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tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:00 pm
by johnnybgoode1959
I found some tungs tone needles. are they safe to use?

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:08 pm
by JerryVan
They last a very long time.... which means your records won't. I believe most people use them as decoration.

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:49 pm
by Indestructible
If you are sure they are new I would use them a few times. If you are not sure then maybe not.
Like Jerry said 'decoration' . I think they look cool displayed with your phonograph or records .

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:56 pm
by PeterF
I use em.

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:30 pm
by estott
If they still have visible wire and aren't bent they are usable. I've found that on good clean records they behave well, on old and worn discs, not so good.

Save them for playing multi-disc classical sets

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:48 pm
by zenith82
Just to be safe, I never use any needles I find in a machine. I love my records too much!

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:28 pm
by PeterF
Steel needles found in unsealed packets/tins or loose, yeah, probably a bad bet. You can test them if no known good ones are around and you need a needle, by rotating the needle between thumb and index finger while looking at the tip under strong bright light. A used needle will flash from the tip - the worn facet reflecting the light momentarily.

Tungstones are a totally different situation. As long as you see a protruding tip of wire coming out of the tip, it’s usable and safe. Best place to find em is mixed in with used regular needles, in fact.

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:49 pm
by Wolfe
Tungstone needles have about 7 mil radius at the tip when new. Tungsten wire doesn't wear as fast as steel either, so the question is moot. If you want to wear out your records, play them with Tungstone needles.

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:24 pm
by PeterF
Since all my 78s are new old unplayed dealer stock, maybe I’ll think again.

Re: tungs tone needles usable?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:08 am
by Skihawx
It is the only thing to use on Victor Automatic Electrolas. All records from a dealer stock stash?
I am sure there is going to be some small amount of wear. But I still want to play my automatics.