The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi,Guy's
I've got an Edison 2 minute recorder and when I record the cutter is producing loud noise, like surface noise as well as the recorded music. It may be obvious but is the cutter useless? Thanks Gordon.

Hi Gordon,

In order to know what is going on with this
recorder cutter, one of the first things that
you can do is to have a close look at it
under bright light and as much magnification
as you have available.

There are several inexpensive sources online
where you can buy a 30 power loupe, and even
now there are tiny microscopes that are in the
40 to 60 power range.

I have one of these small pocket microscopes.
They are available from http:/www.mpja.com
for around $5 each. It even has its own built-in led light.

Anyway, have a close look at the cutter.

It should be round and sharp, with a tapered
hole in the end. The cutting surface resembles
the shape of a dinner plate.

Some times the end of the copper holder protrudes down far enough that it touches the
blank at the same time, along with the cutter.

With EXTREME care, using a tiny, tiny jewelers
file, this can be taken care of. However if
you attempt this, be very very careful not to
nick the cutter with the file.

Your trouble could be from a dull cutter, or
a cutter that has slipped back into the holder,
or a holder that sticks down in the way and
needs a slight filing back.

Impossible to say without seeing it.

It will all become clear what's up with it
when you look closely at it.

Good luck and keep us informed how it works
out. No recorder is useless. Worst case for
any of them is that they are a source of good
parts.

Chuck

What are you recording upon?

I'll get one of those magnifiers and take a look. I have got another recorder but it's been in for repair for over 3 months, he's very slow but very good. I've been recording on Edison gold moulded and brown wax. Thanks Gordon.

Setting a good recorder cutter down on
Gold Moulded wax is a Really Good way to
turn it in to a useless cutter.

Gold Moulded wax was formulated especially for
making Moulded records. It has ingredients in
it to make it hard and resilient to stand up
to many playings.

Gold Moulded wax was never meant to be recorded
upon. I would not, for all the Tea in China,
ever set any of my recorder cutters down on
Gold Moulded wax no matter what anyone tells me.

It is hard and abrasive, and in my humble opinion it will tear up a recorder cutter nearly as soon as recording on a cylinder
made of concrete would do.

Recorder cutters are meant to cut soft wax
that is designed to be recorded upon. This
means either brown wax or black dictation
wax. Those waxes do not have added hardeners.
Gold Moulded wax will most likely tear up
a shaver cutter too, quite quickly I might add.

Chuck

What a plonker! That could be an expensive lesson for me. I was getting so excieted about doing some recording and listening to people that say you can record on gold moulded, I should have asked you first. From what I can see by eye the cutter looks like glass and is angled, maybe I've chipped it.
I've ordered a 60x - 100x magnifire so I'll take a better look when it comes. Gordon

debndunk wrote:What a plonker! That could be an expensive lesson for me. I was getting so excieted about doing some recording and listening to people that say you can record on gold moulded, I should have asked you first. From what I can see by eye the cutter looks like glass and is angled, maybe I've chipped it.
I've ordered a 60x - 100x magnifire so I'll take a better look when it comes. Gordon

a bigger problem is that exact sapphire replicas are not made, the only things made are from expert stylus, but that is more like a small chisel rather than the original shape of the original styli, they don't work as well as the originals, ive been looking for a good stylus for two redundant recorder bodys I have for some time now, I have not found a original one yet!

Hi, Kirtley,
I think thats what is in my recorder, it's shaped like a chisle. I bought the recorder from Ken Priestly 2 weeks ago. Gordon

well, if ken replaced the stylus, chances are it would be from expertstylus, if you get in touch with them, they should be able to provide you with a new stylus, I believe they still make them!
their email is:

[email protected]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go. Gordon