Stylus cleaning, what do you use?

[Grenadeslio]

LOL, I just find it interesting that a diamond is one of the hardest naturally forming substance on the planet, and they wear out when riding on spinning vinyl. Meanwhile, they will cut through glass. Oh boy!

And the stone steps at the pyramids are worn away from bare human feet walking on them, your point is?

 

[Audiofreak71]

And the stone steps at the pyramids are worn away from bare human feet walking on them, your point is?

I think he’s saying it’s a trip that a diamond that is the hardest stone on earth can be worn down by vinyl , I could be wrong in that assumption though but that’s how I took it.

Audiofreak71

 

[cafe latte]

With friction two substances rubbing together, one hard and one soft both wear, the hard one slower, a few molecules at a time maybe but the hard one wears all the same.
Think steel chain saw and wood, the saw needs sharpening even though the wood is much softer, bread knife cutting bread again will need a sharpen from time to time. Stylus on a record are no different.
Chris

 

[schleif]

With friction two substances rubbing together, one hard and one soft both wear, the hard one slower, a few molecules at a time maybe but the hard one wears all the same.
Think steel chain saw and wood, the saw needs sharpening even though the wood is much softer, bread knife cutting bread again will need a sharpen from time to time. Stylus on a record are no different.
Chris

Yeah when you put it that way, it makes sense, but diamond is still a 10 on the mohs scale, you would think the vinyl wouldn't stand a chance vs the diamond. In all if the examples everyone offers, the only thing that hits that diamond is vinyl and a brush, you would think it would take 100 years to wear. Unlike the vinyl that scratches the second someone bumps your TT. I am not saying it doesn't happen, of course there is wear to both, friction is friction, but it does seem curious that stylus diamonds get replaced as often people replace them given most of them never have more than 2g of weight/force placed on them.

 

[cafe latte]

Yeah when you put it that way, it makes sense, but diamond is still a 10 on the mohs scale, you would think the vinyl wouldn't stand a chance vs the diamond. In all if the examples everyone offers, the only thing that hits that diamond is vinyl and a brush, you would think it would take 100 years to wear. Unlike the vinyl that scratches the second someone bumps your TT. I am not saying it doesn't happen, of course there is wear to both, friction is friction, but it does seem curious that stylus diamonds get replaced as often people replace them given most of them never have more than 2g of weight/force placed on them.

The diamond passes each part of the vinyl only for a split second so the record only has wear in that part of the record for a fraction of a second. The stylus however is rubbing all the time so it has friction for the full time the record is playing. The diamond may be much harder but it has to deal with even in one play many thousands of time the friction each section of the groove has to deal with. Remember with 78's with steel needles you needed to change needle every play.
Chris

 

[schleif]

The diamond passes each part of the vinyl only for a split second so the record only has wear in that part of the record for a fraction of a second. The stylus however is rubbing all the time so it has friction for the full time the record is playing. The diamond may be much harder but it has to deal with even in one play many thousands of time the friction each section of the groove has to deal with. Remember with 78's with steel needles you needed to change needle every play.
Chris

Makes sense, but interesting none-the-less.

 

[kirk57]

The actual contact area between the diamond and vinyl is very very small and even with a tracking force of 1 gram the forces are very high. Hence the high wear.

What I find odd is that dragging a rock through a squiggly ditch works at all, when it works in fact very well!