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OfflineX2QE
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Registered: 07/17/16
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Scalpel Flaking
    #23749910 - 10/18/16 07:15 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

When doing agar work I heat up my scalpel red hot with a propane torch then go to make my cuts. The issue is once the hot scalpel hits the agar it cools really fast and metal flakes off from the blade. This starts to happen maybe around the 5th time I heat it up on a new blade and gets worse from then on.

Doesn't really seem to matter other than the fact I have black specs of metal in all my plates.

Does anyone else have this problem? Are my blades just cheap shit?

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InvisibleStickyIcky Fingers
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Registered: 12/03/13
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: X2QE]
    #23749940 - 10/18/16 07:24 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

is it actually bits of metal from the blade or is it just soot (carbon, thin black stuff) flaking off? I have had soot come off of mine and it a issue as far as I could tell.... it was heated enough to be sterile

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OfflineX2QE
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: StickyIcky Fingers]
    #23749982 - 10/18/16 07:33 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

Its pretty thin, the blades are made from carbon steel so idk :shrug:. I assumed it was pieces of the blade because the blade starts to look pretty deformed after a bunch of transfers. I'm thinking I might be using too much heat and getting the blade to hot.

At its hottest the blade is orange. What temperature am I shooting for for complete heat serialization? 250F+?

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OfflineTugboat123
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: X2QE]
    #23750159 - 10/18/16 08:13 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

It sounds like you are over-heating the blades. I don't think you need to get them THAT hot to kill the contaminants. Hit the blade with a hot flame for roughly two seconds. If you are using a blade that requires more cleaning than that, then you shouldn't be using that blade. Surgical scalpels are pretty cheap. Just buy a package of them. Use each one a handful of times, while hitting them with a clean flame, then cleaning them with an alcohol swab as much as reasonable. I think some other people who know more will give u some better advice. However, I feel as though u r heating them up more than necessary. Also, spend the teeny amount of extra money to buy plenty of blades. The work you are doing is worth the small extra cost. Last, I don't think it is actual charred metal flaking off. Steel melts at around 2500 degrees Fahrenheit. A propane torch can heat up to over 3600 degrees Fahrenheit. My thought is: you are seeing something else burn off. I highly doubt you are actually cooking steel. I just wanted to try to help by giving my thoughts. Other folks will give you better answers. Especially people with a better understanding of microscopy, metallurgy, work with mushrooms, and other similar fields. Good luck.

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InvisibleMunchauzen
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: Tugboat123]
    #23750185 - 10/18/16 08:25 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

its not a problem. red hot is what you want.

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OfflineTugboat123
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: Tugboat123]
    #23750190 - 10/18/16 08:27 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

From what I've been told, use an alcohol flame, and place the blade over the flame for only a couple of seconds. It will kill all harmful contaminants if u started with a good new sterile blade. After, wipe it down with an alcohol swab. Blades are cheap. Your time is worth more. Buy plenty of blades. When in doubt, use a nice new clean blade. I think it is awesome that you are concerned about these issues and you are taking time to ask these questions. I'm sure that this thread will help somebody else in the future.

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OfflineTugboat123
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: Tugboat123]
    #23750196 - 10/18/16 08:28 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

Okay. Munchauzen is the guy u wanna listen to. I'll shut up. Good luck bro.

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InvisibleMunchauzen
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: Tugboat123]
    #23750197 - 10/18/16 08:28 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

Quote:

Tugboat123 said:
After, wipe it down with an alcohol swab.




don't do that. sterilizing>sanitizing

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OfflineX2QE
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Re: Scalpel Flaking [Re: Tugboat123]
    #23750247 - 10/18/16 08:47 PM (7 years, 4 months ago)

I made an alcohol lamp, but retired it in favor of a propane torch with a button igniter for a couple of reasons.

  • Easy to turn on and off. I cant strike a lighter to save my life with vinyl gloves on.
  • Since its so easy to turn on and off I don't leave the flame burning for safety. I always have a hand on the torch when its on. An open flame (almost invisible!) with an easily spilled reservoir makes me really nervous.
  • Much quicker to heat my tools. It is likely I am heating my tools too hot, but I know what not hot enough looks like. It just takes way too long to get it up to temp with an alcohol lamp.
  • Its probably due to my shitty homemade wick but I got a lot of soot on my blade with the lamp.


I really, really, really, recommend a torch. :super:


I usually do wipe the blade with alcohol after the transfer to remove any agar gunk.


Funny thing is I actually don't change the blade every few transfers to save time :laugh: I get into a rhythm and don't want to stop making transfers to change a blade. Not changing between sets of plates is just me being lazy. I actually have 100+ on hand. :awetongue:

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