Stylus cleaning: tools, fluids, techniques?

I use Last cleaner too along with Benz brush that is being supplied with the cartridge. Last brush is great too.
To visualise I use dental magnifying mirror that is available for free if you ask your dentist.

macdonj - I have a Linn LP12 and I notice that the owner manual states that stylus brushes are "completely useless". They recommend a "dry vibrating cleaner" and I do not know what that is.

Having said that, my local Linn salesperson strongly discourages use of liquid stylus cleaners because of the residue they leave. I do not know how true that is. He does recommend using Silly Putty! Just let the stylus rest under its own weight on a piece and then pick the tonearm up. The silly putty will remove all the gunk. It is simple enough and I do it every few records or so.

Record Research stylus cleaner will make an immediate audible improvement the first time you use it. You may benefit from cleaning as often as every one or two sides of LP play, this obviously dependant on the condition of the records.

The best way to clean a really dirty stylus is either a battery powered vibrating tool ( Audioquest made the one I own ), or the dense pile stylus brush made by the Last Company. Saturate the pile with the RR fluid and clean thoroughly. You may leave the vibrating tool in place and simply cue the stylus down onto the surface for a few seconds. To use the Last brush, go ONLY from rear to front with gentle strokes, or you will break the cantilever.

After the initial cleaning the brush provided in the Record Research bottle should be sufficient, unless you go too many plays before touch up.

Linn was, at one point in its history, all out for plastic backed microfinishing film (the green one made by 3M). I don't know the grit, but such pieces were being handed to participants at an 'oficial' Linn seminar. Mi piece did not have the grity number printed. How effective this is? Don't know...

They came all the way down from Scotland to the Caribbean just to teach a seminar--He he...beach time!!!

albert: thanks for the tip on record research stylus cleaner. i use their record cleaning solution in my vpi hp-17 and think it's the best i've ever tried. the ortofon eltro stylus cleaner i use is also a vibrating model, probably resembling your audioquest. i've had mine for probably 15 years, or more. must have used it on 4 or 5 cartridges during that time. -kelly