[dvw]

I just bought this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5774244205

This should eliminate my guess on needle wear or having to borrow a microscope.

 

[bln]

It doesn't even say what power the microscope is.

 

[dvw]

For $4, it's not much of a risk. It should be about 20X or more. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[Hirsch]

IME it will show overt damage to the cantilever, and the absence of a needle, but little else. It doesn't have enough power to show wear.

 

[dvw]

Just got my scope. The magnification isn't very good. I have a 8X lupe I used for negative viewing. This scope, I would place it at about 12 to 15X.

With a 25X to 50X microscope, I can see the tip clearly. With this scope I can see the tip and the dirt on it but not the detail of the tip.

For gross inspection of a badly worn tip, I guess it's okay (I'm looking for reflection of the wear). For smaller wear, a 50X microscope is a must.

BTW, the scope is very small. The diameter is like the size of a pencil.