Ken 

What brands are you using for primary and detection?

Which CKs are you staining for?

Were the cells fixed ?  If so with what?

I have a lot of time staining direct cell smears for CK's.

Let me know if you would like to talk.  

Dave Daniel, Integrated Pathology Services, Histotechnology Manager.


PS.  If you have your choice of fixatives, Remember Ethanol is the best (95%) 
and since etoh does not cross link you do not need "retrieval" steps.