White flyff on stylus after cleaning?

[Maskedman]

Hello all,

First post on vinylengine

I bought a lot of old vinyls recently and thought I'd give them a nice cleaning to remove old fingerprints and what not.

I mixed up a solution of 1 part isopropyl alcohol and 4 parts of demineralized water, and after that sprayed them clean using only demineralized water. I wiped them down using a microfiber cloth and let them dry for about 20 minutes.

The problem is that my stylus now collects some white fluff after playing, what is going on?

Thomas

[kelvinMunson]

Could the fluff have come from your cloth ?

[Maskedman]

Could the fluff have come from your cloth ?

Hello Kelvin,

Thanks for the reply!

I was thinking the same thing, it might sound stupid but I didn't think microfiber cloths shed?

Any alternatives to microfiber?

Thomas

[Tedrick]

Does the fluff look like lint, or more like dirt and dust? If it's lint, then I agree with kelvinmunson that it's probably your microfiber cloth shedding. Make sure you use good-quality microfiber cloths that are clearly labeled as "lint-free." Also, get a carbon fiber record-cleaning brush and use it to dust each album side immediately before playing it. Do not be tempted to get a cheap one, as they are notorious for shedding. Besides, a good CF brush such as the Audioquest or Hunt models only cost about US$20 and will last a lifetime.

[jimbo1421]

After my last session with my Spin Clean I have noticed this tiny ball of white lint on my stylus, also. I dry my records with Hometex brand microfiber cloths (the blue kind with a fairly heavy nap). They have been machine washed and sun dried 3-4 times. They did not shed lint when new. Could they be breaking down after multiple washings and drying in the sun? At high altitude here, 5,000 ft, could UV light harm the fabric?

Jim

PS: "Flyff" seems to be a better word for this material than "fluff"

[Tedrick]

After my last session with my Spin Clean I have noticed this tiny ball of white lint on my stylus, also. I dry my records with Hometex brand microfiber cloths (the blue kind with a fairly heavy nap). They have been machine washed and sun dried 3-4 times. They did not shed lint when new. Could they be breaking down after multiple washings and drying in the sun? At high altitude here, 5,000 ft, could UV light harm the fabric?

Yes, washing fabrics, especially machine washing, gradually weakens the fibers, which in turn leads to thinning, breaking, and shedding of the fibers. UV could also be causing some damage.

[Maskedman]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it's been really helpful.

Looking at this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNLGo5K5m_M, the author actually states further down the comments that:

"I am no longer using the microfiber towels. I was finding some lint being picked up by the stylus. As soon as I stopped using the microfiber towels the lint went away."

So it looks like it is the microfiber cloths that's causing the "flyff".

What alternatives are there - and does lint free microfiber cloths exist?

[E.Man]

Hello all,
First post on vinylengine
I bought a lot ...
Thomas

Depending on how many "a lot" is you should think about getting a Record Cleaning Machine (RCM).

I recently went from manual cleaning to a 'PHK' 'Nano Mecho' RCM and there is a noticeable improvement. Prob mostly due to the vacuum stage of the process.

[jimbo1421]

After my last session with my Spin Clean I have noticed this tiny ball of white lint on my stylus, also. I dry my records with Hometex brand microfiber cloths (the blue kind with a fairly heavy nap). They have been machine washed and sun dried 3-4 times. They did not shed lint when new. Could they be breaking down after multiple washings and drying in the sun? At high altitude here, 5,000 ft, could UV light harm the fabric?

Yes, washing fabrics, especially machine washing, gradually weakens the fibers, which in turn leads to thinning, breaking, and shedding of the fibers. UV could also be causing some damage.

So are there any Spin Clean users out there with some good drying cloth suggestions? I had not studied how well the cloths supplied with the Spin Clean work, but that will be my next test.

Jim

[jimbo1421]

Has anyone tried these diamond weave microfiber cloths which I spotted in another VE thread? They are described as "very low lint" and suitable for "industrial critical cleaning", although it is not clear what that means.

http://www.photodon.com/c/315-diamond-w ... loths.html

Jim

[LousyTourist]

I've been using MF cloths for years; no exotic variety either, the $3 a bundle pack at Menards in the automobile section.

I do throw them in the clothes washer.

If they ever had lint, they certainly don't now.

If I ever had lint on the stylus, I can't remember it, and I think I would.

Maybe not all microfibre clothes are created equal.

[jimbo1421]

Hi LT,

Do your MF cloths resemble the terry cloth type or are they the smooth, silkier type?

Jim

[LousyTourist]

they look more like terry cloth than anything. The smoother variety is what I see for cleaning glasses, LCD screens, etc.... a different and pricier variety of MF, from what I understand.

[jimbo1421]

I have examined the flyff with a 16x hand lens and it is definitely fibrous, not particulate. I clean the record with a carbon fiber brush before playing; little surface lint is left on the surface.

Jim