Lost stylus seeking similar experience

You are right, Bill.  And I was incorrect to refer to it as a cleaner. Still, I wonder what is the active ingredient. In reference to what Elliot wrote above, is there some other trademarked product called "Stylus Cleaner"?  I thought the subject was LAST, and then I assumed the particular product under discussion as a possible cause of bond failure was Stylast, whether it's a cleaner or a lubricant or a candy mint or a breath mint (to quote a very old SNL gag).

You guys are aware there is LAST Stylus cleaner and companion product STYLAST which is claimed to be a stylus preservative. Just making sure everyone is on the same page.

I've used LAST Stylus cleaner for decades and never lost a stylus.

Yes, two things Elliott mentioned above are pertinent and perhaps prescient.  LAST does make a stylus cleaning liquid.  It is powerful stuff and there is no doubt in my mind that regular use could degrade adhesive.  I have a bottle here in Florida, but rarely use it.  Most importantly it had never been used on my AT ART20.  Inadvertent fumble fingers or some such is by far the most likely root cause of my missing diamond.  I don’t know how I did it, but the cartridge was untouched by any other human since I acquired it.  I believe mishandling is the answer to the mystery. 

@billstevenson 

I really think its just a matter of trying to bond dissimilar materials together using an adhesive. I would never trust a stylus stuck out the end of a boron cantilever with a glob of glue, like I see on so many cartridges’ these days even though your ART20 uses a more elaborate method AT claims that is supposed to reduce moving mass as well as improve the bond. Maybe at least one design objective was achieved.

For Stylast to work you are instructed to use their record treatment also. It is supposed to change the surface of a record in a manner, I forget exactly how since it has been awhile since I looked at it. I do remember one person on Audiokarma who used Stylast religiously but not the record treatment. After a 1000 hours he had the diamond inspected on his cartridge and it was worn out as a typical diamond would be. He was crestfallen. 

As I recall, there are some MDS out on the Stylast products that will give you the chemical composition, but not the percentages.

I have lost diamonds two times off cantilevers. Once I suspect because I had a cue mishap and set it down too hard. I think I may have weakened the bond. The second one was no mishap, it just detached in mid play. 

I ended up changing how I apply my stylus cleaner. Before I had brushed directly onto the diamond, and then used the brush. These days I apply the fluid onto the brush a bit enthusiastically, and then use the wetted brush to clean the diamond. No issues with this technique.