To guard stylus or not?


I’ve not had good results with stylus guards. Recently ruined a perfectly good cartridge (ruby cantilever, nude contact line stylus) trying to install the stylus protection. My revised approach going forward is to use the stylus guard only when moving or adjusting the arm/table. For normal record playing, I will leave the guard off. I think it’s safer that way.
Thoughts?
cakids
Right. Even a really intelligently designed stylus guard like Soundsmith uses the fact is you get that close you don't have to be all that big a spaz to do some real damage. I keep mine handy and mount it any time I think the risk of a something catching it by accident is greater than the risk of botching it with the stylus guard.

Also keep a strip of Scotch tape handy. Usually when the stylus guard goes on the next thing is to secure the arm in the arm rest with the tape.
cakids, you are the very first person I have ever heard of that uses a stylus guard between sessions. 
On my Lyra, I always utilize the stylus guard between listening sessions. I am VERY pleased that the Lyra’s feature this design.
Admittedly not a good idea to remove or put on the guard if you are drunk or otherwise impaired, lol. So, like all things analog, a steady hand is a must, and carelessness does NOT get rewarded.