Can Hair Dryer Ions Remove Static?

I test out the efficacy of a negative ion hair dryer and its effect on record static. If that's your thing, you've found your place. Welcome to the Vinyl Attack!
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - The Claim
2:26 - The Method
3:21 - Let's Test It
7:15 - The Results
8:33 - Help!
9:04 - Epilogue
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[@murch13]

Wow, you have really hit your stride on this channel. You found a great niche in these experiments for vinyl fanatics. And the humour and tone really makes it fun.

[@thevinylattack]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@jeremyr722]

Dude, I laughed SO HARD about you forgetting what a hairdryer is 😂

[@thevinylattack]

:-)

[@budsmoker4201120]

Keep an air purifier in you listening room and keep the records in a ricepaper mofi sleeve and I don't have static problems. Plus I have a thick acrylic platter

[@SonicFlare]

You are the king of vinyl analysis!!! Love it!!!

[@thevinylattack]

Thanks. It's just a lot of fun testing these (sometimes ridiculous) items and seeing what happens.

[@Sarge_72]

Another great video and glad to see you’ve gotten your groove back…. Hope all is well outside of KZbin!

[@thevinylattack]

It's getting there, thanks.

[@chuckisidro8624]

Awesome to see a new video from you. I got a chance to go to Ann Arbor some 20years ago and I loved it. 😊

[@thevinylattack]

Glad you liked it.

[@JoeLaFon3]

Very cool channel man I'm glad I stopped by and subscribed 🤘

[@thevinylattack]

Welcome aboard!

[@VinylRescue]

Interesting test. I now need to go back and watch the video on the lighter that I just found. Thanks!

[@thevinylattack]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidroot298]

Thanks for doing this Chris. I did ask you if you could do this and you weren’t to sure if you would. I have friends that use the hair dryer and I’ve always wondered if it worked. Now we know. Very cool.

[@thevinylattack]

No problem 👍

[@lewiswaddo5045]

Haha got to love the ever evolving war on static! Great fun.

[@thevinylattack]

Always on the lookout for a new method.

[@davidbalentine2110]

Great video as usual. Your reasoned approach and articulate manner is a plus. Please keep up the good work. I solved my static problem. Before I play the record, I clean with ‘Spin Clean’ using only distilled H2O, then vacuum with ‘Nitty Gritty’ machine. Something about the water bath works to reduce static, I think. My turntable is grounded to earth via wire and stake in the... Earth. I had snap crackle and pop. No more static. If I need to soap the record, I use ‘Disc Doctor’ brushes and solution, then rinse and dry using the aforementioned process. Thanks for a clever tee shirt.

[@thevinylattack]

A wet clean does indeed eliminate static.

[@davidbalentine2110]

@@thevinylattack I like that word ‘eliminate’ - not reduce, but eliminate. Thanks for the info. Can you please explain why the water does this?

[@thevinylattack]

@@davidbalentine2110 I'd just be quoting a google search concerning the science of it, so you'd probably be better served there.

[@Alien_Observer_]

I bought a Milty on your recommendation and I am very happy with it.

[@thevinylattack]

They work very well.

[@verndebes7369]

I got to admit I was hoping that it would work, but deep down inside had a feeling it wouldn’t but the show was informative and interesting as usual!

[@thevinylattack]

I was hoping it would work too. Now I have a hair dryer and no use for it.

[@leon9021]

Cool test. One tip Id have for the method is to measure the record from top to bottom instead of side to side as your thumb is usually very close to the last reading.

[@thevinylattack]

I'll try that out and see what I get.

[@sonofsandwiches6892]

I was thinking, taking a butane torch to the vinyl should remove all of the static. And the dust too.

[@ElClubDelViniloMexico]

Nice channel!!!!

[@thevinylattack]

Thanks!

[@mdrummond194]

Have a look at a iWave-r ion device for hvac purposes. Part number is 4900-20 Small, no noise at all, it might be the perfect solution to record static!

[@thevinylattack]

For that kind of money, I'd just get the Destat.

[@DustyD0]

In theory this doesn't seem like such a bad idea to me, as the deionizer in the hair dryer is there to discharge static from hair to keep it from drying frizzy. There could be variables though with the hair dryer used and how strong the deionizer is. I have an old one around that has a setting to turn the heater completely off, and the ionizer on and off, so I might have to try it and see if I get any outstanding results, I also have a deionizing air filter that noticeably reduces the static in my house that i could leave the record in front of to test as well, but for now I have been happy with the plasma lighter method you introduced (cant thank you enough for that btw :)

[@thevinylattack]

I just don't think the deionizers in the hair dryers are strong enough for the effect we want. But it's always worth a try.

[@NatureOkie]

The negative ion dryers, are great for beard oil fluffing!😊

[@joshuagrattan4412]

You should do a video about different methods to flatten warped records!

[@thevinylattack]

The only effective ways I know are to purchase very expensive machines that do it.

[@bigdr33gtst]

Love the channel, i recommend that you do a video on Meguiar's PlastX to remove vinyl cancer (where the plastic inner has interacted with the record surface and made it go hazy.) i found it helps with not only physical appearance but also sound quality. was in total doubt before trying but i found it did work.

[@thevinylattack]

I don't have any hazy records on which to test it I'm afraid.

[@bigdr33gtst]

@@thevinylattack keep it in mind when digging in a dodgy looking collection. You will find them in the thick pvc type outer sleeves mostly

[@thevinylattack]

@@bigdr33gtst I've certainly seen them, I just always take a pass on buying them.

[@johntrott9513]

Interesting video. I'm guessing the deionizer is probably designed to reduce as much static as it would generate without it. I know it's not the same thing but my 130ft long wire antenna can give you quite a shock on a windy day.

[@thevinylattack]

You're probably right.

[@no-man_baugh]

Ah, and my journey to get rid of static for free continues... In the meanwhile: What are your thoughts on wet playing records? do you think that might be a valuable asset in the war against ßtâtįć? and if you somehow don't know what I'm talking about, here some links: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHjKmnatjNieqs0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3mwdp1pf9tqfJo

[@FridayNightPosse]

aw man I wanted that to work! Static becomes such an issue here in England that I have to switch carts during the winter months cos my favourite Nagaoka cart just doesn't play well with high static. Even my Milty cant save it. Actually, breathing on the cart before needle dropping works (a temporary transfer of humidity) but as pointed out by my other-half the act of doing it looks weird so I don't do it any more. 😂

[@thevinylattack]

I'm surprised the Milty doesn't do enough of a job to eliminate it.

[@lmff620]

But vinyl is said to accumulate a negative charge on its surface. So you’d want positive ions, not negative, to neutralize the charge.

[@Af1st1]

Well at least I have found a way to stop the static on my bald head making the hat stick to my head !

[@thevinylattack]

I hear that.

[@stevenichols5708]

Put a dryer sheet near the air inlet of the blow dryer:)

[@ChordataWax]

STATIC TEST!

[@Rockoli]

Static is the enemy and we must find a way to prevail!

[@thevinylattack]

Thankfully there are a few ways to prevail, I'm just always on the lookout for cheaper methods ;-)

[@ncironhorse8367]

Please do a review/test on the Groove Onn Gel from Walmart which is supposed to clean your records.

[@thevinylattack]

I'll look into that, thanks.

[@nealpetty9659]

Seems that the static was always less as you moved toward your hand holding the record. Are you grounding it through your body?

[@thevinylattack]

It will always read less toward your body, yes. If you rotate the record (or measure vertically instead of horizontally as I've been doing) the readings are consistent across the board.

[@MrJDNJ]

Open up the hair dryer and see what's different from a regular hair dryer? Maybe wet the record down and dry it with the dryer. Might drive off more static charge? Interesting static meter! Is there a video just on that? And yes, I do own the zerostat gun, would love to learn more about what it does....

[@thevinylattack]

I wouldn't know the difference between hair dryers so that wouldn't do much for anyone I'm afraid.

[@MrJDNJ]

@@thevinylattack It's OK if you don't know the difference, but your viewers might! If the right person sees the inside, then the mystery could be solved. That's what the youtube community is for.

[@jvlentini]

I would’ve liked to seen you give more than 15 seconds to this effort. Not sure how you arrived at that is the magic number but seems like more time might have more results. That said I live in Denver Colorado where it’s always very dry and staticky and it makes me crazy. And my best solution to dealing with static has been to run a humidifier when I’m playing my records.

[@jvlentini]

One other note about static on records. I’m so frustrated when I get a new album and it’s even a nice pressing but it arrives in a paper sleeve and I have the nightmare of trying to remove it from the sleeve without scratching it. If it’s just a plain paper sleeve and not part of the packaging I will sometimes cut it open after trying to humidify the record and the paper

[@ghiagoo]

He always tears open the paper sleeves

[@thevinylattack]

Because it only takes 15 seconds for the Destat to work properly and the attention span of people trying to remove static isn't much longer than that.

[@nanchanger]

@@thevinylattack 😅

[@Vinylfromtheunderground]

@@jvlentini I always blow into the opening of the paper sleeve as I remove the vinyl. Works like a charm

[@astolatpere11]

I've been researching static on lps when my tt starting popping loudly a couple of times a side. It's very low humidity where I live. These static pops were so loud. I replaced the rubber mat with a Bernie's mat, still popped. I finally came across a solution and no more pops. I spray a soft brush with distilled water and run it a revoltion or so on the lp.

[@thevinylattack]

Cleaning your records is always a good idea.

[@astolatpere11]

@@thevinylattack You misunderstand. I do clean my lps, thoroughly. But before I play a lp, I use the lightly dampened brush for a revolution or 2 and that seems to have taken care of the static pops.

[@paulgood2218]

Can you just rub a good dryer sheet on the edge and middle of the record a few times to eliminate static or just sit a record on a dryer sheet for 20 minutes not rubbing it but just sitting . I mean dryer sheets are designed to eliminate static

[@thevinylattack]

It won't do any good, but your record might smell better.

[@the7observer]

there are some hairdryers that have a button that deactivates the heat function

[@thevinylattack]

True. They still won't remove static, but they won't ward your records, at least.

[@EddyTeetree]

Yeah funny his would be a beard dryer lol. You mentioned that rip off Chinese ez and I was wondering if car polish would be good for removing those surface scratches on an lp that don’t effect play (like those from a paper sleeve) but look ugly. Anyone tried this?

[@thevinylattack]

Any kind of polish is going to leave behind a residue and just make things worse.

[@donwest5387]

what static? (pro-ject 1 xpression, acrylic platter, cork mat, carbon-fibre brush)

[@thevinylattack]

Unfortunately, none of that helps prevent or eliminate static from a record.

[@tobbebonzo]

I am in a band and we have vinyl records, lots… From Sweden,

[@thevinylattack]

Can you send me a link?

[@michaelscholar]

Have you tried the Hudson Hi-Fi Vinyl Record Cleaner Anti Static Brush?

[@thevinylattack]

I have not.

[@michaelscholar]

@@thevinylattack I’d love to see a video testing it with your methodical rigour.

[@thevinylattack]

@@michaelscholar I'll try to get one for testing in the near future. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@seanflannery777]

We, (my band RIFLE), are supposed to be getting some records pressed soon... I will let you know when and get you one.

[@thevinylattack]

That would be fantastic. Please do.

[@JoseAChong]

Plasma lighter FTW!!!

[@thevinylattack]

It's cheap and it works. A good combination.

[@adamwilson1691]

Is this guy Kyle Gass?

[@kgobrien1]

With all due respect, wondering why you have a hair dryer....for the beard ?

[@thevinylattack]

I bought it for this test specifically.

[@VaxxedStories]

You didn't say how long you blew, but you may have had better results by blowing longer.

[@alrightnow1124]

Ahh man! SMH…

[@JoeLaFon3]

You should write 'vynally' instead of 'finally' in your script on occasion

[@gun4hire685]

And ruin your day...

[@thevinylattack]

Which part?

[@ouroborosrecords]

It kills me how you are conducting these tests. Every single time you do it differently, whether it be being earthed, handling the record, or tearing the paper sleeve open. Imagine the record as a clock. I've watched multiple tests across multiple videos where you do things like running the initial test running from 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock, place the record down, pick it up and run the test a second time (8 o'clock to 2 o'clock), run a trial, and then take a reading from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Science is about consistency. If you placed the record on the turntable (no more physical interaction), tested, did what ever miracle cure you are trialing, and then tested again you would get consistent data that isn't corrupted by repeated handling and interference. Haven't you noticed that there is regularly a lower reading as you get closer to your left hand, regardless of the record's alignment? You could also consider adding the numbers together to identify a "final score" for the record (before and after), that way you can then identify a percentage increase/decrease to be able to determine what technique is better.

[@thevinylattack]

I'm always grounded, and tearing the paper isn't doing much of anything on the rare occasions I do it. The consistency lies in the direction in which I read numbers. I follow the same path using the label as a guide. Testing on the table is useless because the static bleeds off into the table and then comes right back as the record is lifted. The number gets lower near my hand because I'm grounded. But because that's consistent (and the readings are too), to me it's a non-issue. A percentage number is a pretty good idea. I'll see about giving that a go in the future.

[@rubenruvalcaba3175]

Bla bla bla bla bla