Subject: Re: Microtome Sharpener?

From: "R. John Lye" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 15:31:18 GMT

Mark Fraser wrote:
> 
> I picked up a "Servall" Parker-Blum Microtome today, simply because
> I couldn't pass it up for $20.00, and it looks like it can be made
> into something useful.  

Actually, it should be "Sorvall" and "Porter/Blum".  I spent
several years with a couple of these and later got to know
Dr. Keith Porter, an amazing electron microscopist.

> Anyone know what on earth the original purpose was?

Others have anwered this corectly, although the Porter/Blum
microtome was primarily used for electron microscopy and,
as such, it used either broken glass knifes or diamond
knifes, not the honed steel knifes used in other microtomes.

-- 
John Lye

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (John Swensen)
Date: 22 Jul 1996 15:06:15 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (J.P. Wieser) writes:
|> . . . The knives 
|> used in microtomes were sharpened on very fine honing stones; 
|> there may have been machines for this purpose, but this does not 
|> sound like what you have.                                                           

I saw an actual microtome knife sharpener in operation many years ago. The blade
was pushed around in figure-8 pattern over an oil-lubricated, fine 
(black Arkansas, I would guess) stone about 12" square. Periodically the blade
holder picked up and flipped the blade over to hone the other side.

I often wish I had such a thing to adapt to sharpen my woodworking tools; kind of
like having an apprentice to sharpen your tools while you do other work.

-- 

John Swensen
email to: [email-masked]

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From: "John R. Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 12:26:43 -0500

Right, now if I could just get them to put a second slice on my sandwich!

John

On 19 Jul 1996, CBear81438 wrote:

> This machine was discontinued in use by the medical industry, but it was
> picked up and used extensively in the fast food industry for slicing Roast
> Beef.
> 
> Cecil in OK
> 
>