----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl Miller" <karl.miller@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
I recall a story told to me some years ago...I think
it had to do with a Paul Robeson recording that
contained some politically oriented songs...perhaps
recorded outside the US? When the reissue was being
done, one of the discs has a significant crack.
Supposedly the engineer used vaseline to smooth over
the crack. After making the transfer the groove walls
started to disintegrate...or so the story goes...
It's equally likely that the disintegration was somehow secretly
arranged by J. Edgar Hoover (or agents of the KKK, who were opposed
to its opposite concept...INtegration...?!).
:-)
More seriously, Vaseline, being a petroleum derivative, should have
no noticeable effects (other than making a major MESS!) on either
shellac or plastic discs...
Steven C. Barr