Wax as record lubricant?

[Phototone]

There's a prolific YouTube poster called "The Colonel" and he posts videos of very nice records played mainly on his nice EMG player. In one of the videos, he is shown drawing a candle across the disc creating a spiral of Wax, and in a comment he says that this is to provide a bit of lubricant so the steel needle doesn't excessively wear the record.

Well, I've been around Old Phonographs and Gramphones for 55 years now, and collected records that long, and I have never heard of this..it might be good, or not.

He may be a member here, I don't know.

Anybody else do this, or have any remarks about this practice?

[Guest]

It might be an acceptable pracrice by some but I wouldn't do it to my disks - the residue would be impossible to remove if you wanted to play it on a modern phonograph. Anyway using thorn needles or fibre doesn't require this to play them though successfully. Personnaly I wouldn't recommend it.

[GMEMG]

As I am "The Colonel" I should really reply. I use wax (old Candles actually) as it was specifically recommended by EMG for "Difficult recordings" (usually meaning worn or heavily recorded works) they sold wax in sticks for this very purpose for use with either Fibre or Steel needles

Prior to this they sold Graphite powder for the same use.

I should point out that i only use Steel needles for volume - if i didn't you wouldn't hear the records !

I would show you photos of both products but cannot work out how to do so

[gramophoneshane]

I think this idea might have originated with Mr.Ginn of EMG. Most of their machines were specifically designed to use bamboo needles, and the wax was to prolong the number sides you'd get from a needle before having to repoint the tip.
There was some original documentation posted on one of the UK boards, but I'm not sure if it's on the last reincarnation.
I think I recall seeing a wax stick sold by EMG somewhere along the line too.
I've never tried it myself as I'm not a big user of fibre needles, but a few of the British EMG & Expert owners say it works really well.
I guess it has to be better than powdered graphite.

[Steve]

Indeed it was. Both Expert Handmade Gramophones and EMG (Davey) sold wax applicator sticks to 'lubricate' the records when using fibre needles. It definitely does work. The Davey version utilized what was probably a lady's lipstick applicator and was made from bakelite! Who was it who FIRST suggested this process though? The famed pages of England's esteemed "Gramophone" magazine with ready made technical bulletins written by the likes of Percy Wilson et al, were probably one such source. The "Expert Committee" certainly believed in the use of fibres to prolong the life of records and to reduce the harsh bright tones associated with the use of steel needles. You can only imagine the fun those guys had way back then and to witness the 'eureka' moment when one such experiment worked out for them, must have been a cause for celebration.

[syncopeter]

I know that quite a few people used Pledge to reduce surface noise on worn records when transferring to tape. A gentle spray, play the record 2 or 3 times, clean the stylus after every play and hey presto, your surface noise is reduced with 75%. Whether it works with acoustic gramophones, I'm not sure.
It sure is a method to sell records in V- condition as E+, just because of the shine

[Starkton]

I know the sticky mixture of wax and abrasion from fibre needles all too well from British records. It is impossible to completely remove wax once applied on shellac discs without damaging the surface. I can only warn to use it.

[Phototone]

I know the sticky mixture of wax and abrasion from fibre needles all too well from British records. It is impossible to completely remove wax once applied on shellac discs without damaging the surface. I can only warn to use it.

I can assure you no wax will touch my shellac. No sir! I was very sceptical of it already.

[GMEMG]

Unfortunately Starkton (as many others have done) is confusing two products, I use only pure Wax (and that sparingly and only on the grooves) which can easily removed with a record cleaner - that is what they are for !

HOWEVER a lot of older UK Gramophone collectors use spray on furniture polish which leaves a nasty,sticky residue which builds up and is very difficult to remove - the same happens to the furniture to which is applied - it can also stain and discolour labels as well - something I certainly don't want to do as I have so much trouble removing this residue from records purchased from such people !

THAT is why i use pure wax - only to preseve my records and usually only because I have to use steel needles to get the necessary volume to record - after all i like my records and have found in over 30 years of collecting that Machines CAN be found but replacement records often cannot !

[Starkton]

I use only pure Wax (and that sparingly and only on the grooves) which can easily removed with a record cleaner!

What kind of "pure wax" do you mean? Synthetic wax, ozocerite, beeswax ...?

How do you apply it on the surface? Diluted or in solid form?