Zerostat Milty really?

@2channel8, it is good to know that the electrodes working well for you. The cartridge is such a sensitive device (measures from few milli-volts to sub-milli-volts). The static measures mostly from hundreds of volts. The typical thickness of record is from 1mm to 3mm. The impact is there. Most of the people do not hear the impact of static. They feel it because of the spark or pull from the platter. The impact on the cartridge is there even no spark or pull from the platter. It sounds degraded (edgy, fewer details, definition, extensions, etc). There is no turning back after heard how vinyl sounds without static. Just my experiences of dealing with static.

There are many reasons (recording, cartridge, arm, table setup) that some people do not hear the differences. This is also perfectly fine.

I tend to agree with controlling humidity, or lack there of, and using a brush with a ground connected to it. I used to live in the Midwest where humidity was in abundance. But out In Arizona, well you gotta be careful not to get shocked out of your mind When touching ANYTHING metal.

I had a small device back in the mid 70's call a Static Master. It had a brush and metal grid with radio active Isotopes incased in ceramic beads. The brush and radioactivity  would suppress the static. I guess they felt this thing was to dangerous as the ceramic incasing was to prevent you from radiation poisoning if you accidentally  ingested or inhaled the Isotopes if they let loose from the grid!  Maybe that's why I'm bald now. lol.

(1) Controlling humidity - This will help.
(2) A brush with a ground wire - Not all the brushes the same. You may need something like this to work well. (http://www.analogueseduction.net/anti-static-solutions-cleaning-cloths/furskfil.html)
(3) Ingest or inhale the Isotopes and become bald - It is a NO NO, too big a price to pay. :-)

There are a few conceptual errors contained in some of the above posts.  I am not a physicist, but based on my reading, static electricity as we experience it is not due to the accumulation of "positrons" (which is a legitimate subatomic particle for sure); it is due to a relative lack of or loss of electrons on the surface of a nonconductor.  This results in a positive charge with respect to any other surface that has its normal number of electrons. These relative opposites attract, until the charge is dissipated to ground. Likewise, the Zerostat does not squirt positrons or suck them up either, as the case may be. As far as I know, the static electric charge is dissipated nearly instantaneously when ground is contacted, regardless of the intensity of the field.  If the voltage is very high (can be millions of volts in one of those "Frankenstein" van de Graf generators), the spark is correspondingly more intense.

2channel8.  What is the rationale behind your hope that the thoriated rods will reduce or prevent static electric buildup?  Even the vendor does not make that claim; they are for TIG welding.  I ask this in ignorance; no disrespect intended.

I am surprised that no one here mentioned the latest Audioquest LP brush, which now has contacts built into its handle.  The idea is that gripping the brush as you wipe it across a spinning LP will allow a pathway to ground, via your body, thus draining away any electrical potential build-up. I have one, and truthfully, I cannot be sure it helps vs the old original Audioquest brush, but I use the new one anyway.

Most of all, don't walk up to the turntable over a wool carpet while wearing leather soled shoes.  Do touch something connected to earth ground, before touching the LP, in order to neutralize your own net charge as much as possible beforehand.

I am not a physicist, either; but I do have some training. Static charges are not always + or always -. The polarity varies depending ob the material's position in the Triboelectric series: https://www.alphalabinc.com/triboelectric-series/
As we can see, vinyl/PVC is quite low in the table and acquires a negative charge when rubbed with metal, as do the majority of materials in the table. Diamonds don't appear in the table; but both diamonds and vinyl are not conductors, so any charge built up on the LP will not easily drain away. My experience with conductive brushes has not been all that good, so I eventually bought the Milty. I resisted for a long time, because I had a Zerostat gun back in the '80s, which worked pretty well but wore out and was not as expensive as the Milty, which I consider overpriced. From experience I've found that directing only the release stroke, which I believe is the one that emits positive charges, at the LP is more effective than both the squeeze and release. If a little Thorium emitting positive charges in the vicinity of my LPs (but NOT my cartridge) helps, and it seems to be, I am all for it. Especially because it is totally passive. I don't have to do anything after I place them on the plinth. I'll let you all know If I see any change in results.

PS. Pfan-Stat works by leaving a very thin conductive coating on the LP. I tend to avoid it; but it works pretty well when I use it. It makes those conductive brushes work much better.