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Stylus cleaning, what do you use?

schleif

schleif

Active Member
I just got a zero dust stylus cleaner. I actually have my disc washer system from 1980, but there are those that say the zero dust is the better way. Any opinions. As an optician, i use non alchohol bases anti reflective lens cleaner with my discwasher pad to clean record before i play them and it works great as it is anti dust and anti static. But any opinions on the zero dust for the stylus diamonds.
 
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I use Moongel (similar to Zerodust). Occasionally, I dry brush with the Discwasher stylus brush, if the Moongel isn't getting all of the build-up.
 
I use the Zerodust and like them. It's weird though, I have two of them, one has a pink colored gel and one is clear. The pink colored gel seems to be a lot stickier when I put the stylus into it. Don't know what the difference is, but there is a difference.
Gotta really be careful though. You can bend a stylus if you are not careful. I haven't but have read of it happening.
I see that both of them remove the grunge off the stylus. Clean the gel with water, and ready to use again.
YMMV
J.T.
 

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Tedrick said:
Onzow Zerodust before every album side.
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So you like the onzow? I have been using it since I got it several months ago, and you can definitely see the dirt stick to it from the stylus, just wasnt sure if it was more hype than action, but I guess it's safe. I was actually thinking of buying kids slime on amazon as it is so cheap compared to the onzow, but didnt want to take the chance. Seems like a similar compound though. I dont quite understand the magic eraser though, arent there chemicals in there that can hurt the bonding of the diamond? I though magic eraser was some type of bleach in the sponge.
 
schleif said:
do you mean magic eraser as in mr clean magic eraser?
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Yes, same stuff. Cut a "cube" of it and just drop the needle on it and it grabs the dust/crud off the stylus. There is some debate on if it should be moistened, I always wet it then squeeze it so it's just damp.
I got the idea from the members here, there used to be threads on it every few months... almost as many threads as interconnects and Pink Floyd albums :p
 
Just a basic stylus brush before each side gets played (in addition to use of an anti-static brush on the record itself). Seems to work well for me.

Of course, I make it a rule that records I buy (especially used) now must get a bath in the Spin-Clean before the reach a turntable, so that probably helps.
 
schleif said:
So you like the onzow? I have been using it since I got it several months ago, and you can definitely see the dirt stick to it from the stylus, just wasnt sure if it was more hype than action, but I guess it's safe. I was actually thinking of buying kids slime on amazon as it is so cheap compared to the onzow, but didnt want to take the chance. Seems like a similar compound though. I dont quite understand the magic eraser though, arent there chemicals in there that can hurt the bonding of the diamond? I though magic eraser was some type of bleach in the sponge.
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I bought my first Zerodust in 2006 and am still using it. Like you, I can see the dust and dirt that the Onsow captures, so I know it's really doing something. I would not use Slime; it us much softer and breaks down with time, so I would worry about pieces of it becoming stuck to the stylus.

Magic Eraser is a melamine foam block. The melamine foam is a light abrasive material; it works by actually very lightly scrubbing the stylus to remove dust and dirt as you dip it into the foam using the cueing lever on your tonearm. Most importantly, one must NEVER drag the stylus on a ME; doing so could snag the stylus and wreck the cantilever....or worse.
 
schleif said:
I just got a zero dust stylus cleaner. I actually have my disc washer system from 1980, but there are those that say the zero dust is the better way. Any opinions. As an optician, i use non alchohol bases anti reflective lens cleaner with my discwasher pad to clean record before i play them and it works great as it is anti dust and anti static. But any opinions on the zero dust for the stylus diamonds.
Click to expand...

I've been using this for yrs, works great

61pGnjl2PZL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

Pictures of two stylus after cleaning, I think it works.

Screenshot_2017-12-03-10-20-11.png
Screenshot_2017-12-03-15-08-51.png
 
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Dynavector, Ortofon, Vpi and Levinson seem to all use the same brush. I have 6 of them in my collection. I also have a Stanton and Shure brush. I think the Stanton brush came with the 981 Hzl and a V-15 iv or v mr brush. I had a watts brush and a disc washer brush, but they are long gone..
 
I've had the Discwasher set with the Zerostat since it was introduced. The stylus cleaning brush works so does Magic eraser. Along the way I also picked up a Record Doctor vacuum RCM and a Nitty Gritty CD cleaner.

You can get four pieces of Blue Moongel from Amazon for $10. It appears to be exactly the same thing as the Onzow Zero Dust.
 
I generally clean my records with my discwasher brush on every use, I have a spin cleaner, but havent opened it yet, LOL, been cleaning the albums by hand, as I would tend to want to clean multiple records at a time when I finally open the spin cleaner. As for the cart, I have been using the onzow and the discwasher brush. I like the idea of the lubricant and cleaning anti static solution too, it seems to be about 15 shipped on amazon. Does anyone use both the onzow and this lubricant simultaneously or would that be overkill?
 
JoeESP9 said:
I've had the Discwasher set with the Zerostat since it was introduced. The stylus cleaning brush works so does Magic eraser. Along the way I also picked up a Record Doctor vacuum RCM and a Nitty Gritty CD cleaner.

You can get four pieces of Blue Moongel from Amazon for $10. It appears to be exactly the same thing as the Onzow Zero Dust.
Click to expand...
are these the moongel pads for 6.99 on amazon that they are using on the drums?
 
i am actually blown away by all these different products. We have sure come a long way since my 1970/80's zerostat/discwasher.
 
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