whats the best styus cleaner gel

As the co-discoverer of the Magic Eraser as stylus cleaner, I still agree with Spencer. We've owned a ZeroDust. We still have an XtremePhono lying around somewhere. We've tried RRL #9 (liquid).

None of these works as well as a properly applied Magic Eraser followed by a dry brush. I've been using it for over two years with successful results and it costs next to nothing. Search the archives on VA and you'll find literally hundreds of testimonials.

A friend recently sent his (very expensive) cartridge in for inspection and possible retipping. It was no longer sounding clean and dynamic. The manufacturer told him it didn't need retipping. It needed cleaning. This stylus had been religiously "cleaned" with a ZeroDust after every side.

Jonathon Carr of Lyra explained to me that heat and friction from the stylus-vinyl interace leave a mono-molecular layer of vinyl bonded to the stylus after each side. This layer must be removed or it will continue to accrue. (A stylus with this layer tends to look cloudy or yellow.)

Gels won't remove this layer, they aren't aggressive enough. Liquids won't remove it unless they contain alchohol or other solvents that are dangerous to the suspension. What's needed is something that will physically abrade those vinyl molecules loose. Linn used to recommend a bit of fine sandpaper. That works, but the Magic Eraser is safer and probably more effective. It is compliant enough to clean all sides of a stylus without stressing the cantilever, yet abrasive at electron microscope levels of magnification - exactly what's needed.

YMMV of course, but the Magic Eraser combines sound scientific backing with the practical endorsement of hundreds of satisfied users. I wish I could sell them for $25 apiece!

Neil's tips for using the ME are exactly right. Here's one more especially for those with shaky fingers or poor closeup vision.

It's just as effective and possibly safer to dip the stylus into a piece of ME as it is to poke the stylus with a piece of ME on a stick.

Cut off a coin-sized piece of ME and glue it to, well, a coin! Place the coin on the platter and dip the stylus in and out a couple of times using the cueing lever.

It does make sense that a ZeroDust or ExtremePhono could remove loosened particulates better than a dry brush. Now where did I put that thing... ?

Jtimothya,
We all have a dream, but a hot-pink Proscenium? ;-)

My resident audiophile and materials scientist (aka Paul) is familiar with the molecular properties described in that passage you excerpted from BASF. That's what first gave him the idea of using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser as a sylus cleaner.

SirSpeedy,
If Mr. Clean ME doesn't clean your stylus you can always use it to scrub the ink off your printing blankets!

I used to think the same as Nsgarch, namely that aggressive cleaning with something like the ME was only necessary every ten sides or so and that a dry brushing was adequate otherwise.

Jonathon Carr of Lyra encouraged me to clean more frequently, for reasons I posted above. I took his word for it and do seem to get better results, FWIW.