The Victor-Victrola Page 
Needles
Victor needles are
typically made of steel, and there is one important rule: USE A STEEL NEEDLE ONLY ONCE and then throw it away. They will ruin your records if used more than once.
There
is a strong abrasive in the old 78 RPM records which, by design, wears the
needle, and consequently, saves the record from wearing out. (Needles are cheaper than records!). However, if you reuse a worn needle, you will quickly
cut into the groove surfaces and ruin the record. This
was true in 1910, and it is still true today. Steel needles are readily
available from many sources, including the service companies listed in the
SUPPLIERS section. They are usually available in loud and soft
tone versions. Call them for prices and
availability.
Years ago, some needles were produced from Fiber or Tungsten materials. Victor manufactured a multi-play Tungstone needle in the late 'teens and early 20's. These needles lasted for many playings without the need for constant replacement. These still show up at auctions and on Ebay in their original tin containers. In addition, soft wood-like fiber needles were also available from Victor in the heyday of the Victrola, giving a very subdued sound. These dulled very quickly, but could be resharpened by using a small "chisel" cutter kit. To my knowledge, only steel needles are being manufactured at present. There are no current manufacturers of either fiber of Tungstone needles.
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