Thread: Razor for cutting slide samples

So I read somewhere that razors existed to cut slides, anyone have any info on modern uses?

They would be flat on one side, and hollow on the other.

Check out Ted Pella. They supply all kinds of stuff like that. Lots of guys using injectors swear by the Pella injector blades.

Dissection Tools, Scissors, Blades, Forceps, Scalpels, Spatulas

Originally Posted by Bill S

Check out Ted Pella. They supply all kinds of stuff like that. Lots of guys using injectors swear by the Pella injector blades.

Dissection Tools, Scissors, Blades, Forceps, Scalpels, Spatulas

Thats exactly what I got! Thought it was odd because the flat side wasn't exactly flat. In fact it looked like the blade was warped. But it wasn't because the angles were all perfectly straight.

Well, since its probably not a good shaver, who uses them these days? I'll probably get all the stains out because I'm obsessive like that and then sharpen it up. But I definitely won't be using it as a shaver.

I've got one too. I have been told they are called microtombs (or maybe it's microtomes). Mine is made by SRD (not straightrazordesigns, but S.R. Dro... something). Mine is totally flat on the wedge side, and I've not really gotten around to figuring out a good way to put a bevel on both sides yet. I know I want to keep her, so she's in my "rotation," but I've not shaved with her yet.

I'll get some pics up when I have a chance.

Check out this thread here if you want to hone it up and shave with it.

A microtome these days is just *slightly* different than one of those things.

As Bill S said:
Dissection Tools, Scissors, Blades, Forceps, Scalpels, Spatulas

You'll see those DE breakable blades: they're actually just normal razor blades that can be put in a vibratome (i've used gilette blades myself already). A vibratome cuts a sample block like you would cut meat: it cuts with a sawing motion, but very quickly.
The long microtome blades are put in a microtome or cryotome. This cuts sections with a pushing motion, without any 'sawing' action.
The thing with these machines is that they can very accurately cut off sections of certain thickness. This ranges from 1 µm (not practical) to several mm's.Most commonly, 5-10 µm thick sections are used for microscopic analysis.