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Selection Of The Right SPI Diamond
Knife For You



Chinese




Although most EM people who have been using diamond knives know exactly what kind of knife works best for them, there are always newcomers to the field and the knife that works best for one person, with their samples, might not in fact be the optimum knife for someone else with their own samples.

Also, the samples being processed within a laboratory change with time and what was the optimum knife at one time, might not be the optimum knife any longer.

So try using the SPI approach to determine the knife that will work optimally for your samples:


Select the Right Diamond

The two main parameters are A) knife length and B) knife angle. The price is primarily determined by the knife edge length, not by the angle or the style of the boat. For some years SPI has been working with some of the leading suppliers in the diamond area, (some of our best friends are on 47th Street, New York and in Antwerp), and we offer a total of seven different diamond types, covering virtually the entire range of diamond knife applications. If you are doing ultramicrotomy, we have one type diamond that is optimum. Doing light microscopy? Yes, there is another diamond optimum for that application and different from the first application.

Each of the seven different knife types is produced in a variety of different edge lengths and also a variety of different knife angles. The table below outlines the full range of the choices. Note the following:

The angles given represent "stock" angles available from SPI. Hence, there is the "default" angle that is shipped absent any further instruction from the customer And the other stated angles are essentially "stock" angles that are available should they be requested by the customer. Other angles are possible, and we will supply just about any angle, however it is important to specify the angle if one other than the "default" angle is desired. The default angle is always in bold face (e.g. 45 deg.), just to make sure that the customer knows that this is the angle that will arrive if no other angle is specified. And the default angle is selected to coincide with the one angle most often requested for a particular type of diamond and for a particular application.

The table also contains information about the range of selection thickness generally possible with a particular type of diamond(e.g. length and angle). Each knife is tested by cutting sections at specific thicknesses and examining them at particular magnifications. These conditions are indicated on the Certificate of Quality which is provided with each knife.

From this information and also the information under "applications" everyone can identify which diamond will be optimum for their samples.

Note: The selection of the "right" diamond is just the first of a two part process, since after selecting the diamond, you will have to select the optimum boat.


SELECTION OF THE DIAMOND

TYPE AVAILABLE
EDGE
LENGTHS (mm)		 AVAILABLE
INCLUDED
ANGLES(Deg.)		 RANGE OF
EXPECTED
SECTION
THICKNESS		 APPLICATIONS
SU1-6 mm35,45,55 25-200nm Standard ultramicrotomy
and sectioning of biological
specimens and materials
CW>1-6 mm35,45 50nm-1um Frozen specimens
sectioned wet like with
ethylene glycol
CD1-6 mm35,45 50nm-1un Frozen specimens
sectioned dry
TS1-6 mm45,55 50nm-2um Thick sections, or
alternating thick/thin
sections
MT2-7 mm45,55 50nm-2um Materials science
plastics, catalysts, other
hard samples. Also
can be used for hard tissue
materials such as bone,
cartilage, teeth, chitin
containing or hydroxyapatite
containing samples.
LC4-7 mm45,55 0.1-5um Frozen specimens to be
examined by LM. Recommended
cryo boat styles D or W.
LH4-10mm45,55 0.1-5um Sections to be
examined by LM.


Selection of the Boat

Boat Style S: Standard boat with oval cavity. Black anodized. All new knives, except cryo and knives larger than 7mm are supplies in this boat, unless otherwise suggested.
Boat Style W: For wet cryo sectioning. Made of stainless steel with no glare finish and cylindrical cavity. 6 deg. inclined top.
Boat Style D: For Dry cryo sectioning. Stainless steel non glare finish.
Boat Style H: Cylindrical cavity, 6 deg. inclined top. Available in black or non glare gold anodizing.
Boat Style M: Wide oval cavity boat, black anodized.
Boat Style P: Large Boat with oval cavity and 6 deg. inclined top, black anodized. Supplied with knives 7mm and larger or per request.
Now select the type of work you will be doing so that you can select the right diamond knife for you!

Life Science Diamond Knives
Materials Science Diamond Knives
Light Microscopy Diamond Knives for "Thick Sections"


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Tuesday May 13, 2008
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