Frozen meat slicer maintenance

Sharpening
The blade of an ideal microtome should form a straight fine line between two flat cutting surfaces. A sharp microtome can cut paraffin slices to 2 microns and continuously without compression. If the blade is thicker than the cell, it will cause more damage to the cell than cutting. Therefore, sharpening is a basic skill in slicing technology and must be practiced and mastered.
There are many types of grinding stones; natural, artificial or flat glass. Natural grinding stones: It is advisable to carefully select inkstone stones with pure texture, no impurities and relatively hard. Slightly soft and astringent ones are used for "rough grinding"; hard and smooth ones are used for "fine grinding".
Industrial diamond grinding stones; there are various specifications and grades, and the fineness is uniform. Generally, the finest diamond sand is used for "rough grinding" in histology to grind away larger gaps on the blades of severely damaged microtomes.
Flat glass: Cut to the appropriate size for grinding stone, and add abrasives such as lead oxide to the grinding stone surface. Use it in the same way as ordinary grinding stones. The advantage is that you can change the grinding powder or slurry of different fineness, and use it for "coarse grinding", "medium grinding" or "fine grinding" on a glass plate.
The size of the grindstone can vary according to the size and type of the slicer. When sharpening the knife, add dilute lubricating oil, soapy water or water. Oil is better. After using the grindstone, wipe off the abrasive and small metal chips. It is best to fix the grindstone in a box with grooves around the grindstone to drain excess oil and water. Cover the box cover immediately after use to prevent dirt or dust from falling on it. If this dust is not removed, it will damage the stone surface and cause defects on the blade during grinding.