Dear @hauie88 : Is a damage you can't see at sigth. All cartridges are very sensible and can damages easy. Just think that the VTA value is at around 0.75grs. to 2.5grs. So if you by accident grace with your finger or sweater the stylus or even when you are cleaning the stylus tip with a brush a little more pressure than it need it makes the damage. I expericed these kind of " accidents " several times in my audio life.
In the otehr side, just forgeret about those vintage cartridges think on this: there is no original parts as cantiler/stylus assemble, from where you will found out the original when you need it in the future? a vintage cartridge that an audiophile use it a couple hours a day for how many hours he could follow playing it before the vintage cartridge suspension collapse? could last for 400 hours or 50 hours: you can't know about and no one can gives you a warranty of change after those hours. The money is yours so is up to you.
R.
In the otehr side, just forgeret about those vintage cartridges think on this: there is no original parts as cantiler/stylus assemble, from where you will found out the original when you need it in the future? a vintage cartridge that an audiophile use it a couple hours a day for how many hours he could follow playing it before the vintage cartridge suspension collapse? could last for 400 hours or 50 hours: you can't know about and no one can gives you a warranty of change after those hours. The money is yours so is up to you.
R.