Is there a device to facilitate cutting hematocrit tubes? I am interested in how others go about the process.

In Blood Bank, in routine, we stopped all disposable glasswares including slide blood grouping other than slides for Malaria. Long ago in hematology I was used to borrow cutter from Pharmacy, the one supplied with glass ampules by some manufacturers.

The last facility I worked at, we still used glass microhematocrit tubes for cell separations. We went to the local hardware store and purchased a small 3 sided metal file. The edge worked well to score the glass. If you apply too much pressure when you slice the glass, it may shatter.

Thanks to both who responded.

If you are old enough in this business you will remember the little saws we all kept in our pockets (right in there with the ****** tubes, right?). I am sure I have one in my stuff somewhere. Anyway, the file should work fine since I doubt you can get the little saws anymore.

We always used a file.

Interesting the words this site censors. I guess s-u-c-ker tubes are taboo.

Yep and lots of body part words also. I see that, as a good hacker, you found a way around the obstacle.

Instead of a fancy tool, you can use the edge of a glass slide to score the tube. That worked well with glass hematocrit tubes. I just tested it on a plastic hematocrit tube and it works - with a little effort.

Well, aren't you smart, Ruth. Wish I'd have thought of that. The old saws didn't work too well on the mylar coated tubes either but they did work. I don't think I tried it on plastic.