Stylus slides over record surface. What happened?

I've posted this in old stylus thread discussion of mine but thought it may be best to open a new thread.

Can you please help and tell me whether this is a unequivocal sign of the time has come for my old stylus (still the one that came with my used record player three years ago):

A record was playing and at some point I heard this familiar "pop", a hard and isolated one, not the "frying bacon" sort of surface noise. I've had heard it before, that song, on that same spot.

Yet this time, it "popped" twice (one in each turn) and then on the third the arm slides all the way to the centre, with stylus on record surface, after which the arm lifted and reverted to initial position.

Took the record out, made a visual inspection, and spotted the a small smudge in the track in question. Went for my liquid (10% isopropyl alcohol in distilled water) and cleaning baby brush, cleaned carefully the whole record, and upon another visual inspection the smudge was gone. Waited for the whole thing do dry up (took the opportunity and carefully cleaned the stylus with a small portion of the same mixture sprayed on a dedicated stylus brush).

Here's what happened next: record spinning, placed the stylus at the beginning of the track, lowered the arm and... the whole thing happened again: arm slides all the way to the centre, with stylus on record surface, arm lifted and reverted to initial position.

Diagnose please?!

 

Is the TT/stylus sliding on other records?

 

If tracking force, antiskating are set correctly and table is level, get a good powerful magnifying scope and look at the stylus.

My guess is the stylus came with the table and you don't know the history, its time for a new stylus.

 

Have you taken a close look at the stylus? It sounds like the diamond/needle was damaged, or popped off.

 

I agree you have to check this. My guess would be the stylus tip is completely gone.

 

It certainly sounds like it - weakening of the stylus cantilever glued bond can occur with repeated usage of solvents when cleaning a stylus.

 

Yes. I’ve done that test on another (less valuable) record

 

Checked tracking force and anti skating and their set as normally.
Incidentally I was having the same thought but kept postponing. Just wanted to know whether this skating is a typical symptom of anything

 

Need to make closer inspection but that cleansing with isopropol solution may have been a last straw

 

When i checked with naked eye it looked like there was “something” there. Need to make a closer inspection

 

Use a jewelers loop or a magnifying glass. You may be looking at the shank and not the diamond stylus.

 

If stylus ie replaceable ie mm
Fit new one.
Always keep on in stock.
Best way of tackling this problem.

 

Yep. Tip is gone. Happened to me once with a fairly new bonded tip after setting it up with a protractor. It's possible that fluid had migrated into the bond between the diamond tip and the stud and weakening the bond. Friction did the rest. Cued it down and off it skated towards the label.

Never had it happen with a nudie, but I've heard of it from others less fortunate.

 

You said: “arm lifted and reverted to initial position.” Does your tt have auto return? If so it might be the auto mechanism tripping.

 

When he started explaining what happened when he started the record from the beginning, I said to myself, "If it now slides across from the beginning of the record it means one of two things: there is a flat piece of debris on the stylus that is causing it to float, or the stylus is gone." And sure enough, it did.

 

Yes it does have auto return. Thanks for the hint ti bear in mind if stylus tip is still there

 

It happened to me with a new Grado Red cart. Brand new install and the cart just skated right across the record! AND it was installed at the store!
Cheers, Doug

 

And how did you fix it? what was the issue?

 

It had no stylus. And this was before
Internet shopping. So since I got a buddy to pick it up for me in Toronto; 4 1/2 hrs away this was a major pain! But they gave me a refund after a little haggling.
Cheers, Doug

 

Take off the stylus protector, or, if you have a protector/guard that rotates up and down, rotate it to the “up” position.

 

Could be leftover glue that was keeping the stylus in place

 

Guys,

This was the best I could manage:

 

There you go. The tip is gone.

 

Looks like the diamond tip is gone. What cartridge and stylus is it?

 

Definately tip problem.
If its an old cartridge and genuine stylus
Not available personally i would buy
A new cartridge.
The newish Audio Technica range superb trackers and excellent by repute sound
Quality.
I messed around for a few years with my
SHURE V15 MK3
Bought a new old stock stylus.
Its fine but costly.
Good luck