Stylus cleaning: tools, fluids, techniques?


I'm interested in your opinions about the best stylus cleaning tools and fluids are. I'd also like some input as to how to clean the stylus; but not so basic as to "always in the direction of record play". I'm more interested in how often, always with fluid, sometimes dry, how much force against the cantilever.

This question comes about as the result of my killing an inexpensive, but enjoyable, cartridge. I'm wondering if I "loved it too much". I'd like to get my vinyl hygeine down before the upgrade bug bites that part of my system.
128x128macdonj

Showing 1 response by extremephono

The polymer based cleaners do not have to be petroleum based (nylon socks are petroleum based, but probably didn't affect human health). There are many other non-petroleum checmicals. However, most of the liquid cleaners are solvent based. Solvent will 'dissolve' things faster than any polymer, just the evaporative action of pure 100% alcohol is very powerful action.

Of course water and brush are the 'purest', will do no damage, but will also hardly clean.

However, I have never seen any stylus fallen off because of either solvent-based or polymer cleaner. However, a lot of dirty coils from capilary action (i.e. the hollow boron cantilever wicks up the liquid, while the dust particles 'kicked off' by the stylus hit the moist coil and stays there.)

The other physics against the liquid/brush cleaner is the fact that the brushing strokes by human finger many times stronger than that of tracking force, and this really will impact the logetivity of the cantilever/suspension. On the other hand, Newton already proved that the force applied by polymer has to be exactly equal to the tracking force set on the tonearm.

I did encounter many sad owners of premature moving coil cartridge failure from prematured cantilever suspension collapsed after only 1 year of active use + vigorously cleaning with brush/liquid.

The 'purity' of our polymer based cleaner can be easily proven, just smear some polymer on a clean mirror surface, and rub it off, there will be no residue, no grease left on the mirror surface.

Extremephono products are tested with almost every top tier cartridge, including the $10000 Clearaudio Insider.