Wow!  You have made me go wayyyyyyy back into my files.  You will have to
go back to late 70's, early 80's to dig up info, that is when these knives
were a hot item.  Here are references on Ralph knives, you can forward
these to your vendor.  Bennets original article on glycol methacrylate also
talks about Ralph knives.    

Sorvall (long gone from histoscene! 1980) said the included angle (radius)
of knife edge will vary but optimum is about 45 degrees.  Low profile
knives are too dull while high profile knives are extremely sharp but very
fragile.  The Science Tools article talks about cutting angles as did this
article

Richards PR  An antiroll plate system for Ralph knives, J Microscopy
133(2):185-190, 1984

Lindner et al Long edged glass knives ('Ralph') - their use and the
prospects for histology.  Science Tools 25:61-67, 1978

Helander KG  the Ralph knife in practice  Stain Technology 135(2):139-146,
1984

Johansson O  The Vibratome-Ralph knife combination: a useful tool for
immunohistochemistry  Histochem Journal 15:65-273, 1983

Steven GE Ralph knives, a review Micron 12:91, 1981

I also have a Ralph knife breaking manual for an MI longknife maker, Ted
Pella  and hand breaking instructions - never knew which was easier to do. 

My knife holders for a JB-4 microtome are reminiscent of c profile steel
knives, lots of trial and error -  I do recall a lot of fiddly dinking
around to make them work

Good luck




 


Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman MT 59717-3610

406 994-6367
404 994-4303 (FAX)