Finding a substitute for Discwasher SC-2 stylus cleaning fluid

[eb2jim]

I have a couple of small bottles of SC2 still around, so for now I am good. The stuff that I had years back, that I liked a lot, was Signet stylus cleaner. It may have been alcohol based, but came with a very soft brush in a bottle almost like nail polish. Worked fine, and discs sounded nice after I gave the needle a good bath.

 

[priceb]

Was told by a friend of mine to use grain alcohol (drinking quality) tried it w/the Discwasher few times. Don't know long term effects.

 

[BMWCCA]

(Discwasher was started by a couple of guys in Columbia, MO)

I met the head guy back around 1968, '69, or '70 when I was in Columbia for the state high-school swim meet. Don't remember who knew him but we ended up at his house to listen to music. The DW was in prototype stage at the time and used a pad on a drafting-brush handle. I still have my wood-block kit with the stylus cleaner, DW, and Zero-stat gun.

I don't remember the name of the inventor we visited, or what his sound system was, but do remember I took third in the meet.

 

[jdurbin1]

It's the official bar designation for a really good ale as well... but should be taken in moderation when handling vinyl & turntables

John

IPA is the official lab designation.

 

[vinylvirgin]

Yeah, IPA means "India Pale Ale"! It's not much good for electronic applications, mind you! Unless you mean gettin' down to whatever music you're spinning! Oh, and it also means "intermediate power amplifier", like on a commercial radio transmitter. Unless it refers to what the engineer is drinking...

The packaging on my SC-2 very explicitly warns against using alcohol because it can harden rubber or rubber-like components in equipment like the cantilever mechanism of a typical magnetic phono cartridge. I was also warned by a technician for a local radio station whom I got to speak to years ago never to use alcohol on the pinch rollers of tape decks for that same reason.

Long as we're on the subject, what do folks here use to clean their reel or cassette tape decks? I've been using ART S-721H cleaner, but the store that sold it to me went out of business recently. And while I'm sure it must be available online, I'd like to know about alternatives.

 

[PacificStereo]

I've used alcohol on my SC-2 since the beginning of time. It doesn't hurt it at all.

I like ethanol (Everclear, if you can't buy ethanol direct from a chemical house) as opposed to IPA, but it's user's choice.

I still have some original bottles of D3 and D4 lying around.

 

[markd51]

I like the IPA.

Again, like anything it so depends on different variables. ME or magic eraser will pull lint/fluff/dust off a stylus. It will not remove the crud from a stylus after playing a dirty record. The heat generated at the contact points will "bake" crud on the diamond that ME will not remove. A brush combined with a solvent must be used.

In my experience, a diluted solution of isopropyl alcohol is the best solvent. The strength of the solution depends on if it's a bonded or nude diamond. A bonded diamond is "glued" to the stylus and strong solvents can dissolve this bond. I'd use 20% IPA with 80% distilled water on these guys.

Nudes are fine with 80% IPA in my experience. I give my stylii a clean with brush and IPA under 20x viewing every 20 hrs. Always brush outwards. Dry stylus brush before each side.

Whether you adopt this method or not, IPA is a versatile cleaning fluid for all things electronic and I'd recommend buying it in bulk (I buy in 5L amounts). It can be used as the main ingrediant in your record cleaning solution and is useful in cleaning CDs, TV screens and the like. It dries without leaving a residue, hence it's usefulness in our relm.

IMO, your observations are wrong. Mr Clean Magic Eraser will take everything off a Stylus. Don't find out the hard way with IPA, when you finally break down, and buy a $2200 Lyra Helikon Cartridge, and then lose the Stylus, using such harsh alcohol cleaners. Mark

 

[chadbang]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of bristles were on the SC-2 brush. Were they plastic bristles or carbon fiber?

 

[Pio1980]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of bristles were on the SC-2 brush. Were they plastic bristles or carbon fiber?

They look plastic bristles to me.

 

[lokerola]

Zombie thread!

 

[TaddNOhio]

IMO, your observations are wrong. Mr Clean Magic Eraser will take everything off a Stylus. Don't find out the hard way with IPA, when you finally break down, and buy a $2200 Lyra Helikon Cartridge, and then lose the Stylus, using such harsh alcohol cleaners. Mark

Holy $&#+ is there guys on here who actually spend over two grand on a cartridge? And ..... here i tried to keep my system (receiver, turntable, speakers) under $1200 .. i feel like a cheapskate LOL

 

[Pio1980]

If it hasn't been said previously, the LAST stylus brush is as good as the SC-2. I'd recommend this, then some dips on a dry bit of Magic Eraser for a crud encrusted stylus.

 

[majick47]

The Last products are a little more costly than some of the other stylus cleaners/preservatives but have been on the market since the early 80s and have an excellent reputation for doing what they claim with no harm done. Those small bottles should be good for at least 10 years of average use. Highly recommend Last.

 

[bobins08]

I use LAST every 3 or 4 days and a dry SC2 every 3 or 4 plays.

All of my records get at least one thorough cleaning and rinse cycle using my vacuum RCM before I play them. Even the brand new ones.

 

[Empireman]

I use this stuff... it's cheap and safe on my vinyl.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263844075897

 

[revox-b77]

^ That is what I have been using since 1980. No ill effects yet.