Carbon Fiber Brush - Microabrasions!

So I was using the light on my iPhone to see the dust on a record. It's been cleaned on a vacuum before, it just had a bit of surface dust. So I went for my carbon fiber brush, gave it a few revolutions, and used my light again to see how much dust, if any, remained. What do I see? A lot of surface marks caused by the brush, including the ones that run towards the outside of the record where a dragged the brush off! I though surely that wasn't my brush. So I made a small swipe at the outer edge of the record and saw the abrasions appear.

I'm pretty sure I'm never using a carbon fiber brush again. I'd rather live with a little dust on the surface of a record and use pure water and a vacuum occasionally when it needs to be removed rather than cause micro abrasions.

I guess this is a cautionary tale. By the way, I frequently clean the brush off, and it's only a few months old.

 

what kind did you use?

 

Audioquest. Paid a bit more for it than their other offerings because it said Stereophile Recommended Component.

 

Do you use distilled water to clean said brush?

 

Yep.

 

I use the Hunt EDA brush and I'm really happy with it.

 

You can clean a carbon fiber brush with water??? I thought any sort of moisture would ruin one, due to capillary action?

 

I have not heard of that idea before either. Also a Hunt EDA user back in Oz.

 

My understanding is that the hairs will mat together.

 

I have cleaned my carbon fiber brushes with water. no problem. the fibers do not clump together.
As for micro scratches.. One report does not make a case. If it were true, PLENTY of folks would have photographs of the damage..
None around. So I would ascribe the so called damage to some other phenomenon until proven otherwise.
BILLIONS of brush uses (many users, times thousands of uses) and this is the first time anyone noticed?
Ahhh I think not. (not to insult, just it is a little suspicious..)

 

Something wrong here. Never had damage in using various carbon fibre brushes over 30 years. You just hold the brush and should use little downforce but even then can't see how soft fibres would scratch vinyl in normal use.

 

4 year anniversary of my same problem:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=3363741&postcount=3

 

Shouldn't have used your carbon fiber chainsaw on that phone!

 

You can only see them if the light is just right. They're not audible, but definitely there.

 

I noticed this with my first Hunt brush too, in the right light.

I stopped worrying when I checked every other record cloth and cleaner I had, including soft artist brushes. They ALL leave a mark.

 

My Pro-Ject carbon fiber brush leaves marks.

 

It 's quite possible that it is not the brush itself that creates the marks but sharp particles that happened to be trapped in the fibers and dragged over the surface of the record.
At least that's what I think. I never had any problems with my audioquest.

 

My brush was literally brand new when it started causing scratches.

 

I 've read complains like yours online about the Hunt brush

from http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/recordcleaning.html

but the Audioquest that the OP uses is considered pretty safe.

 

Guys, forget about the carbon fiber brush.

Use one of these instead:

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-9662-in-the-groove-record-cleaner.aspx

If you're into vinyl at all it's the best $20 you'll ever spend.

And it works for CD's and DVD's too.

 

I've read horror stories about this one: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=337709&page=2

 

yah, I wouldn't use one.

 

If I'm understanding this correctly, a typical record cleaning machine would also leave scratches since it uses a carbon fiber attachment to vacuum the liquid from the grooves, right? In fact, the vacuum creats quite a bit of pressure, so I would think it would be more likely to damage the vinyl.

 

I have seen the scratches too. I think it's a real problem with carbon fiber brushes that gets ignored.

I don't use one. I use an original Discwasher brush which is superior for picking up dust from a record anyway.

Doug

 

No. Typically, the brushes used with vacuum machines are not carbon fiber but are just a velvet type material.

EDIT: Oops, I am talking about the pads on the vacuum wand, of course. The brush an owner uses to actually clean the record is up to said owner. But there would normally be no need for a carbon fiber brush in this case.

Doug