Stylast compatibility ZYX cartridges

You don't "buy into" capillary action in a tube? What do you think a capillary is? Hint: check the circulatory system chapter in any anatomy textbook. The distance a liquid can travel due to capillary action is a function of its viscosity, the diameter of the capillary, molecular pressure and gravity. The drinking straw example is absurdly different from the cantilever of a MC cartridge.

I'd take ZYX's advice at face value. They don't say, "never clean your stylus". They say, "don't clean your stylus with liquid cleaners." That leaves the Zerodust, ExtremePhono and Twl's matchbook striker as viable, warranty-safe options.

As far as Stylast goes, if your technique is good enough to ensure it dampens ONLY the stylus and NEVER the cantilever, why not? Otherwise, proceed at your own risk.

jes45,

Sorry that I came on strong, but it seemed you were advising him to blithely ignore ZYX's warnings. That struck me as imprudent when a $2K+ cartridge is involved.

CardiacKid's question was, "Will Stylast travel far enough up the cantilever of a ZYX to cause damage?" Neither of us has the data and scientific skills to answer, but the risk is certainly greater than zero. I prefer to heed the manufacturer's warning, you prefer to ignore it. YMMV, so he should consider both sides.

Will capillary movement of a liquid occur inside the ZYX cantilever? Sure. Water climbs up a drinking straw and the narrower the straw the farther it climbs. This effect is readily visible. Since ZYX chose to make their cantilever hollow, their warnings about liquid cleaners seem quite sensible.

I certainly didn't suggest match strikers were a new idea. In fact I credited a guy who's used it for decades himself, as you suggested. That makes it more credible, right?