Carbon Fiber Brush with Milty Gun?

There's also a trick to charging the brush with the gun and then using the brush. Without sounding dogmatic, I've never found any of the brushes terribly effective- they push the surface dust around, but I've never found a good way to remove it, apart from pushing the collected dust sideways across the grooves and off the record. I suppose if you reduce the charge that is attracting the dust to the record surface, this may make the whole process easier. I never liked that darned gun- had one back in the day, and have a relatively fresh one now. I think it is strong ju-ju by 'counter-charging' the record, rather than getting at the source of the charge to begin with; shoes on carpeted floors; paper sleeves, low relative humidity all contribute. Also, if the record has been cleaned on a wand type vacuum machine and you've been a little too enthusiastic in the vacuum drying, you can add a charge.
FWIW, if you wanted to use one of those anti-static machines, you can buy the industrial type (used for electronics assembly) for less than the audiophile approved versions, used.
By playing in bare feet, changing my cleaning practices, and resleeving with a good aftermarket sleeve, I've virtually eliminated static problems.

Hi Ghosthouse,
Not to worry m8. Mine cracks at least once per LP no matter how slowly it's driven. I even know a few folk who went further and used "rapid fire" all over the disc surface.
That method probably still works ok - just wears out the gun faster(!) ;^)

...and the prices have escalated considerably in the last 3 or 4 decades. Bring back the £6-99 price tag! :D

Dear Whart,
There is an alternative to the gun. During flipping just put the LP back in its anti-static sleeve for a short while then remove it again. That would help to neutralise the charge?

A good practical test of the gun's effectiveness is when the kid's hair has been brushed and is so charged that it is standing on end and strongly attracted to nearby objects. Zap it with the gun and it will fall flat instantly. Pass your hand close to the hair, no attraction whatsoever. ;^)
In retrospect probably best not to encourage them with the gun... :) :)

speaking of bare feet you've reminded me of my worst static experience...
Arriving earliest for work I had the duty of switching all the fluorescent lights on. The switch panel was outside the old fashioned office in a long corridor...
The panel consisted of banks of chromed toggle switches and the panel itself was chromed steel.
As I reached for the switch all the static charge for miles along those corridors erupted through me and sparked onto the earthed panel. An analogy is when driving a perfectly balanced mid-engined sports car you can feel the communication of each tyre? Well, on that day I could feel the charge rushing from the farthest reaches of the carpet and funnelling through me in one mighty discharge. My trouser legs must have been flapping! A lesson learned.
An even worse one I'd heard about was the unfortunate guy who decided to take a leak on the synthetic hull of a boat. That makes mine pale by comparison! Talk about St.Elmo's Fire!! :D :D

The last time I read about THE way to use the gun (after the brush, by the way), you squeeze and release a couple of times with the gun about 12 inches over the surface of the LP, taking care not to induce the gun to "click". Then, with the trigger fully depressed, you slowly move the gun away from the LP, point it in a different direction, and THEN slowly release the trigger. Seems to me that if you release the trigger over the LP, you return the LP surface to its original charged state. The net effect would be zero.

Story: I still use an anti-static gun I purchased in England in the 70s. Those were the early years of terrorist attacks and airline hi-jacking. When I tried to carry the gun on board the plane for my flight home, I was detained by security at Heathrow, until I proved to them that the gun could not actually fire bullets.

Moonglum, I do not think an "anti-static" sleeve has powers to dissipate existing charge; I think the term infers that inserting and removing the LP will not per se charge the LP surface.

Dear Lew,
This procedure sounded like they were almost trying to demag the LP! It’s a bit elaborate is it not? I can only point back to the example of discharging kids hair. The process would not have been served by withdrawing or re-directing the gun elsewhere.

Can’t believe Heathrow Security were so backward in the 70s !
(Nearly “everyone” was a “proper” hifi enthusiast back then ;^)

I appreciate your views on the anti-static bags and admit that I have on occasions shared your suspicion,however,
check out these illustrations of product descriptions for Nagaoka & Goldring LP sleeves as quoted from their own advertising :

“Nagaoka have treated their record sleeves using an innovative static prevention process to eliminate static electricity, making this product a must have for vinyl lovers.”

“Using Goldring anti static sleeves neutralizes the static charge thus rendering the record inert and improving the level of noise.”

I’ve always assumed they are similar to (although clearly cheaper and thinner than) the anti-static bags used for sensitive electronic components and printed circuit boards, and that the coating allowed gradual equalisation of the charge?
Kind regards,