Perfect Question for this crowd (or so I thought?)

How do you clean your stylus?

A. Finger
B. Green sandpaper
C. Funny brush that vibrates
D. Gamma rays
E. Mental energy
F. Commercial product that is the best because ___________.
G. All of the above

 

I tried Sandpaper...scary
I tried Nagaoka fluid, leaves residu
I tried Audio Technica fluid, takes to long to dry

I use the Ortofon Brush because it is effective and quick. (But If I played an old unwashed record I might use the AT fluid once in a while)

 

From the back towards the front is the only advice I can give. The Discwasher brush, or Stylast brush or whatever. Back to front is correct.

March Stereophile - the brushless stylus cleaning pad called the Mozno Zero Dust looks cool if you have the big bucks.

Regards,
Metralla

 

Sandpaper

Linn Products use to pass out little green squares of stuff that looked like fine sandpaper - it was a very fine abrasive, and you would scrape your stylus with it from back to front.

Has anyone used the LAST (brand) stylus treatment?

 

Re: Sandpaper

I have. It comes in a small clear bottle that looks like a nail applicator product. The brush is a fine black one and the "treatment" is a clear, semi-viscous fluid. You brush the stylus, from back to front a few times - that's it. Supposed to do it with every play - I think I remember to do it about every tenth time...oh, well. From the amount of fluid in this bottle I'm probably going to have to think about ordering some more in...oh...say January 2018.

Best,

Ben

 

No, the sandpaper (waterproof, very fine grain) was recommended by Van Den Hul himself in the early eighties (at least thats what I read in some magazines), he said if used with care this was the best method to clean a diamond stylus. I don't know if he still has this opinion because I see they sell a brush similar to my ortofon brush.

 

I first start with a big breath of air followed by my Stylast Cleaner liquid and brush.

 

There's nothing wrong with using the Discwasher brush, drag gently back to front.

You can also get a small camelhair brush the size of a pencil. Just cut the bristles short (like a cruecut), and shorten the handle too.

 

I'm also using the Stylast cleaner. In the old days there was a Stereo store nearby with a microscope to examine your stylus but it's long gone so now I just clean before each listening session and hope I'm not grinding vinyl.

 

I use the clearaudio stylus cleaner because I don't know any better and it came with my table.

I can barely see the cartridge any more much less be able to see if the stylus is clean. So I just use it as the directions say, before every record.

 

Last stylus cleaner with the provided brush.
The Cardas sweep LP claims to effectively degauss and ultrasonically clean the stylus with high frequency waves. I dunno if this is effective, it looks clean and sounds fine.

 

I've been using Lyra's SPT Stylus Cleaner for about 18 months. Seems to clean well.