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Really basic brush question

Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but I've been wondering for a while. When I use a carbon fiber brush on records, I hold the brush in a line from the center of the record to the periphery and turn the record underneath it. Eventually there is a line of dust extending radially on the record. Now here's the question: When you're done brushing, how do you get this line of dust off? Do you simply brush it off to the outside of the record? Or perhaps go after it with a damp cloth?

Thanks in advance for trying to clear up (what should be) a really basic question.
sufentanil
opalchip
355 posts
 
I respectfully disagree with Fgj. I've tried Hunts and AQ's every which way and they just doesn't work thoroughly. Think about the logic of the Hunt - since you definitely DO need the middle velvet pad to pick up the piles of dust which the carbon fibers leave behind (which, BTW, it doesn't do nearly as well as a DiscWasher) - Then what exactly were the carbon fibers actually doing, that the velvet alone wouldn't have done in the first place?

The carbon fiber brush is like a good broom, but without a dustpan. The DiscWasher is like a wet mop. Now ask yourself which is more thorough - a broom with no dustpan, or a wet mop?

I suppose you can make a case that if you want to do it really right - use the broom and then the mop!
opalchip
355 posts
 
Oops, hit send before I was done -

That makes the Hunt brush the right idea, but it's too poorly executed to be of value. The relative vertical placement of the carbon fibers and the velvet is wrong, the nap length of the velvet is inadequate, and unlike the DiscWasher it's velvet portion is completely flat and non-directional so it doesn't "catch" the dust.
chipman
54 posts
 
I have tried nearly all the available brushes (and still have them in a box somewhere! Here are my thoughts:

1) Dry method/Carbon Fibre - Hunt, Decca, AQ
Goes nice and deep and good only for dusting relatively clean LPS. Have not found a satisfactory method to remove final dust line. Bristles left on LP as already indicated.

2) Wet/velvet type pads - Audio Technica Sonic Broom, DiscWasher, Watts, Last, Disc Doctor, Obitrac
All have similar results and are better for lodged dirt.
The cleaning solutions used prevent the line but depending on how thorough I am, and sometimes a residue is left.
Of these my preference is the Audio Technica.

3) Maxell Vacuum - a device that spins around the record with a rotating brush and vacuum. Good only for loose dust but needs Zerostat and fresh batteries to be affective.

4)I did have one of those devices that looks like a tonearm. At the "cartridge" end there were CF brushes in front where the needle would be and and a rotating velvet roller behind. This was actually quite affective at keeping LPs dust free each time it was played. The CF tip digs the dirt up and the velvet picks up the rest.

I finally bought a VPI 16.5 for deep cleaning new and used LPs. The brushes are now used in conjunction with the Zerostat for maintenance purposes only exactly as Opalchip has described - CF for getting at the dust and velvet for removal of the line.
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