SPI Supplies Brand Diamond Scalpel Blades

Requires virtually no pressure resulting in no distortion at the cut edge!

Introduction:
Diamond scalpel blades have been used in a wide range of applications, from ophthalmology (cataracts, refractive surgery, glaucoma), plastic/cosmetic surgery (face lifts, eye lid), neurosurgery to the microdissection of tissue samples. SPI Supplies is not registered with the US Food and Drug Administration as an importer of surgical instruments, therefore these diamond scalpels, at least in the USA can be sold only for non-clinical applications. We can offer them only for research, teaching and testing.

So the first question that gets asked is, why diamond? And the simple answer is "no distortion at the edge" (relative to any other type of scalpel or knife). The problem with much microdissection work is simply that if one takes a razor blade and makes an incision, the distortion at the edge that occurs is so great, it essentially renders the edge impossible for viewing at high power under a light microscope (or even a scanning electron microscope if properly prepared). What is needed is a cutting edge that will do the cut without distortion.

The SPI Supplies Brand Diamond Scalpel Blades
Produced from the finest quality natural diamonds, these blades are extremely sharp, requiring minimum pressure for penetrating and precision cutting without the distortion normally associated with the use of stainless steel and other materials. Titanium handles make these knives lightweight, perfectly balanced and corrosion resistant for long life. Safe to sterilize up to 140° C ( 284° F).

Material Hardness, Radius of Curvature, and Distortion There is a bit more to the story on "distortion" because it all boils down to radius of curvature at the edge. We are talking about the very end of the edge, not the "angle" normally reported in the knife specifications. For example, if we are talking about diamond knives for ultramicrotomy with a 35° angle, the radius of curvature is the measurement at the actual edge. The smaller the radius of curature, the "sharper" the cutting edge. And the sharper the edge, the lower the forces needed for cutting which of course results in minimal distortion and other damage at the cut surface.

So now we come to the reason for diamond and not some other hard material, such as tungsten carbide or silicon carbide. The smallest possible radius of curvature in any material is a function of its hardness, the harder the material, the smaller the smallest radius of curvature possible in that material.

And therefore the advantage of diamond becomes much more clear: A smaller radius of curvature can be produced in diamond than in any other material, since after all, diamond is the hardest material known. And that is why diamond translates into substantially lower cutting forces, resulting in far lower distortion than would otherwise be possible. This advantage is at once evident when cutting most tissue samples.

Selection of the knife geometry:
Various knife edge geometries are possible on special order, but the most popular by far is the "lance" style, 45°. We also offer as standard 30° angles. We also provide not one but two cutting edges on the blade, which is like getting two cutting edges for the price of one.

Selection of the knife handle:
For the most serious of users, we offer the finest possible handle, with retracting feature, for protection and in two different models. These are prized by anatomists, pathologists and others who are doing the most delicate of microdissection procedures. We are constantly amazed at the number of customers who tell us they are astonished with how little damage they see when examining a cut surface with an SPI Supplies Brand diamond scalpel blade product. Nothing lasts forever and of course eventually, the diamond does need to be resharpened and SPI Supplies can resharpen the diamond for a price far lower than if you just purchased an altogether new knife.

However for the less serious user, or perhaps the student who has a one time (or nearly one time) application for a diamond scalpel blade, we also offer this type of product as a disposable knife. It is also attractive for those who are in institutions where the shipment of a knife for repair and resharpening entails costs that could at times exceed the cost of the knife itself and consume anything that might be saved by resharpening the knife.

But no matter what the handle, or whether it is disposable or not disposable, the diamond itself, and its quality is the same. The cut you can make with the lowest price disposable diamond scalpel knife will be indistinguishable from the cut you would be making with the most expensive diamond scalpel.

Available knives:

Disposable styles

Multiple use (and resharpenable) styles

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