Fix a Skipping Record With a Toothpick 

Yep, I have fixed many skips this way. I keep a toothpick handy at my cleaning desk too. Great advice!

*note to self* don't paint while playing records 🚫🎨

A lot of people just give me records because they know I'm a vinyl hobbyist. A couple of months ago a friend gave me several hundred records, liquidating both her, and her parents (her dad just passed away at 94) records. One of them was an apparently unplayed copy of the soundtrack to the first Star Trek movie. It sounds incredible, except for one problem: In one of my favorite songs there is a lout thumping for three or four revolutions. I examined it with my microscope and it is literally a chunk of foreign material embedded in the vinyl. And yep. The same exact spot on the OTHER side has that thump. Bummer. But yeah, When a skip is caused by something stuck to the surface, this toothpick thing looks like it is the answer. BTW, the glue thing really works, but you gotta really, REALLY want that record to put yourself through that kind of effort. ;)

Much better method than what we used to do in the old days. Tape a nickel or quarter onto the headshell and let ‘er rip. Cut through the bad section like a switchblade through a leather jacket and turned the grooves white but that pesky skip was gone. 😆

Yeah it's effective ,a good way of saving records from thrash

I do the same except more refined with a microscope and a sewing needle.

I think I need to get a magnifying glass soon :) The love of checking out grooves :)

I have a copy of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and there is almost like a fabric filament embedded in the vinyl. It doesn't skip but is visible. I've never thought to check it out up close to see if it could be dislodged! Great video!

I recently got advice from a record shop owner whom I trust to clean records using a 100% cotton cloth rung out with hot water and a drop of dishwashing liquid and going over the vinyl with the damp cloth to remove fingerprints and oils. I’ve heard of the toothpick solution but I think moisture can help on these issues too. I will buy a jeweler’s loop with a light. Thanks

To remove a particle from a disc I use a soft cloth dipped in hot water (not boiling water) and gently rub the surface. I find the heat of the water will eventually soften and dislodge the particle. Not too much water because you don't want to wet the record label.

Clean it was a dishwasher for just a second and I’ll loosen all the dirt but don’t worry too much because you want the weapon/then dry it with a dry cloth

Recently i tried to repair a skipping record with a toothpick. It resulted in a deep hole in the record! It was a cheap 2nd hand record so not a big problem, but i was surprised to see the damage a toothpick can case. So no more toothpick operations for me :)

First I have heard of this technique, but obviously it works. Thanks for the tip.

I have done this for a long time. Sometimes you can even repair scratched that skip. NOT AWALYS, but sometimes. Just run the toothpick in the groove and it might straighten it out a bit.

Another option is to carefully place the stylus (with the turntable off) behind the offending object. Then manually turn the platter in reverse, to pop out the offending object. I’m a little nervous this could hurt the stylus in someway, but a friend of mine uses this technique, and it does work!

I'd be wary about 'the glue method'. Depending on the glue's strength, you could be removing some of the record's critical polymers. When you see them do this on like RU-vid, they're not specific on the kind of glues you can use.....except that they will often defect to something strong like Titebond. I'd like to see some science behind this first or others like Fremer etc who could make the science happen.

what if you have a brand new record that skips? I got a replacement brand new record and it skips in the same spots so I'm pretty sure it's the pressing itself.

Thank you so much! I got a Jose Feliciano record for a dollar at Goodwill with a hopeless skip THAT I REPAIRED WITH A TOOTHPICK LIKE YOU SAID! I had no faith whatsoever, and it worked. Thank you so much!

Interesting video. I see the virtues of a toothpick over say, a needle which could literally bore out the vinyl. However, you dislodged what you guessed to be a speck of paint. I have a skip due to a mouse (yes, that's right!) biting a small hole into the edge of an expensive (£150) LP. Would the toothpick method work on this? I really don't want to cause more damage to the record.

Cool! I have a skip on one of my newly bought "Flogging Molly" records. I should see what's really there. Generally, if I have a skip I LIGHTLY push down on the cart with my finger tip as it's playing. That seems to work in most cases although with an expensive MC cart, that might be foolhardy.

I'm assuming, from the photo, that you recommend a wood toothpick. I have a couple of records that have stubborn particles that won't come out. I may try this.

Thanks for the tip. I’ll try it on my Vinyl.

KISS! nice🤘🏻

With no Soap

I have to say that IT REALLY WORKED ! I was able to fix a Paco de Lucia record that I already considered irreparable. Thank you very much !!

I know this video is a little older but thanks so much for this tip. I recently bought a VMP Tango in the Night and gave it the usual clean. Everything was sounding gorgeous until just before the fade out in the last song. Skipping! A brand new record! Grabbed the loupe and toothpick and found a good size honker in the groove. Worked like a charm!

I recently bought a new record and i saw a lot of white specs on it and i tried to get them off with a tooth pick but nothing happened

How about a scratch that causes a skip?