why do we clean stylus with acetone?

[tragwag]

I haven't come across a scientific discussion about why we clean sapphire/ruby stylus with acetone.
Is acetone chosen for it's effect on the stone, or it's effect on any built up lacquer pieces?
from what I gather from tradition, acetone melts small pieces of lacquer, and retains a clean stylus face for cutting.

Now in the case of diamond stylus cutting plastic, we don't use acetone, it's some other substance.
Is this because of the diamond itself? or do we need something else to melt the plastic pieces?

would it be useful to use acetone on a sapphire stylus that just embosses plastic?

just some thoughts

[The Shank]

I clean all diamonds with acetone...

Acetone will erase the glue of the heating wire, also, I propose an other product that clean plastic on stylus but doesn't attack the heating wire glue...

Nothing esoteric here

[Soulbear]

Hi Tragwag,

Now in the case of diamond stylus cutting plastic, we don't use acetone, it's some other substance.

I clean all diamonds with acetone...

At 18mins 15 sec here in Todds "Plastic Cutting Guide" :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dGU79-1DYM
He too mentions "Plastic Chip" and its removal from the Diamond with Acetone. I think if both Myshank and Opcode endorse the use of Acetone for cleaning Diamond Styli, then I think it's a given that it should be OK, or am I missing something???
Regards Soulbear

[The Shank]

You read everything? I speak about diamonds... I'm not saying stylus.

Btw I'm not selling the same products than Opcode.

[tragwag]

definitely not trying to question the practice, or the products that folks are selling.
just a little curious about the science.

I guess my main question is, does the acetone clean the stone? or dissolve the debris?
is there a difference?

[The Shank]

definitely not trying to question the practice, or the products that folks are selling.
just a little curious about the science.

I guess my main question is, does the acetone clean the stone? or dissolve the debris?
is there a difference?

both

[Snug Music]

Hey Steven,...

So acetone does not attack the diamond! Correct? So you can still clean the diamond with acetone and be careful not to touch the heating wires! Did I understand that correctly?

Greeting Scotty

[emorritt]

Most chemicals won't harm hard jewels, genuine or synthetic; they're too hard. The reason acetone is used to clean cutting styli and advance balls is that the material lacquers are coated with is essentially nail polish. If you buy a bottle of nail polish remover, you're buying acetone. It quickly and effectively removes any lacquer residue stuck to a cutting stylus or advance ball (which helps prevent advance ball scoring). Acetone will also dissolve polycarbonate and PVC, but not as quickly as they are harder materials. Primarily, acetone is used in removing markings and bar codes from PVC pipe, which the brief exposure won't harm the pipe.

[Snug Music]

Thx...

Well, then I'm on the right side! Hihii ... I'm perhaps a bit too careful about cleaning the diamond! I always stand against masses (statics!) And also I go with the diamond carefully! Hehee, .. my cuts also sound good accordingly!
Thank you ... Greeting Scotty

[opcode66]

I use acetone. 100% pure.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-gal-Acetone-GAC18/100141096

aa196b05-2d47-407d-9cf0-51696f97e155_1000.jpg

More importantly, I have stopped using Q-Tips to clean any stylus (diamond or sapphire). They are too rough on the polished surfaces. I now strictly use Pith Wood. Trust me, make the change. You'll notice a difference in your groove walls. They will stay cleaner longer. It is the same thing jewelers use to clean the tips of their tools. It is actually interesting how many of the tools and methods used by jewelers were appropriated by cutterhead manufacturers, be it precision (and miniature) grinding, forming or machining.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pithwood-Discs-for-Cleaning-Tweezers-Oil-Pins-Screwdriver-Blades-Wheel-Pinions-/272272113729?hash=item3f64aec041:g:YnEAAMXQ83xSG~az

s-l500.jpg

Apply a small amount of acetone to the Pith Wood button. Plunge the stylus tip into the Pitch Wood button in the area with acetone gently and only deep enough to submerge the stone tip of the cutting stylus. Do not push the Pith Wood button into the stylus hard. It will sink in easier than you may expect. Do this once or twice. When you can plunge the stylus into the Pith Wood button, remove it, and you do not see any discoloring from the lacquer or plastic chips then you know the tip is cleaned thoroughly.

Hope this helps.

[The Shank]

I have stopped using Q-Tips to clean any stylus (diamond or sapphire). They are too rough on the polished surfaces.

Absolutely no damage can't be done with a Q-tip on a polished diamond surface. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
Using Q-tip reduce drastically the risk to damage a cutting edge.

Test done with electron microscope up to 7000X ( yes 7000), Nomarski to 1000X, and polarized mode same magnificence.

[Phinster]

acetone/mek 50/50 cotton bud, no problem!

[emorritt]

I agree with Todd about the pithwood. That's all I use. Any material - cotton or otherwise - will leave "hairs" (you can see them under a microscope) and while they probably won't seriously affect groove formation there is a possibility of some sort of malformation if they somehow get "run over" or otherwise collide with something (stylus or groove) during cutting. Probably not an issue with dubs or plastic discs, but for a lacquer master you want everything as clean as possible.