I too have fond memories of using an old black AO; and no I don't think
there is anything like it out there (or as good!). Our lab is currently
using an Olympus Cut 4060 which does a pretty decent job on most specimens
but I sometimes have problems with extremely dense tissue thick and thinning
even after tightening everything, chilling the block and using a new blade.
I think that one can buy a workhorse type microtome that can handle all
tissues adequately but not necessarily elegantly or something like an
Olympus that produces beautiful thin sections of things like lymph nodes but
can't always stand up to all tissue types. 

This is of course only my opinion after 20+ years in the field and I do not
have experience with everything on the market these days. 

As for price, I wouldn't expect to get a really good, new microtome cheaply.
We paid $7,500 seven years ago for our instrument.

Linda A. Sebree, HT(ASCP)
University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics
IHC/ISH Laboratory
A4/204-2472
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53792-2472
(608)265-6596
FAX: (608)262-7174


-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Collins [mailto:jcollins@kumc.edu]
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 12:51 PM
To: HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: microtome help


Can anyone tell me where I can get a decent inexpensive, new microtome?  I
haven't purchased one in 10 years and have no idea where to start looking.
I don't need anything fancy.  My favorite microtome I had was the old black
AO.  Is there anything out there like that?
Vendors are welcome to respond.

TIA,
Julie Collins
Dir, Immunohistochemistry
Univ. of Kansas Med. Center
Kansas City, KS