Solid stylus cleaners: Extreme Phono vs. Onzow Zer

Slipknot1,
Thanks for the interest. I don't know why more people haven't tried it, perhaps I made it sound more dangerous than it is. As Twl pointed out, unless you do something klutzy it's as safe as any other method.

If you can't find the "components" for the Magic Stylus Cleaner send me an email. I'll make one up and send it to you, or send it in "kit" form if you want that DIY thrill! No charge of course.

BTW to all,
This may be obvious but the world's best stylus cleaner is a clean record. I flick the stylus with a dry brush after each side, as I'm sure you all do, but I often spin for *days* without needing to do more. That's on a system that averages 6-8 hours/day. Clean your records well and stylus cleaning becomes nearly redundant.

Extremephono wrote, "Zerodust, Magic Eraser, and liquid-on-a-brush puts 10-100x more force on the cantilever then what it's designed for (i.e. 2.0g VTF)."

I'm sorry but that's just a huge red herring...
1. People have been using all these stylus cleaners for decades without damage.
2. We all know how far our cantilever deflects when we cue a record. My cantilever deflects far less when I'm cleaning the stylus. I'll wager I'm applying .1x the normal VTF, not 10x.
3. On the few occasions that my stylus actually needs cleaning I typically use the Magic Eraser with the system powered up. If I were applying 20-200g of force my speakers would certainly tell me.

If we're going to use scare tactics, let's make sure we consider all the risks, since any stylus cleaner presents risks if you're a klutz or careless. The risk with the Extremephono is dunking the end of the cantilever into the goop and having to pull upward to remove it. (People HAVE done this BTW.) This is far more dangerous than any amount of upward pressure. No cartridge is designed to withstand downward force on the cantilever. The suspension is already at its limits of travel, so any downforce will be transmitted directly to the cantilever. SNAP!!!

Are we scared yet? ;-)

I'm scared by the thought that possibly in the world someone has taken sandpaper (matchbook striker strip) to a record player needle.

Shasta,
I tried the matchbook striker based on 30 years of use by Twl, one of the most experienced analog professionals on this or any forum. And yes, I was terrified the first time I used it.

It actually works okay and the price is certainly right! The biggest downside is that it's quite stiff. It's awkward to clean all sides of the stylus and impossible to get up into that corner between the back side of the stylus and the cantilever. That little niche is a grunge magnet.

The DIY one I mentioned is spongy, conformable and reaches everywhere with ease. It's a bit like having ExtremePhono or ZeroDust on a stick. But since it's slightly abrasive (less so than sandpaper) it loosens hardened-on deposits that they leave behind. My stylus used to have a slightly yellowish cast. Now it's clear.

"The risk with the Extremephono is dunking the end of the cantilever into the goop and having to pull upward to remove it. ... This is far more dangerous than any amount of upward pressure. No cartridge is designed to withstand downward force on the cantilever. The suspension is already at its limits of travel, so any downforce will be transmitted directly to the cantilever. SNAP!"

This is exactly my concern and has been with all polymer based stylus cleaners. Suspension rubbers are small and thin so that they will not attenuate the vibrational force picked up off the record groove. This said, they are not designed to absorb all the extra force while pulling the stylus tip from the goop pit.

Scared yet? Yes.