The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I seem to remember reading some-where that wiping graphite powder onto 78 records before playing prevents wear and / or has some other benefits.

Does anyone actually do this or have an opinion about the effects this procedure may have ?


(Is there a thread some-where on here about this that I have missed ?).

The main effect it would have is that any time you picked one up, your hands would be black... Graphite powder would not be good to use indoors, if you have a wife...

poodling around wrote:I seem to remember reading some-where that wiping graphite powder onto 78 records before playing prevents wear and / or has some other benefits.

Does anyone actually do this or have an opinion about the effects this procedure may have ?


(Is there a thread some-where on here about this that I have missed ?).

There are a couple of references to this on the forum:-

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=41464&p=244905&hil ... er#p244905

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12069&hilit=graphite+powder

It was commercially available - I still have a couple of old examples:-
It would be reasonable to expect some improvement in tracking and a reduction in wear.
As has already been pointed out, the (major) downside is fine black powder getting everywhere.
PTFE powder would be a better modern substitute as it is white (and available on ebay).

Very interesting indeed.

Messy then !

I have had a quick look on ebay and it seems that graphite powder is also available on ebay - unless it is all synthetic. PTFE powder sounds interesting. Great photographs of your old items and thanks for the useful links !

poodling around wrote: it seems that graphite powder is also available on ebay - unless it is all synthetic.

The original material would almost certainly have been "lamp black" (soot). The carbon black now available on ebay is more likely made by a "synthetic" route but will still be pure carbon and function in the same way. I have some (for a completely different reason!) and it is VERY messy. The period ads make no mention of this for obvious reasons.

poodling around wrote:I seem to remember reading some-where that wiping graphite powder onto 78 records before playing prevents wear and / or has some other benefits.

Does anyone actually do this or have an opinion about the effects this procedure may have ?


(Is there a thread some-where on here about this that I have missed ?).

Having made a black mess on your records you will then need to refer to the many threads about how to clean them .

physicist wrote:

poodling around wrote: it seems that graphite powder is also available on ebay - unless it is all synthetic.

The original material would almost certainly have been "lamp black" (soot). The carbon black now available on ebay is more likely made by a "synthetic" route but will still be pure carbon and function in the same way. I have some (for a completely different reason!) and it is VERY messy. The period ads make no mention of this for obvious reasons.

No, graphite is a particular allotrope of carbon with a very different crystalline structure to all forms of carbon black. Graphite is a solid lubricant whereas carbon black is not.

I purchased some ibota wax some time ago, but have yet to try it. I know Orchosol sells it. Would this not be a better alternative (though more expensive) to graphite powder?

CharliePhono wrote:I purchased some ibota wax some time ago, but have yet to try it. I know Orchosol sells it. Would this not be a better alternative (though more expensive) to graphite powder?

I must admit that I have been using bees wax for a while and it does improve record sound with a few applications. I just wondered about Graphite powder as I believe it was 'all the rage' during the 1920's ?

CharliePhono wrote:I purchased some ibota wax some time ago, but have yet to try it. I know Orchosol sells it. Would this not be a better alternative (though more expensive) to graphite powder?

I believe so, yes! I've uploaded a video to YouTube about its use, and Marco has uploaded a much better one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u1D5bJKGJ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbpOUAIZd0I