Fellow Histonetters,

This message is being posted on behalf of a colleague of mine.  She recently
inherited a Reichert Histostat Model 855 "cryostat microtome" (cryostat), and
she is looking for a way to adapt the knife holder for disposable blades.

This particular cryostat has the knife holder built to one side (left side of
the microtome), and it is clearly built to hold resharpenable steel knives.
Because the knife holder is on the side, most of the disposable blade holder
inserts are not usable because they clamp the disposable blade near the
center of the insert.  There is not enough room to slide the disposable blade
holder toward the specimen and still clamp it securely in the knife holder.

Does anyone out there have this model of cryostat?  If so, have you had any
success using disposable blades with the cryostat?  We are thinking there may
be a third party supplier who makes a disposable blade holder that would work
with the instrument.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide!

Bob Chiovetti
GTI Microsystems
rchiovetti@aol.com