Carbon Fiber Brush - Microabrasions!

I agree that they are not a cleaner - nor is that their intent. However, I think they are basically a small broom - only effective at moving surface dust around the record with some always remaining. IMO, they are ineffective at removing particulate from grooves (which is really what matters) and attentuating static charge. However, I know that they can cause abrasions - and "contamination" (whatever that is) has nothing to do with it.

I'm of the belief that carbon fiber brushes are one the great snake oil products of the vinyl hobby.

 

Snake oil?

I clean my records with a vacuum rcm. Before playing them, I remove newly accumulated dust using a brush. What aspect of that process is problematic? The brush does exactly what I want it to do with clear visible and audible results.

 

I'm glad you clean your records and I'm happy you believe the carbon fiber brush is useful.

I still completely stand by what I wrote.

 

A rcm cleans the grooves. A brush removes surface dust. used as intended, brushes have quite a bit of utility. I'm not sure why you seem to have such an issue with them.

Have a good one.

 

Clean records gather minor dust and debris when not in a sleeve.

The brush is simply a small broom. Like a broom it simply moves debris on the surface of the record. Some of it get pushed off, some doesn't.

The bristles are far too large to remove whatever might happen to land - due to a combination of gravity and modest static charge - in the all-important grooves of a clean record (or gets pushed into the grooves by the broom).

It's simple really. Snake oil.

 

Keh?
Its a brush , it works.
I dont get any scratches either. Am I mad? or blind? neither?

 

Neither. Not everybody has reported seeing them. I didn't always see the myself when I naively used one years ago, but I have seen them. Perhaps it has to do with vinyl formalation or something?

 

Yeah, could be. Did someone say the notice it, but in the lead in groove?

 

Yes, I notice it mostly in the lead in groove but I am sure it is present on the tracks as well.....these are really microabrasions that does not affect play.

The CF brush really did work well in removing surface dust but I have decided to ditch it. I need some form of replacement...

 

Piece of junk that has left lots of residue on the few records I used it on. Furthermore the guy that designs and sells these defends every Amazon sale like it's a personal insult if there's not five stars, kind of a lunatic. I'd say stay very far away from this thing.

 

That is a recipe for lots of static. Never will use mine dry again after I did a few tries that way and seeing the static buildup due to using it dry.

The new Discwasher brush they sell these days with D4 fluid sucks IMO.

I have a few old school Realistic brand ones that have much softer, more record friendly fabric on them and they work far better than any other I've tried over the last few decades. And I've tried many. Fortunately I stockpiled that Realistic one so I have a lifetime supply, it works that good that I did that years back when they were still available.

As far as a carbon fiber brush, I tried an Audioquest one for a very short time and hated it, it built up static and left marks on the records as was stated here.

My regimen with a new record coming into my collection is with it's first play to clean both sides of the record with D4 on the Realistic brush until I'm satisfied it's clean. I also then replace the sleeve it came in with a fresh Mo Fi one, and that does it.

I run my Shures with the brush down at all times, that takes care of the minor dust that may get on the record with normal use.

Also, I keep my records in their sleeve immediately after or before playing, the turntable is always covered when not in use.

As long as the vinyl is great and quiet to start with this yields a very quiet playing record.

As far as the rooms, I've got allergies so I keep things very clean and dusted, a fresh premium 4" thick filter in the heat/AC systems, I have an air purifier with a built in negative ion generator running in the rooms at all times whose filters gets cleaned regularly, and in winter a humidifier running along with the air purifier.

It is shocking how much stuff is on the air purifier filters and pre-filter every time I clean them, and I clean them twice a month minimum.

 

I always clean records with a VPI 16.5 and MoFi fluids when I get them. I store records in MoFi sleeves (or Disc Doctor) and I then use the Hunt brush before I play a side. I have noticed it can leave very miniscule marks on some records, but I've not been concerned enough to stop using it.

As one poster noted, it's really just like a broom to push the dust off to the edge. There's really not much more one can do here...some like the roller, but others say it leaves residue. What other product is there that can used for this purpose?

 

I use the old Discwasher brush dry without any issues. Not sure about static build up as I never have issues with static since we have wooden floors, no carpet, sufficient humidity etc. Perhaps I am missing/mis-diagnosing static completely.....

I recently bought the Zerostat but am not hearing much of a difference after using it on a few records.

 

I'm thinking about going to a Spin Clean because of this problem. I got a "Simply Ecstatic" brush or something, and it left a film of dust on my album, looked like a massive scratch, but, I can clean it off with a soft glasses cleaning brush, and it seems to just buff the film off. Not using the brush, and planning to buy a Spin Clean Mk. II. Not getting a Discwasher because it isn't the same as it was 30 years ago...

 

anyone has tried this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DWG4C8/ref=psdc_3230976011_t1_B01EG5502W it seems is new in the market, 2017.