nephildevil
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- Apr 30, 2007
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So does anybody know until when they had to sharpen their own scalpels?
or until when fixed scalpels where used?
or until when fixed scalpels where used?
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Surgical knives
- Thread starter nephildevil
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
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I'm a medical student, and all we used in anatomy lab were disposable blades. #4 handle, #22 blade, and used blades were always discarded and burned.
I personally would wager on the rise of disposable blade showing up in the 1950s, when precision casting of steel became commonplace.
I personally would wager on the rise of disposable blade showing up in the 1950s, when precision casting of steel became commonplace.
I would bet that disposable scalpels followed closely behind disposable razor blades for shaving because they are very similar products and could be manufactured together. I'm going to guess that was in the 1950's.
As far as non-disposable scalpels go, they have been in use for a very long time. In the Civil War era, they were most likely sharpened by hand the same way razors were sharpened, on something like an Arkansas stone if necessary and more often just touched up on a leather strop. I don't think they did a lot of sterilizing back then either.
Between then and the advent of disposable scalpels, they probably used whatever the prevailing best technology was for sharpening, but it didn't matter much what method was used because the scalpels would have been cleaned and sterilized after sharpening anyway. I would assume that at some point there were "medical grade" sharpening devices that cost 5x their identical industrial counterparts.
As far as non-disposable scalpels go, they have been in use for a very long time. In the Civil War era, they were most likely sharpened by hand the same way razors were sharpened, on something like an Arkansas stone if necessary and more often just touched up on a leather strop. I don't think they did a lot of sterilizing back then either.
Between then and the advent of disposable scalpels, they probably used whatever the prevailing best technology was for sharpening, but it didn't matter much what method was used because the scalpels would have been cleaned and sterilized after sharpening anyway. I would assume that at some point there were "medical grade" sharpening devices that cost 5x their identical industrial counterparts.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
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Speaking of scapels/surgical steel, I have one scapel in my knife collection...it appears to be carbon steel with a nice patina (reasonable considering its age) as opposed to surgical stainless. Its origin is unknown although we found it in my wife's mom's belongings after she recently passed away. She was a nurse in the late 20s/early 30s so it's probably pre-1930s) with an ivory or bone handle and appears to have been made in England.
Anyone here have any knowledge of such things?
Ray
Anyone here have any knowledge of such things?
Ray