Anyone here use a vinyl buddy? (Silicone roller)

Aladdinsane

Active Member
Just ordered one of these on amazon for around $15 and I'm pretty impressed. I'm honestly surprised I don't hear about more people using them. By far the most effective and easy way I've found to remove ALL dust from the surface of a record. And I mean it literally doesn't leave a single speck of dust.

I wanted to replace my carbon fiber brush because it had been leaving behind strands of the bristles on my record, and while it did a fine job it would never remove 100% of the dust. After trying this thing I definitely don't see myself going back to using a brush...
 
Sounds interesting! Perhaps I need to mention this in the vinyl cleaning thread in my sig.

Off to check this out.
 
Aware of the product (been around for a while) ... never had an interest in trying one. A handheld microscope will let you see into the microgrooves of a record.
 
Aware of the product (been around for a while) ... never had an interest in trying one. A handheld microscope will let you see into the microgrooves of a record.

So what is your point? That it doesn't clean the microgrooves? All I know is that it works better than a brush and removes literally all cracks and pops from dust
 
I wanted to replace my carbon fiber brush because it had been leaving behind strands of the bristles on my record, and while it did a fine job it would never remove 100% of the dust.
I had one in the '80s and have one now. The older one was tapered, so as you rolled it, it followed the curve of the record. Neat. I always worried about it leaving a residue, but never saw of heard any evidence of that.

I never liked carbon fiber brushes and rarely use them, for the reasons Alladin states. The roller removes all the micro-dust carbon fiber only moves around. It also probably digs deep into the grooves, but for really difficult contaminants, a RCM is needed.
 
Oooo! Oooo! Another cleaning accessory to try. I'm going to get one!

3 minutes later - it's on its way.
 
3 minutes later - it's on its way.
Let us know.

FWIW, I use mine after all my other brushes, only for the micro-dust they leave behind. I worry that, if there's something big or hard or abrasive on the LP, the roller might grind it in.
 
Interesting....

I saw a lint roller back in the eighties that looked just like that. It did well on records removing dust, but created a huge static charge. I think I will keep watching the progress of this thread.....:lurk:

So please do tell what you find out !!!!!

Just got one.....nice sticky pliable surface !!
 
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Interesting....

I saw a lint roller back in the eighties that looked just like that. It did well on records removing dust, but created a huge static charge. I think I will keep watching the progress of this thread.....:lurk:

So please do tell what you find out !!!!!

FWIW I haven't had any problems with static whatsoever, and the air is so dry in my apartment that that's something I'm always struggling with.
 
Let us know.

FWIW, I use mine after all my other brushes, only for the micro-dust they leave behind. I worry that, if there's something big or hard or abrasive on the LP, the roller might grind it in.

Ha, I had the same concern. Although the roller has completely replaced brushes for me at this point. They were doing more harm than good.

There's really never anything besides fine dust on my records anyway. If there's a LOT of dust I'll hit them with the wood glue, if they have finger prints or are greasy/dirty/grimey I'll wash them with a sponge and some dish soap diluted in distilled water.

But up to this point I don't think I've ever had to actually clean any record more than once. Once it's clean I just use the roller every time before I play it and it's good to go.
 
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The roller has completely replaced brushes for me at this point. They were doing more harm than good.
Good to know Aladdin, a seal of approval. The best brush I've ever had was an ancient UK product, Parastat. It was a million white fibers, I don't know of what material, an inch long and stiff enough to reach deep but not damage — and every bristle is sharpened to a point. Each one is like a stylus, reaching to the bottom. And like a stylus, you can hear them — they "play" every groove simultaneously, and audibly. I've had it 25 years, it lasts — and I found another, NIB, on a recent trip to Cape Town. If you run across it, give it a spin...

BTW, is your name Aladdin-sane, or Aladd-insane?
 
I recently ordered the Nagaoka “lint roller” brush. I had a fairly clean thrift store find, so I used the Nagaoka instead of my normal RCM routine. The record appeared to clean up nicely, and played without a single snap, crackle, or pop. No signs of sticky residue left behind. It will not replace my normal KAB cleaning routine, but so far, I’m impressed.

GG
 
Searching for info brings up the Nagaoka brush coming in at about $100?? Kind of steep isn't it?
 
I bought mine for 70-something from the big online mega-store, but I have a Nagaoka cart and I am a sucker for gadgets.

GG
 
Got it. it's a dust magnet and then some. Used it on a record that looked really clean, and it picked up dust. Obviously isn't intended to replace an RCM, but does a stellar job of collecting dust off the surface.
 
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