Stylus cleaner advice please..

es347

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Apr 20, 2010
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Way back in the day, I used a little red bottle of Discwasher stylus solution that came with very cool little brush with dense bristles...I still have the brush. The whole thing cost what, 5 bucks? Question: do we have to spend the $25 for a tiny tiny bottle of stylus solution or can we simply use 100% IPA? Same question for vinyl cleaner for use with the VPI 16.5 record cleaner. The instructions say to only use the VIP solution but some folks say mix IPA with distilled water. Comments much appreciated.
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Midwest fly over state..
styluS...oops
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I am a firm beliver in Stylast products and have used them exclusively for years. I hated the VPI cleaning solution and felt it made records sound worse after cleaning. I now clean every record I play before I play it using the Mobile Fidelity RCM solution on my VPI 16.5. It takes all of about 1 minute to make a record look like new.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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New York City
Way back in the day, I used a little red bottle of Discwasher stylus solution that came with very cool little brush with dense bristles...I still have the brush. The whole thing cost what, 5 bucks? Question: do we have to spend the $25 for a tiny tiny bottle of stylus solution or can we simply use 100% IPA? Same question for vinyl cleaner for use with the VPI 16.5 record cleaner. The instructions say to only use the VIP solution but some folks say mix IPA with distilled water. Comments much appreciated.

Best bet is to check with the cartridge's manufacturer. I would though stay away from IPA because it might attack the glue bonding the stylus to the cantilever :( For instance, Lyra specifically warns against using IPA.

Recommendations. Non-liquid: Oznow (amazing the amount of crap that's on the stylus after just one side and you can literally see the Oznow pick it off the stylus) - proof is in the pudding. OTOH, you can fashion something similar for yourself from a Magic eraser (there was a thread about that on Audiogon quite a while back).

Liquid: Lyra SPT, Clearaudio or the MOFI (think it's made for them by Brian Weitzel).

I use the Oznow consistently and then every couple of playings touch up with a liquid cleaner. If using the SPT, you apply after each side since it's part cleaner, part lubricant.
 
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Mosin

[Industry Expert]
Mar 11, 2012
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I use Last frequently, but a great cleaner for cartridges that need particular attention is Nagaoka Hi clean 801. I found it on eBay awhile back for around $15-20. A bottle lasts a lifetime.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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For the stylus ...

---Isopropyl alcohol 99% with distilled water (my own mix with a big emphasis on the Isopropyl; 90/10). :b ...And a special stylus rubbing/cleaning brush ($20 or so).

Total cost: less than few pennies per dozens of plays.

* Other indispensable tools: a laser pen and a jewelry magnifier. ...And a round level.

P.S. With IPA use a Q-Tip and cut it very small (the tip), so that you only touch the stylus,
and not the cantilever (Pro Precision job).
Also, in a pharmacy (drugstore), go to the women makeup section, and they have special Q-Tips there (package of five or ten). ...Those aren't made of cotton. They are also double side; use the other side to dry soon afterwards.
Plus the ladies have access to zillion type of brushes; for all type of makeup and all that Jazz ....
They are very inexpensive, and they come in package of six to twelve different brushes.
Of course, some camel hair or moose will cost you more. :b

Anything else?
 
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andi

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2012
97
5
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Germany
Hi,
often dicussed issue....

Never, ever use liquids, because of the glue.
The Onzow, Myles suggested, works great.

For me, the best thing is the magic eraser.

http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do

I cut these blocks to small slices ( 0,25 " * 0,25´"* length of the block) and clean the stylus with that.
You have to be very, very carefull. I used a worn cartrige for the first tries. Then you will get the feeling for that.
Now I use it on all my carts, even the vd Huls.

Andreas
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
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New York City
Hi,
often dicussed issue....

Never, ever use liquids, because of the glue.
The Onzow, Myles suggested, works great.

For me, the best thing is the magic eraser.

http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do

I cut these blocks to small slices ( 0,25 " * 0,25´"* length of the block) and clean the stylus with that.
You have to be very, very carefull. I used a worn cartrige for the first tries. Then you will get the feeling for that.
Now I use it on all my carts, even the vd Huls.

Andreas

Having used both the Ozmow and ME, I feel the former cleans better.

And yes, cut the ME to small blocks. I glue mine to a nickel to give it a little more weight and feel when using the cleaner.
 

arnies

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2010
104
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1,583
Austin, TX
I use a combination of the magic eraser (after each side) and then every other time I combine that with the oznow zerodust. Works great.
 

Bill Hart

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2012
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I use the Onzow and have a variety of small stylus brushes that i have acquired over the years. When I had the Lyra Titan i, i used the supplied liquid, but i am a little hestitant to use it with a non-Lyra cartridge (Airtight), simply because it wasn't specified by the manufacturer. I remember the long running threads on the ME, and thought about, but never tried it. I gather than 'dipping' may be safer than 'brushing' with it- but both made me hestitate- only because if I recall, the magic comes from tiny abrasive loops or something, that could potentially wreak havoc. No? Hate to spread old wives' tales but the stuff that happens at the stylus is so infintestimally 'micro' that I can't really meaningfully see what i am doing, so the Hippocratic oath would seem to apply. Oh, and I try to keep the records clean, too, no doubt it helps.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
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New York City
Hi Myles,

you brushed the Diamant or only lower it into the ME block?

Andreas

I would use the ME or Oznow first and then use the clearaudio stylus cleaning fluid and a brush.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Metro DC

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC

Mosin

[Industry Expert]
Mar 11, 2012
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I think you're right.

It's scary. I'm afraid to use it. Those old Signet cartridges had square shank mounted diamonds that wouldn't come off. These days diamonds are more sophisticated in some ways, but they back up in other ways because of how most of them are glued to the cantilever. The Signet device appears to be one that might rattle them off to parts unknown.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
It's scary. I'm afraid to use it. Those old Signet cartridges had square shank mounted diamonds that wouldn't come off. These days diamonds are more sophisticated in some ways, but they back up in other ways because of how most of them are glued to the cantilever. The Signet device appears to be one that might rattle them off to parts unknown.

I agree. Use with caution.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
it's scary. I'm afraid to use it. Those old signet cartridges had square shank mounted diamonds that wouldn't come off. These days diamonds are more sophisticated in some ways, but they back up in other ways because of how most of them are glued to the cantilever. The signet device appears to be one that might rattle them off to parts unknown.

one should always be careful. Never had any problem.
 

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