Maree,

As others have said, DO NOT use regular grease or oil on the microtome in your
Cryostat!  All Cryostat manufacturers provide low temperature oils and greases
for this purpose.  TBS (Triangle Biomedical Sciences) now has the (nee IEC)
"Minitome" product line and they sell a lubricating oil - SHUR/LUBE, Fisher/CMS
catalog number 05-424-50, for this microtome.

You can also get low temperature lubricating kits from:  Sakura Finetek
(directly or thru Allegiance or VWR), Hacker/Bright, Leica, and Microm (Zeiss).

For cleaning & lubricating, it is best to completely remove the microtome from
the cryostat cabinet. Make sure that your microtome is totally defrosted and at
room temperature.  Remove all accumulated grease and oil, and clean thoroughly
before re-lubricating.  Lubricate according to manufacturer's recommendations.
Contact TBS if you need instructions.  If the lube job doesn't solve your
problem, then you may have a mechanical problem with the microtome or connecting

shaft itself.

--
Ford M. Royer, MT(ASCP)
Analytical Instruments, Ltd
 (Refurbished Histology, Cytology, & General Lab Equipment)
9921 13th Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55441-5004
800-565-1895 phone
612-929-1895 fax
web site: http://www.aibltd.com
----
Maree Gould wrote:

> Hi Histonetters
>
> We are having trouble with our microtome in our IEC cryostat,  the handle
> is really hard to turn and we believe that we have used the wrong grease.
>
> Do you use grease on a cryostat microtome sliding mechanism and/or is there
> a special grease for low temperatures?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Maree Gould
>
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>
> Maree Gould NZCS Dip Sci
> Histology Unit Pathology Dept
> Medical School
> University Of Otago
> P.O. Box 913
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> maree.gould@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
> phone: 479 7152  Fax 479 7136
>
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