Stylast compatibility ZYX cartridges

I have a Lyra helikon. I use Record Research #9. When I apply it, and get a little careless...you can see it moving up the cantilever. Darkens it slightly as it moves. Fortunately, it seems to evaporate quickly and never really goes inside the coil area (I hope).

I'll have to respectively disagree with jes45.

The manufacturer specifically states in the literature on the website that liquid stylus cleaners that could "wick" up the hollow cantilever, are not to be used on the ZYX cartridges. That's good enough for me.

jes45,

Sorry that I came on strong, but it seemed you were advising him to blithely ignore ZYX's warnings. That struck me as imprudent when a $2K+ cartridge is involved.

CardiacKid's question was, "Will Stylast travel far enough up the cantilever of a ZYX to cause damage?" Neither of us has the data and scientific skills to answer, but the risk is certainly greater than zero. I prefer to heed the manufacturer's warning, you prefer to ignore it. YMMV, so he should consider both sides.

Will capillary movement of a liquid occur inside the ZYX cantilever? Sure. Water climbs up a drinking straw and the narrower the straw the farther it climbs. This effect is readily visible. Since ZYX chose to make their cantilever hollow, their warnings about liquid cleaners seem quite sensible.

I certainly didn't suggest match strikers were a new idea. In fact I credited a guy who's used it for decades himself, as you suggested. That makes it more credible, right?

Thanks, everyone. I get it. Stick with the zerodust for ZYX, which I also have and use.

One last question. Are there lubricants applied directly to the record that will not leave "groove grunge" or is record contamination inherent in any directly applied agent?

If you are really concerned about excess fluid somehow getting into the suspension of the cartridge, what you can do is use the applicator to brush the fluid onto the black handled brush that comes with the Stylast. Then use the brush to apply the transferred Stylast to the stylus. I can't believe there could be enough excess fluid this way to cause any concern.

I've been using Stylast for years and have never had any problems with it on the three Lyra cartridges I've used it on.