Koetsu Rosewood - Best/safest way to clean stylus

I’ve used LAST for something like 30 years. Twenty for sure. Benz Glider, Benz Ruby H, each of those at least 10 years. Three passes back to front per every side. Now using it without reservation on my Koetsu Black Goldline.

These LAST damage stories have been around forever. If it helps, try and remember audiophiles as a group are like Woody Allen, neurotic as hell. Only without the sense of humor.

Simply dipping the ME in/out may not be enough. Between listening sessions, I will dip (using cueing lever) into a corner of a cut piece of ME and then - with the stylus remaining dipped in the ME - carefully *rotate* back & forth around the stylus as the center of rotation. Use only 1 finger to push for the rotation, from alternating sides. Total range of rotation is around 60 to 90 degrees for each cycle. When you’re done, sometimes the ME will slightly stick as you cue up; gently push down on the ME to clear it off. Sound scary? It was to me at first, too. I’ve used this method on my Coralstone for two years now; stylus and cantilever still gleam like brand new. I’m using the same method on my new Blue Lace Diamond. It’s the best. Far better than an Onzow. I guarantee the stylus and cantilever/suspension are subjected to stronger forces during the course of playing records. 

Use a long-bristle dry brush on the stylus after every ME application, to remove any lingering fibers. I much prefer long bristle brushes (about 1cm) over the little short bristle "pads" because I can get at the stylus from many different angles (e.g. using an orthogonal brushing motion with a few bristles, the bristles have more brushing power - versus simply parting the bristles with the stylus). Carefully clean off the TOP of the cantilever with a small subset of bristles, all up and down, each session. You don’t want crap encrusting the top of your cantilever over time. In general, brush off anywhere dust/detritus kicked up from the record can accumulate. Also I use the dry brush on the stylus after *every* LP side.

You won’t need any liquid, ever, with the above regimen. The boron cantilever Koetsus do use some glue, which might potentially be susceptible to some liquids.

And you want the original flat rectangular all-white ME, no blue pad (that has the cleaning chemicals), not 2x or 4x tougher, etc.

I've used the Last stylus cleaner for decades on a variety of cartridges and never had any issue. I think the fear of it "wicking up the cantilever" is unfounded.

MillerCarbon, love the Woody Allen reference. Lot of truth there.

Mulveling, you are gutsy the way you use ME. Yes I use only the white one.

So many people use the liquid but quite a few warn against it. The warnings usually seem to be theoretical though, with very few actual stories of damage it seems. The manufacturers must have a clear position on liquid, I would think. Maybe I will email the Koetsu distributor.

No experience with Koetsu but here's my take. I use to read, years ago about stylus fluid wicking up the cantilever. My response to that is don't play a record after cleaning for a minute or so. I have used the ME and while I haven't attributed any problems to it, it does sometimes "catch" which is an uneasy feeling. I switched from the ME to blue tak, (like Peter Lederman). I still use a Zerodust, a brush, and LYRA STP.