VPI RCM Vacuum Wand Velvet Strips

Check your local fabric store for velvet ribbon. I got a yard a few years ago and have replaced the strips on my VPI several times. I removed the wand from the black piece, stripped off the old velvet and used an Xacto knife to clean off old adhesive. 3M double-sided carpet tape works well to fasten the new velvet strips. I cut it in half lengthwise with scissors, stuck it in place, peeled off the backing, stuck on the new velvet strips, and trimmed off the extra tape. I let it sit overnight before using, to make sure the tape was sticking tight before it got wet. Works great. Make a mental note of the position of the old velvet before removing, and the position of the wand in the black fitting.

I use the Mint strips and they work much better than the stock VPI strips. Removing the Mint strips is very easy just pull them off , then i use GOO GONE to clean off the glue.You could use the lighter fluid i just didn't want to use a very flammable liquid and i had the goo gone handy.
I have found the Mint strips to clean much better than the VPI. I think they are thinner and finer which moves the wand closer to the LP .When i install them i reduce the slot area to about half . This reduces the slot area for the air to travel through and increases the velocity of the air and it removes the debris from the LP much better. The difference was amazing , you can hardly lift the tube off of the LP until the vaccuum pump is stopped cause the suction is so strong. A word of caution this restricts the airflow and may cause the vaccuum pump to shut down from overheating sooner if you clean multiple records in a row.
Todd

There are also these strips from Disc Doctor. However they always seems to be on back order!!

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=28242

I use the Disc Doctor strips currently and like them better than VPI's original strips but do wish they were less expensive. The old strips come off more easily when wet and the Goo Gone suggested works well on residual adhesive. The new strips stick much better if you pre-heat the stripped wand with a blow drier first.
I was actually excited when I saw that Mint LP had strips for $1.00. Markd51, why do you disagree with the glue on method? Yip seems to beleive that it is supperior to the adhesive backed strips. I was really thinking this may be the next thing I try.

I guess it all boils down to how much your time is worth to you. From a turn key solution, a replacement tube is pretty unfussy at $25. At today's cost of new vinyl, it doesn't seem too high to me. But I see your POV from a green inititative. Sometimes when I examine an old tube, I see tiny cracks in the plastic and figure it's best to be safe and just replace the tube.