Patent ID: 7827894

Claim:
A microtome blade comprising: a blade portion having a knife edge in a cutting direction, the blade portion being defined by the knife edge, a side edge and a pair of end edges; a protective portion spaced from the knife edge in the cutting direction, the protective portion to reduce unintended knife edge cuts; a pair of connecting portions extending outwardly from distal ends of the blade portion joining the protective portion to the blade portion; a space between the protective portion and the knife edge; and a gripping portion extending outwardly from one side of at least one connecting, portion in the cutting direction, wherein the gripping portion provides a surface for handling away from the cutting portion, wherein the gripping portion is aligned with one of the connecting portions along one of the end edges of the blade portion, and wherein the blade portion is in a first flat plane and the protective portion, the connecting portions, and the gripping portion are in a second flat plane, wherein the first plane and the second plane are angled with respect to each other by approximately 140 degrees, wherein the protective portion and the gripping portion taper outwardly from the blade portion at the angle, and wherein the space has a pair of first and second inner edges facing each other, the first inner edge is formed at the blade portion, and the second inner edge is formed at the protective portion, the first inner edge corresponds to the knife edge.