How should a correct stylus look like?

[klangfix]

I recently bought a H-type 4min reproducer for my Edison standard. However, I am a little doubtful if the stylus is supposed to look like mine. Is there any good picture of how the type H stylus should look like? Is it maybe worn out? Can I sharpen it?
I would try to take a photo of it with the microscope at my work.

I have tried it and it plays, but I sense that the tracking is rather bad.

Regards
Björn

[klangfix]

Tonight I captured this with my camera + an extra handheld eyepiece lens:



To me it looks like the edge of the stylus is not much higher than the right part holding the stylus needle. Is this really correct?


/Björn

[matty]

Yes, that looks right to me.
If the style is worn, you might here an echo as it's playing, or if you're playing 4min wax Amberols the sound might start to fade and distort during play back, and then suddenly it will skip a groove and sound will come good again until the cycle repeats. This will indicate the stylus is cutting the wax & building up debris.

The stylus is held into the stylus bar with stick shellac, so you can actually heat the stylus bar with a soldering iron, placing the tip on the cone shaped mount , and you can rotate the sapphire in it's mount to expose a fresh unworn surface. About 1/3 of the stylus tip comes in contact with the record, so a worn stylus can be turned twice usually, unless it's been done previously.
With strong magnification you can see exactly were the good surface starts, but if you dont have a microscope or similar, it can involve a some guess work, & you may have to attempt turning it a couple times before you get it right.
If you happen to burn the existing shellac in the stylus bar & have to replace it, you can buy stick shellac to do the job, but have used a flake of shellac out of the packet with the same results.

[maroongem]

Hi Björn'

Your stylus clearance appears fine, believe it or not. The only question is if it is worn and requires being turned. This is usually evident by a noticeable echo, especially on spoken lines.
As far as tracking, does your weight/stylus have good side to side motion? The hinge block that the weight is attached to should pivot freely from side to side without binding. Sometimes these are screwed down too tight from earlier repairmen replacing gaskets, etc. and that causes it to bind. Also, the stylus should have good lateral movement in the stylus post.

Bill

[maroongem]

LOL, Björn.

That should answer your question as you have two concurring posts!