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Wrong way to clean a stylus!

First time posting. Have read thousands of comments however. I feel like a complete idiot. I shall explain. I have a Marantz TT-15S1 with the original cartridge without a cover of which the LPs tend to attract dust and dog hair while hanging out between sessions.  There was a tuft of dust/dander on the stylus that I couldn't get off that was creating some serious skips. Dabbed with felt like paper, still there.  Wiped gently with lens cleaning cloth, still there. Got the can of compressed air and tried to blow it off. No luck. Put the straw in the can of compressed air for a more directed shot and wouldn't you know it but the straw flew out of the can like a bullet and took the stylus right off the cartridge. Now, I feel like a complete dumbass and have to spend hundreds on a new cartridge. Thought I would pass along my personal comedy of errors.  Maybe others could discuss theirs so I don't feel so bad?
ricmci
swampwalker's avatar
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swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
Am I the only one who still uses a small wedge of magic eraser on the end of a toothpick?
reubent
3,587 posts
 
@swampwalker  - I use magic eraser. I just use a small cube of it, no toothpick. How do you use it?
pops
1,847 posts
 
I use ME also on the end of a toothpick.  I use it about every 4 or 5 sides and then lightly brush it.  And sometimes the sticky stuff, can't recall the name at the moment!
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swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
@reubent I have a tapered piece about 1” Long and 1/4” wide and 1/4” thick with the toothpick (or a corn on the cob holder if I can’t find a toothpick) inserted in one end that I use for a handle. 
parrotbee
65 posts
 
Dominic at Northwest Analogue in the UK says clean. your records, not your stylus.

I think that the Green Paper method is atrocious - I have spoken to several cartridge manufacturer and universally all think this is ludicrous unless you have a microscope sharp enough to see each face of a shibata stylus and the hands of a precision engineer to then use the said paper.

Nearly all cart manufacturers I spoke to said the Audio Technica cleaning machine was good, likewise a very soft brush to remove dust.

I have used Lyra LPT but you have to be very careful in using it.

Also worth using are the frequency sweeps on the George Cardas test record
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