Record sleeves?


I have been adding alot of used vinyl to my collection, the question I would like to ask you guys is what do you use as inner sleeves. I usually use VRP inner sleeves at $45 per c
it was racking up reel quick (used I have been averaging about 20 to 25 per 2 weeks). So I decided to find a less inexpensive source, I purchase my 3mil outer bags at bags unlimited. I talked to them on the phone about poly inner bags at $12 per c they assured me about the poly bags would not hurt the vinyl. After receiving them I am reluctlent to use them am issues of static and scratching. Do I bite the bullet on this one and continue to use the ricepaper VRP sleeves? David
cylinderking_1
Cylinderking 1,

The best price I have been able to find is at sleevetown.com. As a user of the polyethylene sleeves without the paper layer I have a couple of comments to note. These are very similar to the VRP sleeves regarding the type of material that actually is in contact with the record surface. The only disadvantage that I have noticed is that inserting the covered disk back into the jacket requires care since without the paper reinforcement the back corners have a tendency to crumple and not self-align on insertion. This is a small price to pay when you are only paying 10 cents each when ordering 100.

Patrick
Like Jsbail I also liked rice paper. Maybe Albertporter will chime in. Got a feeling he would know best.
Hi guys,

This topic of materials which record sleeves are made is a very interesting one and I would like to know the facts. I think I have it figured out but perhaps others would like to chime in. I just sacrificed two sleeves to flame. One was a VRP discwasher brand and the other was the "polyethylene" sleeve I wrote about earlier. The VRP sleeve was cut and the white insert removed for the burn test as it doesn't contact the record. When both items were ignited they behaved the same and both had a blue flame. They bubbled and dripped burning droplets. The cooled residue was clear with no hint of ash. These products are definitely not organic and I suspect they both are polyethylene.

The white VRP insert is definitley organic as it burns with a yellow flame and is used up in the burning process leaving only ash. Keep in mind that this material doesn't contact the vinyl but serves as a stiffener of sorts.

I next retreived what I believe is a real rice paper sleeve and sacrificed part of it to the same testing. The recording was Mozart, Don Giovanni, K. 527, Fritz Busch-conductor, RCA Victor Shaded Dog without a date but it is old. This album sleeve is opaque and is noisy when handled (just like wrapping paper) and can be easily torn. The three edges that are sealed are of the folded and glued variety. This material burns yellow also and is reduced to ash.

When burning the sleeves that I believe are both made from polyethylene the odor is not organic (i.e., like burning a newspaper would be), and I don't think one would want to breath the fumes as a sniff was quite enough.

There may be a supplier of rice paper sleeves somewhere but I'm not aware of one. It's my belief that rice paper has become a generic term used to describe quality and to divert the audiophile away from the inevitable questions that would arise when using an appropriate description of the type of plastic. I can certainly understand why a seller would avoid referring to the type of plastic that is used because many of the early aftermarket plastic sleeves were found to "spot" vinyl.

In closing I would also like to mention that I performed the same test to a small piece of sleeve from a MFSL pressing. The product burned, bubbled and dripped flame just like the VRP and generic polyethylene sleeves.

This post was not made to start any kind of arguements and the experiments were done to satisfy my own curiosity. I've come to the conclusion that polyethylene is the preferred material used today and that real rice paper sleeves would have folded and glued sides.

Patrick
Patrick thanks for your lengthly post on what I thought might be a boring topic. I am concerned on this issue as I try to acheive the best possible sound in this format.Setting up phono stage(loading)/ mounting cartride to its desired setting/ vacuming records/ vacuming some more records then putting them in there resting place until played. I beleive VRP sleeves are a great product but like everyone else Im always looking for a better deal, but on this issue I dont want to skimp on quality.Thanks for the tip on sleevetown as I am going to the site to check it out. David
We are getting ready to order 1000 cheap poly sleeves and 300 of the more expensive reinforced poly sleeves for our LP's. I never use new liners unless an LP has been recently cleaned, then I just follow up with a grounded carbon fiber brush following each play.

The reinforced sleeves will be used on favorite LP's that see more playing time.

Sleevetown, that Patrick mentions above, has the best prices that I have found so far.

I just found an old low profile LP rack (plastic coated iron rod) @ a local thrift that holds 50 or so and will use this as a drying rack when hand cleaning LP's (figure that 50 @ is all that I can stand to do in one session).