Carbon Fiber brush question

[WilCruiser]

As I've been researching to refine my record cleaning capabilities I've seen a lot of people saying they have good results with carbon fiber brushes. I've been using a RCM and am looking for something that can just catch new surface dust for a few plays before I go back to the RCM. Here's my question:

When I use a carbon fiber brush all it seems to succeed in doing is to concentrate the dust in one spot on the LP but not lift it off. While the well timed pops are rhythmic and everything, that's not what I'm looking for. Is there a technique or trick to getting the carbon fiber brush to actually lift the dust out?

[onepixel]

The carbon fiber brush won't pick up those super fine dust particals. What I've been doing is coraling them to one spot and using compressed air to blow it off. That will get some but not all the fine dust. Then remembering that spot, I wash the whole record, and give that spot an extra wash and flush. Time consuming and still not perfect, but better than just brushing.

[SaSi]

Are the carbon fibers fine enough to penetrate the grooves? Would it make sense to use a carbon fiber brush during wet cleaning to remove the dust particles from the inner surface of the grooves?

[iLUVanalog]

The fibers on the DiscWasher brush are fine enough to get into the grooves. A lot of times when I brush my lp's, the fibers "play" the tracks and I can faintly hear music when I clean my lp's with the DiscWasher brush!!

[Strawman]

I use a sweeping motion that seems to do a pretty good job. :scratch2:

[onepixel]

Are the carbon fibers fine enough to penetrate the grooves? Would it make sense to use a carbon fiber brush during wet cleaning to remove the dust particles from the inner surface of the grooves?

The carbon fibers are pretty fine and do get into the grooves, but I'm not sure how far. The brush I have, has a broad (felt?) sandwhiched section between two outer rows of carbon fiber. It's suppose to pick up what the carbon fibers loosen. Except static glues them down.

Does anyone know if you can buy just a carbon fiber record cleaning brush?

[op135]

onepixel, I think this only has two rows of carbon fiber bristles. (Not affiliated.)

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.musicdirect.com/shared/images/products/large/aaqrcbsh.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.musicdirect.com/product/72883&h=300&w=544&sz=27&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=SwDkBk7OIJjAUM:&tbnh=73&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcarbon%2Bfiber%2Bbrush%26um%3D1%26hl% 3Den%26suggon%3D0%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG

[Mr. Lin]

I use a sweeping motion that seems to do a pretty good job. :scratch2:

Exactly what I do, and once you learn how to do it correctly you can get practically all the surface dust off the record. Once you've collected it in one spot, try to gently sweep it all off the surface of the record in a diagonal motion. This way you're not just sweeping the dust/dirt back into the grooves. An important thing to keep in mind is that you should always just "brush" the surface, you shouldn't really apply any pressure, it will just be counter productive.

CF brushes work very well, it takes a little practice.

[Mr. Lin]

Does anyone know if you can buy just a carbon fiber record cleaning brush?

Yes, on most sites that sell any kind of turntable equipment.

[onepixel]

Yes, on most sites that sell any kind of turntable equipment.

Thanks Mr. Lin.

I must've missed them.

[meggy]

Are the carbon fibers fine enough to penetrate the grooves? Would it make sense to use a carbon fiber brush during wet cleaning to remove the dust particles from the inner surface of the grooves?

I accidently spaced and did that once with D4 fluid. It actually worked pretty well for a one shot deal. But it permanently "stiffened" the bristles. More or less wrecked the brush for it's original purpose. Sort of just mops fluid around. Nothing worthwhile.

[terra1]

I don't know if this it the proper way to do it but it works for me.

I zap the record with a zerostat. Then holding the brush at about 8 o'clock I rotate the turntable several times and sweep across in a line outward exiting about 5 o'clock.

I suppose dust can accumulate under the platter, but my Onkyo has a lip that catches most of the dust.

[goraman]

If you start at the inner lable and go in the direction of the arrow on your brush and slowly move out to the center useing very light pressure just touching the surface of the lp as you move out to the outside edje of the record slowly keep moving it out till it is compleatly off the record and all the dust will be pushed off the edge onto the floor.

[hakaplan]

Are the carbon fibers fine enough to penetrate the grooves? Would it make sense to use a carbon fiber brush during wet cleaning to remove the dust particles from the inner surface of the grooves?
That is what I do. I have a dedicated CF brush for wet cleaning. Then I use a dry one just for routing dusting.

[Red Stick]

I have a Hunt EDA CF brush, and the instructions say to first use it similar to a Discwasher (they don't actually say this, but the technique is similar), then "With the record still spinning, walk brush into the record label. This will remove the last line of dust." I'm assuming they go to the label so as to go with the groove.

[sauuuuuce]

'Tis interesting to see how everyone else does it. I am now insecure about my uneducated method. I basically start with the Brush in a straight line from the center to 9 o'clock. With the turntable cranking at 45RPM I gently and slowly move the brush straight toward the front of the turn table.....while kinda putting a little angle on it so the left side trails the right. I am not really sure why I do it this way.

[Mr. Lin]

'Tis interesting to see how everyone else does it. I am now insecure about my uneducated method. I basically start with the Brush in a straight line from the center to 9 o'clock. With the turntable cranking at 45RPM I gently and slowly move the brush straight toward the front of the turn table.....while kinda putting a little angle on it so the left side trails the right. I am not really sure why I do it this way.

You don't have to have it on a turntable, I hold my records by hand when I clean them.

[sauuuuuce]

You don't have to have it on a turntable, I hold my records by hand when I clean them.

I think I am to clutsy for this on a 12 incher. Smaller I could definatley handle......what with the thumb hole and all. Damn these short sausagey fingers!!!!!

[hakaplan]

'Tis interesting to see how everyone else does it. I am now insecure about my uneducated method. I basically start with the Brush in a straight line from the center to 9 o'clock. With the turntable cranking at 45RPM I gently and slowly move the brush straight toward the front of the turn table.....while kinda putting a little angle on it so the left side trails the right. I am not really sure why I do it this way.
That's pretty much okay. You sort of want to gradually guide the dust off the record. You don't need 45RPM, but of course you can use it if you like. And yes, use the turntable. Mr. Lin has steady hands, I'm sure, but for many that's a recipe for disaster.

[qpagoda]

Lately I've been using my CF brush in a way that I have not seen anyone describe here. I'd be interested in hearing some comments on whether this method ruins the brush or records.

I press the brush down slightly (not far enough to touch the record with the brush body) so that the ends of the bristles point back toward the counterclockwise direction. Then I turn the record slowly clockwise by hand. That seems to dig a lot of dust out of grooves that have already been brushed the conventional way. I hope the pics explain it better than what I've written. This record was brushed the usual way first, then brushed "backwards". You can see the double line of dust (from the double row of bristles).

Is this going to damage records? If not, it works pretty well for digging dust out of those thrift store finds.

Jon

[Arkay]

I never use a CF brush except EXTREMELY LIGHTLY, except when wet cleaning. I'm always a little afraid that the fibers of the brush will just push the harder dust particles/dirt against the vinyl in the grooves and thus scratch it. I figure the water provides enough lubrication to reduce the risks of this, and also to act as a heat sink against any frictional heat, so I do use the CF brush every time I clean records using the RCM, and then do a bit of gentle "scrubbing" against the wet grooves. I don't care then if the CF brush "lifts" what it loosens; the vacuum is for that. I just trust CF brushes more with the water there than without it.

Sometimes I use those electrostatic clothes (KAO brand from Japan works best by far) and/or a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth followed by a zap with a zerostat (just in case the cloth imparts any charge) before playing an LP, to remove stray dust that may have fallen on it. I don't wet-clean before ever playing; too much work for an LP that was wet-cleaned, played only once or twice and re-sleeved in between. If it has been awhile (repeated playings) since I last wet-cleaned one, though, I may repeat the RCM cleaning. I do always visually inspect LPs before playing, and wipe them (as above) if there is any visible dust. Of course, there is always a little dust around in the air, but I have dust filters (air cleaners) in several rooms, so it isn't too bad.

:scratch2: This thread just gave me an idea...why not keep a tank of clean, compressed air on hand (not a can with propellant, but one mechanically compressed with an oil-less compressor and filters) and give the LPs a quick ppffffft! to blow off any dust, just before playing? [Again, the zerostat would remove any charge created by the air blast.]

[Mr. Lin]

That's pretty much okay. You sort of want to gradually guide the dust off the record. You don't need 45RPM, but of course you can use it if you like. And yes, use the turntable. Mr. Lin has steady hands, I'm sure, but for many that's a recipe for disaster.

My way also keeps the dust away from the turntable, but if you're unsure, play it safe.

[hakaplan]

My way also keeps the dust away from the turntable,
That's true.