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Related Experiment Videos

Some observations on glass-knife making.

R T Ward

    Stain Technology
    |November 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Making glass knives at a 55-degree angle significantly increases usable knife edge yield for thin sectioning. This 55-degree angle method, validated by electron microscopy, offers a 30-100 times greater yield of high-quality edges compared to the standard 45-degree angle.

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    Area of Science:

    • Materials Science
    • Microscopy Techniques
    • Biological Sciences

    Background:

    • High-quality knife edges are crucial for thin sectioning in microscopy.
    • Traditional glass knife fabrication uses a 45-degree included angle.
    • Variability in knife edge quality can impact sectioning efficiency and data integrity.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of varying the included angle in glass knife fabrication on the yield of usable knife edges.
    • To compare the performance of glass knives made at a 55-degree angle versus the conventional 45-degree angle for thin sectioning.
    • To establish a practical method for evaluating glass knife quality in a standard biological electron microscope laboratory.

    Main Methods:

    • Glass knives were fabricated using both taped pliers and an LKB Knifemaker.

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  • The included angle for knife fabrication was systematically varied, focusing on 45 degrees and 55 degrees.
  • Edge quality was assessed using a routine light scattering method to quantify edge check marks.
  • A subset of test sections was examined using electron microscopy to corroborate findings.

    • Main Results:

    • Fabricating glass knives with a 55-degree included angle markedly increased the yield of usable knife edges for thin sectioning.
    • Light scattering measurements and electron microscopy observations confirmed the superiority of 55-degree knives.
    • The yield of knives with over 33% of their edges free of check marks was 30 to 100 times greater at 55 degrees compared to 45 degrees, depending on the fracture mode.

    Conclusions:

    • Optimizing the included angle to 55 degrees is a simple yet highly effective method to improve glass knife fabrication for thin sectioning.
    • The 55-degree angle significantly enhances the production of high-quality, check-mark-free knife edges, leading to greater efficiency in electron microscopy sample preparation.
    • This fabrication technique is easily implementable in standard biological electron microscope laboratories, offering a substantial improvement over the customary 45-degree angle.