Thread: The Real Wedge

There were/are a number of ways to sharpen microtomes Wullie, depending on the type. The one shown above with a long sleeve and no handle is often referred to as a 'microtome knife' and if it is not sharpened in the sleeve a similar sort of adjustable sleeve is provided. These fir into machines and are not really used in the hand. They come in many cross sections - some are sharpened on just one side, others on both sides. Here is one on a round lapping plate:



And below is a home-made jig that sharpens (usually) just one side of the blade. Commercial models were also made:



Lastly we have a microtome razor, which looks like a straight, but users tend to call it a sectioning razor - this is only sharpened on one side as you can tell from the specimen holder - the specimen is embedded in paraffin wax and the razor drawn over it. Sharpening both sides would elevate the cutting edge and give a sample thicker than wanted:



The above are still available. Lord knows where they are made, though!

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

There were/are a number of ways to sharpen microtomes Wullie, depending on the type. The one shown above with a long sleeve and no handle is often referred to as a 'microtome knife' and if it is not sharpened in the sleeve a similar sort of adjustable sleeve is provided. These fir into machines and are not really used in the hand. They come in many cross sections - some are sharpened on just one side, others on both sides. Here is one on a round lapping plate:



And below is a home-made jig that sharpens (usually) just one side of the blade. Commercial models were also made:



Lastly we have a microtome razor, which looks like a straight, but users tend to call it a sectioning razor - this is only sharpened on one side as you can tell from the specimen holder - the specimen is embedded in paraffin wax and the razor drawn over it. Sharpening both sides would elevate the cutting edge and give a sample thicker than wanted:



The above are still available. Lord knows where they are made, though!

Regards,
Neil

I'm with you Mr M.

Guess I should have been more specific. I was referring to the old "wedge" types being honed on a stone with a "belly" in it. The belly in the stone would provide the same action that hollow grind does except in reverse. I doubt the results would have been anywhere near what is achieved today, but as they probably didn't have anything to compare to, it might have provided a passable shave.

I'm just thinking "outside the box" as today most everyone keeps their stones as level as they can. Yet, when you see a lot of old stones, a majority of them have the worn down middle. It is obvious that they were used in that manner, else they wouldn't have ended up looking like that. As to what the final results were? I'm thinking the SAFETY RAZOR w/disposable blades.

I would imagine that if the edges produced today were shown to someone in the 1850's, that they would probably be blown away. Excepting the Japanese maybe.

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

But what am I talking about?! Try your sig line out on a shallow ground razor and see how fast it is to turn it into a real flat-sided wedge...

Regards,
Neil

Thanks for the info. I think I understand. I don't have a shallow ground or wedge so I was just curious but personal experience IS the way to go maybe someday I will own one and give her a try