Anybody damage a stylus with a Magic Eraser? (Update: Not damaged, problem resolved!) *

I do have have a jeweler's loupe, and yes, it is a cheap one!

I see nothing wrong with the cantilever or stylus. The cartridge seems to be riding at the same height.

I realize that with something this small, that I may be missing a clue.

When I remove the cartridge, I'll give it a closer examination.

When I put a new cartridge on, I'll continue using the Magic Erasure, but perhaps only with the "dipping" method.


All those folks that mentioned the advantage of MM's--Point taken, and definitely under consideration!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251658881803?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
AFTER using my Majic Eraser, I use a brush like shown above.
This keeps anything left BEHIND by the Majic Eraser. NO damaged stylus after 4 years of use.

 

You want to clean the magic eraser for two reasons. The dust builds on the ME very quickly and a worn Magic Eraser works better.

 

Might be worth double checking all your tonearm/cart settings; not saying that using ME caused that, but I periodically check the settings on my arm, just to be sure, even when nothing seems amiss.

 

I keep my magic eraser in an old stylus box for easy access, it's also perfect for keeping it clean. Turn it upside down and tap the box a couple of times after use to shake off any debris, job done. Just remember to brush the stylus afterwards.

 

I would not risk using a magic eraser. Im afraid it's gonna magically erase my needle... But on a more serious side. I still dont believe in using a ME. Its just too dangerous. My cartridge came with a little nylon bristle brush for gently cleaning the needle if/when it may need it. Thats all I think it would need. I have heard waayy to many horror stories just like the OP's to ever risk using one...

 

I have used the Magic Eraser (dipping only) for a while but I did not like the abrasiveness of the material and in the end settled on ONZOW Zerodust.

 

MM?

Sorry, but MM has meant Moving Magnet to me for 40 years. That obviously makes no sense in this connotation.

Anybody want to explain what MM is in this case?

It's my pet peeve about the Internet but when homemade abbreviations confuse rather than enlighten, they're no good.

 

Cuz with MM you can just replace the stylus and not the extra $$ to retip a MC?

 

Maybe. I like that explanation although every MM cartridge I've used over the past 30 years has had a non-replaceable stylus. Its alignment, especially of the stylus vertically into the groove, is much better that way.

Your answer is better than mine. I thought it might be Mighty Morphine and I had visions of microscopic but still heroic turtles punching dust off my stylus.

 

MM means Moving Magnet . A Moving Magnet Stylus tends to be more robust than a Moving Coil .

 

I clean my stylus with a belt sander...

 

Thank you for the explanation. I don't agree with that assessment but I appreciate the clarification.

 

How is that working out for you?

 

Well the diamond looks to be alright, but the cartridge is kinda beat up...

I was taught the technique by this gal:



She also showed me a way to clean video monitors with a bus!

 

Thanks to everyone here, I found out the cause of my cartridge's sudden change in sound.

Let me stress first, that it had nothing to do with the Magic Eraser!

I thought Bill had a good idea to check out everything again on my table, so I did. I releveled the table, checked my tracking weight and all that other good stuff.
I then got out my jeweler's loupe that Bill mentioned, and with a bright LED work light gave the Zu Audio Dl-103 another good look.

The stylus looked good, but guess what I found?
A miniature "tumbleweed" made of fine hair/fibers wound around the cantilever between the front pole and the armature/coil.
I carefully removed these fibers using an assortment of small stylus brushes, and even a GUM Soft-Pick, which is designed for consumer dental care.
This took much longer than I would have guessed, but I managed to remove the "tumbleweed" without damaging the coil, and the cartridge is sounding great again!



Image borrowed from Tone Audio! Green arrow pointing to where the "tumbleweed" was hiding.

The cartridge has been "nuded", so this wouldn't happen on a standard Dl-103.
I can only surmise that the build up of hair/fiber in this area prevented the cantilever from moving as it should, changing the sound.
Perhaps when I brushed the stylus with the Magic Eraser, it pulled on the "tumbleweed" and mades it's effect on the cantilever more pronounced.
The fibers were actually sticking through the hole in the front pole piece, along with the cantilever.

Thank you to everyone who pushed me further to investigate what was really going on with my cartridge!

Jeff


PS--Thanks too, for not pointing out that I misspelled eraser about 100 times!

 

I've been using a Magic Eraser aggressively on my stylus for a couple years now. Nothing's happened except that my stylus is really clean.

 

Congrats on fixing your cartridge, 33na3rd. You deserve a trophy for your bravery.

 

Next time just shower with it and save us all a bunch of posts, ok?

 

Thanks to the Gorts, for amending the thread title!

 

Thank you ggergm!

I must confess though, that bravery comes more easily with a modestly priced cartridge like mine!

 

That's great news...it lives it lives. Mind you do be careful with the magic eraser.

 

I will!

I'll also inspect the underside of my cartridge more often!

 

I've been lowering it into the ME, and I also move the turntable back and forth just a tiny bit, which rotates it on the diamond ever so slightly. The hairballs don't always come off with one (static) lowering, but everything comes off in one shot with the slight movement.

 

I clean my tennis shoes with a magic eraser and it works really great...I going to pass on cleaning my stylus with one though.