ordered that before getting a Belomo and honestly I don't see a difference in image quality between the 2. And like you want, it has the advantage of having its own light source which is a big plus. Looks to be sold on the UK Amazon site as well. I'm sure they're made in china but the quality is good and you do pay for it (approx $20) versus the super cheap made in china ones.

 

10x is my preferred loupe for nib work. I find the 20x that I have has way too small FOV. I only use it to do quick checks on polish level but that's about it.

[ac12]

I also have the SE loupe. The ONLY reason that I got the SE loupe was the light. I don't have a dedicated workbench with a good light. I work in various places of the house, so lighting became an important factor for me. If Belomo had an illuminated loupe, I would get one.

[dcwaites]

Some time ago I asked myself the same question. I found my answer in various amateur gem hunting and geologist web sites

 

For Quality - go for the BelOMO

http://peleng8.com/pic/triplet10x512.jpg

 

For an illuminated Loupe - choose one of these

The quality is almost as good as the BelOMO, but the illumination is a hard to beat feature.

But, buy lots of the little AG7 cells. You can get sheets of 10 for only a few dollars.

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDI1WDUwMA==/$(KGrHqIOKiwE6Z(nq,0wBOuzwL1JOg~~60_12.JPG

[Sasha Royale]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-jeweler-Loupes-10x-20x-Triplet-30x21mm-Magnifying-Glass-w-storage-cases-/380603512540?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589dbcb6dc

 

It cost only a few dollars. I carry one in my pocket always. I can examine markings on

an Vacumatic barrel. I can read small print. I can examine the texture of handwriting on

paper. It has proven very useful.

[VillersCotterets]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-jeweler-Loupes-10x-20x-Triplet-30x21mm-Magnifying-Glass-w-storage-cases-/380603512540?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589dbcb6dc

 

It cost only a few dollars. I carry one in my pocket always. I can examine markings on

an Vacumatic barrel. I can read small print. I can examine the texture of handwriting on

paper. It has proven very useful.

I have the same one. Works well.

[BookCat]

Sasha, am I right in thinking that those loupes don't have lights? They're nicely priced but may not be what I'm looking for.

 

David, I'm keeping that one in mind but I'm a little put off by the shipping cost, though it would still be less expensive than my favourite so far.

 

Ziptrickhead, thanks for the suggestion. I just wish it wasn't quite so expensive, but it's my favourite so far. I may ask for a portion of it for my birthday and pay the rest myself.

 

I work on the nib of almost every pen I buy, so a good loupe with good magnification, great FOV and a light would be very useful.

[tinta]

Belomo hands down, for price & for quality.

The 10X optic has given me the best compromise between magnification & depth-of-field.

[tenney]

From what little I've learned: 10x should be enough for most work, but the size of the glass makes a huge difference (i.e. 10x 21mm is MUCH better than 10x 10mm). While I hear that a triplet all glass loupe (21mm at least) is great, I opted for a much cheaper Chinese 10x 21mm (like that ebay one above) with LEDs. A good price performer since I didn't want to spend a Belmo price.

[BookCat]

Tenney, the cheap Chinese 10x which I have at the moment hardly magnifies at all, certainly not enough to see if a nib's tines are slightly misaligned. That's why I'm looking for something which is better quality. I think some of the cheap Chinese loupes don't have the magnification which they claim.

 

I would go for the Belomo but for the absence of illumination.

[dcwaites]

I have the set suggested by Sasha. I found that it wasn't really sharp enough for what I wanted to do, which is why I got the LED lighted triplet.

 

As well, attaching it to my iPhone with blue-tac allows me to take photos like this --

 

[ac12]

BC

If you do your nib work at a bench with a decent light, you may not need an illuminated loupe.

It is us poor folks that don't have a work bench, and end up working in different places in the house, that have to struggle with the lack of a decent light. Although an illuminated loupe would be good to take to a pen show, so you know what you are buying.

[Glenn Atkins]

I bought the one recommended by dcwaites in post number 8 above from this vendor:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221175099033?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

The quality is outstanding. Half the price of the Belomo and a really nice light.

 

The price/quality tradeoff on this one is also very nice. I have one of these within arm's reach everywhere. Very nice for the price.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052G7EX8?&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

 

 

Glenn

[BookCat]

ac12: I do my nib work in a poorly-lit lounge, sitting on my sofa with a lapdesk on my knees and using pads of micromesh, rather than in a workshop. I do this only on my own pens, and though I'm reasonably good at it (ruined a few cheap pens along the way) I'm by no means a nibmeister

 

David W: which Led lighted triplet were you using when you took that great pic? That's a winner. If possible, please give a UK link.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Chrissy]

I also recommend Belomo loupes. You can go for a 10x, 12x or a 15x, but a 20x is too dark and doesn't have enough in focus view area.

 

Although I bought a 12x I still prefer my 10x and hardly ever use the 12x. 10x is enough for most applications

[BookCat]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

I've ordered the second loupe suggested in post 8, mainly because of the great picture which can be seen in post 15, which I think is a nib seen through the same loupe.

 

I hope this thread helps others too.