Jaclynn,

The disposable knife holder that works in this old cryostat is the one 
invented for use with an AO 820 microtome many, many years ago.  It is a 
solid holder with a preset angle that needs no adjustment.  You can slip a 
high profile blade (only profile blade you can use in this holder) using a 
side release lever.  The joy is holder bottom parts fit into the slots on 
this cryostat, and will lock securely into place.  You have to play with 
picking up sections a bit but it works.

There may some of these old disposable knife holders floating around 
storage rooms and someone willing to give one to you.

Sorry, our manual is long gone but 
contact  Don.Birgerson@leica-microsystems.com - he is a great source of 
info for these old instruments.

One thing, keep all sliding parts well oiled with cryostat oil in this 
machine is a  must but it will work.  That side arm knife holder was a 
horrible monster to use, and not the safest design either.




At 08:24 AM 3/11/2005, you wrote:

>Hello,
>
>We recently inherited a Reichert Histostat 855 made by Cambridge (the
>manufacturer's label also says "975CJ Cryostat Microtome").  Its
>operation manual could not be found.  Does anyone have a manual and
>would you be willing to send us a copy?  It would be greatly
>appreciated.
>
>Also, does anyone know of a disposable knife holder suitable for this
>model?  The steel knife holder in this machine clamps the knife on its
>left side.
>
>I hope someone can assist us.
>
>Thank you so much,
>
>Jaclynn Lett
>
>Senior Research Technician
>Electron Microscopy Core Facility
>Department of Otolaryngology
>Washington University School of Medicine
>660 S. Euclid Ave., Campus Box 8115
>St. Louis, MO 63110
>
>Voice:  747-7257
>Fax:  747-7230
>Email:  lettj@ent.wustl.edu
>
>
>
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Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)



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