Yes +1 to the chilling of the forceps, especially when you are just starting out. I often kept two pairs - one I was using and the other chilling. Also agree about turning your waterbath down a little.
good luck! Caroline On Mon, May 8, 2023 at 6:35 AM Rosa, Taylor via Histonet < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Ken, > > Try chilling the tips of the forceps (I usually keep mine on the ice bath) > - as long as they are cold, they shouldn't stick to the paraffin. > > Thanks, > > Taylor C. Rosa, MS > Research Scientist I > Pathology Services | Charles River > 4025 Stirrup Creek Drive, Suite 150, Durham, NC 27703 > P: 919.206.7041 | F: 919.206.7001 > [email protected] | www.criver.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paula Sicurello <[email protected]> > Sent: 06-May-2023 10:57 PM > To: Ken M <[email protected]>; Ken M via Histonet < > [email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Histonet] Sections sticking to tweezers > > Hi Ken, > A few questions: > 1. What is the melting point of the paraffin you use? 2. Is there a > specific reason the temperature of your water bath is 38.5 degrees? 3. Do > your forceps have any type of imperfections? Bumpy, or ridged? Something > that could snag on the sections? > If there isn't a specific reason for the water bath temperature to be that > low (cutting brain sections), I'm thinking that is playing a large part in > your sticky sections. > It is common to have the water bath 5 - 10 degrees below the melting point > of the wax. It helps the sections stretch out from the compression that > happens when being cut. > Let's see what others have to say about your sticky situation. > Paula Sicurello > On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 8:27 AM, Ken M via Histonet< > [email protected]> wrote:Can anyone tell me why my > sections are sticking to my tweezers and turning into one long string of > snot when I try to separate them? I have a good pair of curved stainless > tweezers and I am trying both the front and the back and tapping sharply > while allowing the tweezers to open at the separation point. I can separate > one or two, then it sticks and pulls up 7 or 8 sections into one long slimy > string. My water bath is set at 38.5 and I am sectioning at 4-5 m. Even > when I go to 6 it still does it. Any ideas? > Ken_______________________________________________Histonet mailing > [email protected]:// > lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > > Paula Sicurello > > On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 8:27 AM, Ken M via Histonet< > [email protected]> wrote: Can anyone tell me why my > sections are sticking to my tweezers and turning into one long string of > snot when I try to separate them? I have a good pair of curved stainless > tweezers and I am trying both the front and the back and tapping sharply > while allowing the tweezers to open at the separation point. I can separate > one or two, then it sticks and pulls up 7 or 8 sections into one long slimy > string. My water bath is set at 38.5 and I am sectioning at 4-5 m. Even > when I go to 6 it still does it. Any ideas? > > Ken > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > > > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > -- Caroline Miller, M.Sc Histology, Imaging, and Image Analysis Specialist 415 2187297 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mills42/ _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
