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The BEST way to clean & preserve vinyl


DizRotus

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Other ways to clean records, such as steam cleaning, work to varying degrees, but, in my opinion, they don't work as well.

 

The MOST impotant (IMHO) aspect of the Reg Williamson system is Part 1, the anti-static treatment. Until the static charge is defeated, nothing can remove more than the loose surface dirt. The grime bonded to the depths of the grooves in the vinyl by a static charge can't be budged. If you follow Part 1 and treat vinyl with ant-static, then any form of cleaning has a better chance.

 

One indication of the limitations of other cleaning methods is referenced in the Reg Williamson article. If too much anti-static is used, nothing removed it except the PVA facial. Repeated trips through a fancy record washer could not do what a PVA facial accomplished.

 

As to posting the sources, I plan to do that after I confirm a reliable source of CYASTAT SN. My source was kind enough to send me 8 oz. gratis. I can't repay that kindness by sicking the whole forum on him. As soon as that issue is sorted, I'll post the recipe and the sources. The links to videos will probably precede the source list.

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cool and the gang... that is what I am looking for mostly is anti stat. being here in vegas, nothing seems to work.

Sleeve city just sent me a link for cleaning services that use ultrasonic cleaning... both the record genie and the KLaudio machines. niether address stat.

10462226103_cb7469f6fd_o.jpg10462047176_73802e58ec_o.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

DizRotus - very interested in getting some of the Cyastat SN, as I haven't been able to find a source for this or similar cationic antistatic surfactants in small quantities. The other materials seem easy enough to locate... a pound of Elvanol 71-30 from ChemicalStore.com would last a lifetime :-)

EDIT: Thinking a bit "outside the box" of Williamson's original formula, I wonder whether it might not be possible to do a useful substitution here, and (perhaps) simplify the formula and improve it slightly at the same time.

I looked around a bit and found that there is one cationic surfactant which is widely available: benzalkonium chloride, a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds of different lengths. It has multiple properties which could be useful here: it's an effective surfactant, it has anti-static properties, and it is a very effective biocide (including activity against fungus and mildew).

It's the primary ingredient in Bactine.

It's possible that a dab of benzalkonium chloride concentrate could substitute both for the Cyastat SN, and the Photo-Flo, in the Williamson "facial" formula, and it might serve well as a simple anti-static treatment when properly diluted in pure water. Since mildew growth on LPs is a common concern, having an anti-static surface film which also inhibits regrowth of mildew might be a very good thing.

One company which sells fish pharmaceuticals sells a 50% concentration of benzalkonium chloride, at $22 for a pint. If it were diluted down to the same 0.5% as I see recommended for Cyastat SN applications... well. that's a lot of antistatic spray!

Edited by DavePlatt
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You're right. Everything is easy to source, except the CYASTAT SN. Unfortunately, it seems to be the key to the whole process. First break the static grip and then let the PVA facial deep clean the grooves. The CYASTAT SN then prevents the vinyl from again building up a static charge in our lifetime.

 

I believe I'm close to getting enough CYASTAT SN to anti-static the record collection at the Library of Congress.

 

My source at CYTEC Industries has been prompted to get his Yamaha TT out of mothballs. After I link him to the impending videos, I'll offer to send him some Elvanol, etc. in exchange for more CYASTAT SN.. He was kind enough to send 8 oz at no charge (pun intended); I don't wish to repay that kindness by burdening him with a plethora of requests.

 

I continue to be amazed at how nicely $1 records clean up with this stuff.

 

Hopefully this weekend the video(s) will be ready. This past weekend was taken up by watching Sparty spank his little sister.

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The pdf was further back in the string, or so I thought. When I just looked it wasn't there. Beware galloping senility. It's attached again. The articles are 4 decades old; a few more days shouldn't matter.

 

Perhaps this weekend will see the conclusion of the video editing process. I can work on it while I watch Michigan and Nebraska. That's a no lose game for the Spartans. If U of M beats Nebraska, that helps MSU. On the other hand, if Nebraska beats the Weasels, that never gets old.

 

Don't misunderstand. MSU is, at best, a good football team in a mediocre conference. Beating the Wolverines was enjoyable, but it ain't like beating Alabama or some other really good team.

TAA_articles.pdf

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I'll send an evaluation kit to Mustang Guy this weekend.

The final video will show the before and after effects of using the anti-static treatment. First I had to select a sacrificial disc. You'd be surprised how hard it is to designate even the lowliest vinyl as a guinea pig. I finally chose a Jane Fonda workout record that belongs to my wife. Even she had no use for it. I'll try to put a nearly lethal static charge on it. Take a video of it pulling styrofoam bits from across the room, treat it with the CYASTAT SN solution and then show it rejecting the bits.

When that video is completed, I'll again approach my source of CYASTAT SN, show him the video and try to get enough to last indefinitely.

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have you ever tried groovelube?

GEM-LUBE-2T.jpg

GroOove Lube completely quells the slip stick phenomenon that occurs when two surfaces slide together. This will increase the micro level detail and reduce vinyl friction distortion leading to vast improvement in reproduction quality. Test it for yourself, listen to a cut then treat it with GroOove Lube & listen again.


The reduction in friction will also add many plays to the life of the LP, extend the life of your stylus, and eliminate static! To prove the preservation and anti-wear qualities of Grooove Lube a used LP ( James Taylor JT) was purchased from the Goodwill store. This LP was cleaned twice (it was very dirty) on the GEM Dandy cleaner then treated with GroOove Lube. The LP has endured over 500 plays with no degradation in sound quality. The surface is still noise free. The stylus shows no wear. Kit contains GroOove Lube, mister and buffing pads.

Edited by Schu
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