Cleaning contacts, What first?

Gregadd::

Did you mean 'At last' !
or
Alas?

back from the dead...

it would appear that fatwyre.com has these elusive buggers.

Alast, it appears Signet is out of business.

I used to love those Signet RCA jack cleaners. I can't find them anywhere - Musicdirect and elusive dont seem to list it on thier site.

ANy clues?

It depends on how dirty it is. Signet used to sell tools specifically designed to clean male and female rca connections. Available from mail order houses like musicdirect or elusive disc. Very fine sand paper can work. You can also use flux for soldering or solvents used to clean pipes before soldering. A litle still wool can get those stubborn deposits off. Obviously you want to be extremely careful not to mar the finish.
When applying contact enhancers remember less is more.

Lissnr, I'd encourage to at least try the Silclear in those easy to get to places you mentioned. I think you'll find it makes an improvement. I'm a committed user of the Walker Extreme SST, but the Silclear will give you an idea of what sort of improvement is possible. As Freemand opines, the folks who've had a poor experience are likely to be applying way to much. For all of these contact enhancers, apply a very thin wash - less is better.

BTW, the Walker SST removes very easily with a bit of isopropyl alchohol and a cotton swab; it doesn't migrate; and it doesn't degrade over time.
.

This has been a very busy and enlightening thread and I thank you all for your input so far. Rushton, I have isopropyl alcohol but it's "Rubbing" and only 72% pure so I'll have to get a more 'purer' version... Gammajo: thanks for the very informative link, it's starting to give me second thoughts about using the Silclear at all and that maybe my best bet is getting some Caig Deoxit to apply first,(or simply using some pure Isopropyl alcohol or Kontact as a cleaner) and then simply following up with the regular Caig Progold which I've always used. The other option might be the Walker SST which seems to have a better following or the last choice might be simply to use the Silclear but only on the few easy to clean off locations such as my speaker spades and amp binding posts... things I can easily get to. Maybe the male ends of my power cords, but that will make me worry if I could be degrading inside the wall socket over time (which would certainly be a disaster). The consistent consensus that keeps coming up though is: don't use too much/ keep it down to a very thin coat, and it really is difficult to remove once its been applied. I'll let you all know what I do (at this point I may chicken out on it even though I've already bought it) or I may play with it a little, as above. Once again though: thanks to all. Happy lissn'n.

After reading the post gammajo mentioned above, I have concluded the people with bad results used way to much or not the thin layer thats only needed. I have it on my system and I will have to take it off some connections to see the results due to having it on around 2 years.

I would go for ART TR-30. It is the best one I have used. Unfortunately it is only available from the ART Italy, no dealer at the present for US/Canada.

Before using the Silclear, read this previous thread http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?raccs&1077564712&read&keyw&zzsilclear
and you may decide not to apply it. While initially spectacular, it did make my system muddy over a few months time. Other people report the same issue.

Anybody know if you can use Kontak on silver cables?

Clean completely first using isopropyl or Kontak (as suggested by Xiekitchen), then apply the Silclear. Don't use the ProGold at all - it's no longer needed.

If you nevertheless decide to use Caig Deoxit or ProGold, be sure to do a "rinse" with isopropyl alcohol before applying the Silclear. To my ear, Deoxit always leaves behind a sonic signature.

As always, use 92% or purer isopropyl; don't use any isopropyl with an additive (such as "rubbing" alcohol).
.

Someone once told me to use only white cotton to apply and remove your cleaner of choice.

I suggest usage of "Kontact", it can now be found on musicdirect's website, it is a dry-cleaner type chemical and leaves absolutely no residue and removes everything (except perhaps copper oxide on copper). I have been using this stuff for maybe 12 yrs or so and it actually makes an audible difference after you clean everything- do not skip power cords and plugs. Be forwarned it is a bit of work to clean everything, esp. interconnects. I use cotton pipecleaners and q-tips. I also use Walker's silver contact "paste" and have cleaned it off and re-applied it once, the second time I was careful to use very little as the first time I think I over did it a bit.