Question about scratches on records

Hello everyone! This is my first time asking a question on here. I've been collecting and listening to vinyl for about 2 years now. Recently I have noticed that most of my records have small surface scratches on them. Long and short hairline scratches. They don't affect play though as far as I can tell. I try to keep my records clean and in as good of condition as I can. I buy most records new and immediately remove them from their paper sleeves to MoFi sleeves. Is this normal or is something causing it? Would it have originally been caused by the paper sleeves or is it something I am doing? The only thing I could think of is the old Discwasher D4 I use but I don't think it is that.

 

It could be the D4. Are you using the fluid? Using it dry could accumulate dust into a pile. The brush wouldn't scratch the record, but the pile of dust cold be abrasive. Using the fluid would help suspend the dust above the record surface. Without the fluid, you could be grinding into the records surface.

I do have an old D4 brush. I hardly ever use it. But it's better than anything else I have for picking up a hair off the surface of a record. I don't use the fluid, it's long gone. I've never noticed any abrasions from using it, but my records are vacuum cleaned before I play them. So dust is almost never an issue.

 

Oh okay. Thanks i appreciate your reply. I try to use the fluid most of the time. It is the original one that came with the brush. I also clean my records with a microfiber cloth with distilled water. I was looking at the scratches a little more closely and the scratches are not in the direction that the brush would go. Some are parallel to the groves. So I am very puzzled

 

Same issue. Almost all of my records have long and short hairline scratches. Lots of them. Sometimes when I open a brand new record - they are already there. Might be due to manufacturers not being careful enough, might be shipping and handling, some of those hairlines I caused myself only by pulling a record out of it`s sleeve. I have bough some antistatic paper sleeves and I think they are the main culprit that cause all these ligh scratches, each and every time I take a record out and place it back. Funny thing is that I do care about my collection, I try to keep it as in good condition as possible, but sometimes it seems that it`s pretty much impossible to have a flawless, scratch free vinyl record.. I`m not even sure if all this collecting gives me more pleasure or anxiety. I love the way they sound, I love big covers, but those scratches, dust and constant need of pampering can get exhausting. Especially when you turn on really brigh light and take a close look at the surface - you suddenly start seeing every single "pimple" and realize the visual condition is nowhere near mint just after one playback, but very good-- at best..

Positive thing though, sound quality remains good. No pops, no crackles, no skipping. I guess these hairlines are too light to cause some serious damage. In a way it`s a dilemma for me of having a record that plays really good, but looks like crap under strong light (I know, silly...).

My question to those who have "flawless" records would be - how do you do it? how do you manage to keep them that way? and do you inspect them under natural/artificial light?

 

Most likely you are seeing scuffs from the record inner sleeves. I always replace the inner sleeve with mofi or QRP sleeves. Thick cardboard inner sleeves are usually the worst offenders.

 

Inner sleeves in my experience can cause this, especially when static is a problem.

However many microfiber cloth brands do leave small scratches.

 

Also the brush you are using for dust removal might be the culprit.

 

Just like Acedsha I am also using distilled water + microfiber cloth and I have this carbon fiber brush by analogis. My paper inner sleeves are paper from the outside, but covered in plastic inside and as they advertise - with antistatic effect.

So it has to be one of the above. Ironically, I`ve found a bunch of 30+ year old records in my grandma`s attic. They were lying there for years in very simple, basic plastic inner sleeves. Not a single scuff or scratch. Only few fingerprints.
And here I am with my one year old releases that look nowhere near as good.

For now I`ve stopped using fiber brush and only use microfiber cloth combined with little static cleaner spray. It does remove static and before I put the record back into paper/plastic sleeve I try to open the sleeve as wide as possible so there is no direct friction or rubbing. Before, I would just slide them in..

 

It's a given that, no matter how careful you are, what cleaning method & materials you use or the make of super-duper anti static inners you move them to, vinyl is quite a soft, vulnerable material and records will get scratched. All we can do is limit the damage so that it doesn't become obvious when they are played. The odd 'tick' and 'pop' is arguably all part of the vinyl experience!

 

The MOFI sleeves can still scratch. Dragging the vinyl surface across anything, especially if its dirty, will cause hairlines.
I prefer plastic lined paper sleeves for this reason, because you can separate the sleeve from the vinyl while taking out and inserting the disc. It also reduces static and is cheaper for me at least.

If your scratches are parallel that does sound like scratches created from the disc being dragged out of its sleeve.

 

Mine prooved to cause some at least, even on completely clean records.

Record Cleaning Brush Scratching

 

Read my posts above for some suggestions.