[Histonet] another reply on cleaning microtomes

[Gayle Callis]

I was taught by a microtomy expert, Jan Minshew, to never use solvents on a
microtome - they remove necessry lubricants on screws and other critical
microtome areas.  We just use an extremely rough terry cloth towel or
coarse gauze to rub most of the paraffin off with a bit of extreme "elbow
grease"  but remove knife to do this.  One can always get the last of the
paraffin "film" off with Windex or 409 cleaner on a cloth - I tend to wipe
this off with a damp cloth. 

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology 
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)