[DaveyW]

Not for the first time I bought a fairly old and what appears to be unplayed disc over the weekend that had a surface layer of grime consistent with the folds of the sleeve.

The sleeve was a paper outer with a plastic liner, I've got a few Classical discs that are purely plastic and exhibit the same contamination of the vinyl.

I'm now pretty much convinced that, with time, elements of the plastic sleeves leech out and contaminate the surface of the discs they are supposed to be protecting.

Luckily a steam and vac sorts out the problem easily enough, but I am definately going to continue to use paper only liners for onward replacements.

[orthobiz]

Rice paper type lining seems to be good. I have a ton of records in the Radio Shack liners of yesteryear, polypropyl-something or other with no ill effects. But then, I stored my records properly all those number of years. No attics, dank basements, etc.

Make sure you stay away from sleevetown, probably easy to do in England. Because if you ever saw one of their
Diskeeper Ultimate Audiophile Inner Sleeves
you would be spoiled for anything else EVER! They are amazingly good, despite the expense. Beyond deluxe. My 17 year old swears by them, too, and believe me, she knows her stuff!

Paul

[Elizabeth]

I personally believe the cause of those marks is vinyl put away damp.
It may have bee wet cleaned, or just wiped with a damp towel, or discwasher type device, but it was put away for whatever reason with a bit of moisture trapped in with the LP and plastic.
Thus the marks.
I have used plasic sleeves for 45 years, since buying Columbia Classical Club records (which came in those plastic sleeves) And have never had a problem EXCEPT when the Lp was damp for some reason.

[Mitsuman]

All plastics and elastomers outgass. How much and how fast depends on the plastic/elastomer. Doesn't surprise me a bit Davey. 

[DaveyW]

I personally believe the cause of those marks is vinyl put away damp

Possibly, but I've seen this on what appears to be virgin, unplayed discs 

All plastics and elastomers outgass. How much and how fast depends on the plastic/elastomer. Doesn't surprise me a bit Davey. 

Yeah! That's my thinking too, certainly bourne out by what I see with essentially NOS discs.
Typically the older the disc the worse the effect, this is probably a combo of time related "outgassing" and poorer quality plastics?? 

[Wayner]

I buy nothing but MOFI sleeves. They are simply the best. I must have at least a thousand so far and they protect the records very well.

Wayner 

[bside123]

I buy nothing but MOFI sleeves. They are simply the best. I must have at least a thousand so far and they protect the records very well. Wayner 

+1    They are excellent, and if you buy in bulk, you can bring the price down per sleeve.

[Funnehaha]

All plastics and elastomers outgass. How much and how fast depends on the plastic/elastomer. Doesn't surprise me a bit Davey.

Sure. Okay. Then the vinyl LP outgasses the phthalate plasticizer used in the PVC, and the residual unreacted vinyl chloride outgasses too. If there are any residual slip agents used when they pressed the disc to keep it from bonding to the hot stamper, they're present too. The inks used in printing the label outgass the solvents or drying oils used to make the inks. If there is any sizing in the paper used, then the polymer used for that outgasses. The hot melt glues that may have been used to make the cardboard sleeve also contain polymers and resins. If you touch it, then...oh man.. >grin<

[roscoeiii]

Bside123,

Where do you find mofi sleeves bulk?

[neobop]

Wow, a lot of gas being expelled. Yea, the MOFI ones are great. I use those. After 20+ yrs the records seem fine. I have some old Discwasher ones that are similar and they seem fine too. I've gotten a couple with the offending plastic. The RCM seemed to get it off. Paper leaves lots of dust which is a PIA.

Here's a new one for you. I have a woven mat I sometimes use. I left a record on there for a few days this summer. It was really hot and I started using the system in the other room. When I went back to that table the record had the woven pattern on the vinyl. I haven't cleaned it yet. I'll see if I can get a pic.

NeedleDr has the sleeves.
neo

[Wayner]

Music Direct has the sleeves. Same price almost any where.

These are the same sleeves that MOFI uses in their vinyl. There are quite a few years for the "testing" and I have seen zero evidence of any ill effects.

Not all sleeves are made out of the same materials, I suspect.

Wayner

[bside123]

Bside123, Where do you find mofi sleeves bulk?

The last time I bought the MoFi Original Master Sleeves, I ordered them from CD Exchange. They were cheaper than all the other big houses, i.e., Music Direct, etc. I think that I bought 400 or 500 at that time. They send them in the sealed packs of 50, so the box came with 8 packets. As I remember, the more you buy, the price goes down. Great service and shipping too!

CD Exchange
Rochester, NY
585-272-7370
cdxstore@frontiernet.net

[Mitsuman]

All plastics and elastomers outgass. How much and how fast depends on the plastic/elastomer. Doesn't surprise me a bit Davey.

Sure. Okay. Then the vinyl LP outgasses the phthalate plasticizer used in the PVC, and the residual unreacted vinyl chloride outgasses too. If there are any residual slip agents used when they pressed the disc to keep it from bonding to the hot stamper, they're present too. The inks used in printing the label outgass the solvents or drying oils used to make the inks. If there is any sizing in the paper used, then the polymer used for that outgasses. The hot melt glues that may have been used to make the cardboard sleeve also contain polymers and resins. If you touch it, then...oh man.. >grin<

I'm glad we agree.

[pansixt]

The rice paper is the best liner that I have used.

From my youth:

Grasshopper, When you can walk the rice paper, it is time for you to leave.