[Histonet] High profile ribbons

[Osborn, Sharon]

Heather,
     I forgot to ask; just assumed.  Since you were using low profile
blades with your Leica microtome (or any other microtome) you need to
change out the back plate on the knife holder.  There is a separate
plate for the low profile and high profile blades.  If you do not have
one, contact your microtome rep. for the microtome should have come with
one of each (low and high) for your knife holder.  If you have not
changed out the back plate, your high profile blades stick up and you
are losing some of the integrity due to the wobbliness of the blade.
With the proper back, the high profile blade is stabilized with the
proper amount of blade protruding to do the cutting.  So, perhaps this
is your problem?

sharon osborn, HT(ASCP)CT
DNAX, SP BioPharma
Palo Alto, CA



Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 13:15:08 -0500
From: Heather.A.Harper <@t> pcola.med.navy.mil
Subject: [Histonet] High Profile Micrtome Blades
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Message-ID:
	
<A7539989B365284E95886432BF68FDDC095036C5 <@t> nhpens-exch2.pcola.med.navy.mi
l>
	
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  I want to thank everybody who sent me their samples and left over high
profile blades. Now I have another dilemma. I'm having so much fun
trying out new blades. I want to know if anybody can help me trouble
shoot this problem in cutting. When I tried the Duraedge and Sturkey
blades, I noticed, one section would be thick, the next was thin. With
the AccuEdge, it cut nice except the ribbons were wrinkled and I had to
stretched them out on the water bath. It's almost as though the blade is
too thick or I need something adjusted on the knife holder. I cut at 5
degree angle and always have. Anybody have any ideas on what to do here.
I am not getting those nice smooth wrinkle free ribbons. I'm concluding
it's the blade holder needs adjusting or maybe the angle. Any input
would be great. Thanks again everybody.

P.S. This is a fairly new microtome. It's less than a year old.

 

Heather A. Harper

Histology Supervisor       

Naval Hospital

Pensacola, FL

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