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Options for ridding records of static electricity

I am getting back into vinyl, listening to “garage sale” finds and also new albums that I have been picking up. I have a nice old Linn Sondek LP12 with the felt mat. Every time I go to remove a record from the spindle or flip the record, static electricity grabs the felt mat and it sticks like a magnet. I have to very carefully flip the felt mat at the corner with my finger but one of these times I’m going to slip and smudge or scratch a record. 

I’ve seen the “Milty Zerostat” and seem to remember this product from back in the day. I see that it is still made and there is one eBay vendor that has them for $77. Is this my best bet? I thought Michael Fremor talked about these in one of his videos. 

Are there other products I should look at to reduce static electricity on my records? Thanks for any help you can give.
masi61
antinn
408 posts
 
@mijostyn,

This was likely the last (and best?) patent that RCA filed for vinyl record composition - https://patents.google.com/patent/US3960790A/en, this is the patent download - https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b6/ac/a3/33b9d37bfdc952/US3960790.pdf. Its worth reading - its actually a short read - but addresses what happens if the composition is not right.

PS/Not sure if this was the intent - but you may have accidently questioned the value of you conductive brush - but, your testing during winter may show very different results.  In the meantime, I use a UV light for cleanliness inspection (10Watt, very short exposure), and its amazing on the variability of the vinyl composition - the best virgin is uniform in color, while the repressed or lower quality can be a kaleidoscope of fluorescent colors. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Interesting, I have a UV light at the office. I'll check it out. 
That patent was issued in 1974 during the decline of RCA. I do not know if they sold compound to other companies. Methylammonium Methosulfate was added as an anti static agent. Fabric Softener! 
I can not find any reference of it being added to PVC for records today but compounds are usually guarded secrets. 

uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Mijo
Do not think I could live anywhere "less dry"... Florida...lol.

And the very few affected records are NOT charged coming out of the sleeves, yes the hairs on back of hands/arms is a very effective technique, I use it all the time at work to "feel" the amount of static in the film we produce.
Of course we have static meters for this as well but after 40 years my "armometer" is pretty well calibrated...lol
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I pulled out a bunch of older records I have not played in a while and checked the ones in paper sleeves for static. None of them were charged. The one that was was an outlier for some unknown reason.
So, transfer of electrons from paper to PVC by pressure only does not appear to happen. 
Antinn, the grounded sweep are is still a very valuable device. It sweeps any incidental dust away from the stylus and discharge any static the record has collected for whatever reason. I have not had either a static or cleanliness problem in the 40 years I have been using one. It would have to be grounded anyway. If it were not just brushing the record might create static. I'll be taking my black light home for the weekend:)  
harpo75
107 posts
 

If anyone is selling a Nagaoka Kilavolt NO. 103 please contact me.  Thanks!

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