[Histonet] Ribbon won't stay on knife. Why didnt I think of that...

[Jerry Ricks]

Checking the troubleshooting manual for the Leica 2525...

Problem: "Specimen is picked up in the return stroke of the specimen arm."  
Possible Cause: "Static electricity charge may be built up on the knife holder or specimen head."
Corrective Action: Clean components of microtome with alcohol (one of 3 suggestions.)     That one worked.

Jerry

From: lynnd01 <@t> hotmail.com
To: rosenfeldtek <@t> hotmail.com
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Ribbon won't stay on knife
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:25:34 -0600







A couple of things to look at...check your angle...not all knife holders are the same.  Is your blade sharp?  Is the block cold and is the bottom of the block parallel to the knife?  Sometimes I'll take my thumbnail and run it across the bottom edge of the block..but be careful not to cut your thumb.


Lynn
 



> From: rosenfeldtek <@t> hotmail.com
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:53:00 -0800
> Subject: [Histonet] Ribbon won't stay on knife
> 
> 
> Sometimes while cutting 5 micron paraffin sections...
> 
> I turn the wheel once and a nice section gets cut and lays down on my blade. When I turn the wheel again, as the knife holder is traveling Upwards, the top of my paraffin block will grab the ribbon and lift it off of the microtome blade, ruining my ribbon. Any ideas what is going on, how to fix it.
> 
> Today I'm using my old trust Spencer 820 microtome, but it also sometimes happens on my Leica RM2125.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jerry Ricks
> Research Scientist
> University of Washington
> Department of Pathology
> 
> 
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