Records with tight spindle hole

I've always used a house key, does the trick for me.

 

You need something perfectly round to fit in the spindle hole. A moderate size screwdriver is good. Just slowly twist the shaft in the spindle hole. Usually it only takes a few turns to do the trick. Don't use the tip to enlarge the hole.

 

A pencil inserted and gently turned inside the hole a couple of times will do the trick. The audiophile choice is an Eberhard Faber #2 in the hex shape. No more drastic measures are an improvement, and some may cause an uneven hole, leading to measurable wow.

 

The spindles do sometimes vary in diameter, which exacerbates this problem.

 

This is what I was talking about by using a screwdriver. Should have clarified a little more.

 

Pencil, twirl gently.

 

I used to scrape them out with one blade of a pair of scissors. Check frequently, and repeat as many times as necessary.

 

Clearaudio sells a glorified drill bit that reportedly does a great job - for around $70. . . .