Dermatome ?

[kootenay joe]

A dermatome is a knife used to harvest skin for skin grafting or to slice thin sections of tissue for examination with a light microscope.
I think this is a dermatome knife but the handle is made to swivel around which seems odd. The knurled wheel on the end is tight, i cannot budge it by hand, yet the handle swivels easily. It is held in place by the peened over end of tang, which i forgot to take a picture of. This might be for mounting the knife in a holding device when in use ?
OAL 9 3/4", blade 5", marked "Bausch & Lomb" on the spine and end of blade with "Lentz----" ?
It might not be a dermatome, but some other type of knife, probably medical use.
Any thoughts on this knife ?
kj

[Doc B]

Given that Bausch and Lomb were in to microscopy...and some other things I've seen on the web...I'm thinking your thoughts, about it being used in thin-slice preparation of specimens, for examination, would be a likely use. I'm not sure why it would rotate. Very neat!

[LongBlade]

Looks like a blade for an old microtome... the handle was only there to hold it in place while you tightened the lug nuts to put the blade in place...

[tongueriver]

Looks like a blade for an old microtome... the handle was only there to hold it in place while you tightened the lug nuts to put the blade in place...

Me don't understand.

[mrwatch]

I have a antique Spencer microtome. They can be in a knife form of a rotary type. To slice ultra thin sections of tissue or even a vegetable like a carrot to put on a microscope slide for examination. for something like a carrot, it can be put in a tube and sliced across the top. not my picture and I have the storage box.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Looks like LENTZ & SONS to me.

Agree with all Mr. Watch said.

I do believe there is more to a microtome, though. I believe there should be a metal or glass base and possibly some guides to maintain a proper thickness and consistency.

I haven't actually seen one used since 1972 and that was in a laboratory in The Old Hillman Building at University Hospital in Birmingham. I was still a student, at the time.

Charlie

[LongBlade]

Never heard of a dermatome - but a microtome is used to cut sections of tissue embedded in paraffin into microscopic thin slices for analysis. The blade shown is attached to the microtome and is responsible for cutting the tissue block into thin sections which are subsequently fixed to microscopic slides... I would call it a microtome blade - it is not used by itself for anything. Believe me as I did histopathology 38 years ago..

[deo-pa]

Yes it is a microtome knife Roland; you can see it on page 317 of this 1915 catalog from Charles Lentz & Sons: https://archive.org/details/39002011187722.med.yale.edu.

Dennis

[Doc B]

Yes it is a microtome knife Roland; you can see it on page 317 of this 1915 catalog from Charles Lentz & Sons: https://archive.org/details/39002011187722.med.yale.edu.

Dennis

Nice find, there Dennis. That catalogue is pretty neat to look at, as well

[kootenay joe]

WOW, Dennis you are Google Master. Page 317 shows this exact knife. Mine is blade "c" for doing frozen sections. It does not show the device in which it would have been mounted that would allow very thin slices to be dialed in.
A "dermatome" looks very similar and blade gets mounted in a holder that allows operator to cut (harvest) split thicknesses of skin for grafting.
Thank you Dennis for such a specific ID.
kj

[deo-pa]

It does not show the device in which it would have been mounted...

The microtome (Bausch & Lomb) is shown on page 314. Your knife has a handle so I presume it was for taking thin sections by hand rather than with a machine. The machine on pg. 314 uses a non-handled knife (see top illustration #3716 on pg. 317).

Dennis

[LongBlade]

If Im not mistaken some of the handles unscrewed from the blade.. the handles were basically just to manipulate to and from the microtome it in a supposed safe fashion - they were hefty and the edge was obviously mega razor sharp to cut thin sections...

[kootenay joe]

Catalog pg 314 shows "Hand Microtome" 3713 with 25 micron graduations, but i do not see any blade with it.
On pg 317 it shows my knife which is called "Plain Microtome Knife".
I think the specimen was placed in the "Hand Microtome" and a thin section was cut across the top with the "Microtome Knife".
If there is a histology tech about my age (70's) here, he would know exactly what the set up was.
Thanks again Dennis for finding this info.
kj

[LongBlade]

Hey KJ - as I said I did histopathology years ago - yes you explain in correctly in that blade is placed into the microtome for use - while some earlier models were manual where you would crank a wheel to move the blade across the tissue block more modern machines are automated... the tissue sections would fall off blade into a water bath below - then with a camel hair paint brush you would nudge a tissue section onto a glass slide, and finally place it on a tissue rack for subsequent fixation and stain processing...

[RobesonsRme.com]

A manual Schenk Dermatome.

This was for taking skin grafts from the thigh or other areas.

Modern ones are automated by electricity or compressed air.

Charlie

[deo-pa]

Catalog pg 314 shows "Hand Microtome" 3713 with 25 micron graduations, but i do not see any blade with it.

I currently can't access the Lentz & Sons catalog as I get a message that the site is down for maintenance. However, I found this photo of a B & L microtome that I think is similar to the one on page 314 of the catalog. Notice the knife on the top.

Once you can view the catalog again I think if you look closely at the Hand Microtome on page 314 you will see a similar knife on the top of that microtome. It is that knife which is illustration 3716 on page 317.

I sure as heck learn a lot of interesting things on AAPK!

Dennis

[kootenay joe]

Lovely picture ! That is the "Laboratory Microtome" with "Shanked Knife" mounted on it. I do not see any knife with the "Hand Microtome" but my knife i think is for use with the Hand Microtome.
kj

[deo-pa]

Lovely picture ! That is the "Laboratory Microtome" with "Shanked Knife" mounted on it. I do not see any knife with the "Hand Microtome" but my knife i think is for use with the Hand Microtome.

Yes I see I misspoke in my previous post (said Hand Microtome instead of Laboratory Microtome). I think you are exactly right regarding your knife being used with the hand microtome. Well we've all sure beat this topic to death but mystery solved.

Why don't you dive back into that collection of yours Roland and pull out some other oddball knife to discuss. I'm sure there is another unusual one tucked away in some cubbyhole in your safe.

In the meantime, does anyone know this knife's special purpose?

Dennis

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think the maker could give you a "Heads Up" on that question.

Charlie

[deo-pa]

... "Heads Up"...

Nope, not a weapon.

Dennis

[djknife13]

Joe, I bought one of those a few years ago and it came in a nice little quality display box which made me think it was for a medical purpose and I've always wondered what it was. Mostly I just put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Thanks for getting me answers. My goal in life seems to be to get one of everything on a shelf in my office and now I can cross off this what-ja-ma-call it. ____Dave

[kootenay joe]

The person to thank is Dennis, aka "deo-pa". He found the catalog & pages that gave us very specific info.
Is very long blade for harvesting a row of plant tops, like leaves of 'herbs' ? i.e. a "Herby" knife.
kj

[deo-pa]

It's a Japanese maguro bocho knife for fileting large tuna. The Bluefin are the largest with the world record being just shy of 1,500 pounds.

Dennis