Tonearms with no anti-skate adjustment

Cleeds is correct. VTF goes down if the pivot point is moved down.
Also,  The skating force is due to the friction of the stylus in the groove. Therefore the magnitude of the skating force will vary based on the stylus shape, the degree of tracking angle error, the headshell offset angle, and the modulations in the groove wall. This is why no one value of anti-skate force will be absolutely correct across the surface of any LP. It’s a moving target.

Any tonearm which is designed to be mounted so that the stylus tip overhangs the spindle will develop a skating force at all points across the surface of the LP. There are no exceptions. Therefore to say that some tone arms do not need anti-skate is to me a bit of self deception. If you cannot hear the effect of the absence of anti-skate, nevertheless there is a skating force. And that force can result in aberrant wear on the stylus.

lewm

... the magnitude of the skating force will vary based on the stylus shape, the degree of tracking angle error, the headshell offset angle, and the modulations in the groove wall. This is why no one value of anti-skate force will be absolutely correct across the surface of any LP. It’s a moving target.

I agree. The best one can achieve with anti-skate is a compromise, a happy medium.

Any tonearm which is designed to be mounted so that the stylus tip overhangs the spindle will develop a skating force at all points across the surface of the LP. There are no exceptions. Therefore to say that some tone arms do not need anti-skate is to me a bit of self deception. If you cannot hear the effect of the absence of anti-skate, nevertheless there is a skating force.

Agreed! That's why I prefer to use anti-skate, even if there is no one, single perfect setting. There is no reason to allow perfect to be the enemy of the good. 

All 3 of you are wrong.
If the C of G is below the pivot point (stable) then there will be a restorative force at the stylus.
Have a good day.

 Moonglum, are you going to take your marbles and go home? I am very interested in your hypothesis. Please explain in more words. I am willing to be convinced. First of all, I want to be sure what you are saying. Are you saying that there will be no effect on vertical tracking force if you lower the pivot point of the tonearm? Or are you saying that vertical tracking force will go up? Also, if you can explain more thoroughly what you mean by a “restorative force” that would help.

Interesting

I remember when Thomas Schick's tonearm was designed without antiskating, it was about 5-7 years ago when i bought my Schick "12. At that time the designer said antiskating is not needed for such a long tonearm. 

But now i can see on his website that All his tonearms are equipped with an Antiskating mechanism ! His distributor also have all his arms with antiskating now. 

Seems like Thomas learned a bit about proper tonearm design over the years :)