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Are scratch LPs part of the game ?

Hi guys,

I noticed that some of my new LPs after a few weeks of playing gets some fine and medium scratches.
I'm very careful when removing them in and out of their plastic/paper sleeves.
despite of them i can see some scratches on the LP surface.
Is there a technique in handling these so that there will be no scratches at all ?
Although the scratches are not deep enough for the needle to jump or skip. It just irritating.
Is this part of the game or is there proper method of handling them ?
I also feel sometimes on brand new sealed LPs that when you remove an LP back from the sleeve that there is some sort of friction between the LP and sleeve-possibly some scratches happening. Again, is this something that can be done to minimize the scratches or this is part of law of physics (Friction) ?
Hoping some enlightenment.

Cheers-Noli
nolitan
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Yes, scratches are part of the game.

Replacing paper sleeves immediately with plastic sleeves will help. Also, it helps to hold the LP with a finger on the spindle hole and your thumb on the outer edge of the LP and then to guide the LP all the way into the plastic sleeve rather than letting the LP drop into the sleeve. Some plastic sleeves are "soft" and others are harder and "crinkly". I avoided the hard and crinkly versions.
nolitan OP
865 posts
 
Thanks TVAD. I replace the paper sleeves one with the soft plastic japanese Nagaoka one.
I does help but there are some scratches still visible.
Also, when cleaning LPs with nylon brush, does this also contribute to the scratches ??
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Also, when cleaning LPs with nylon brush, does this also contribute to the scratches ??
Nolitan (Answers)
Could be. I doubt it.

I used dry Pledge Dust & Allergen Wipes to clean dust from my LPs. I found brushes mostly moved the dust around rather than removing it.
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