here's an old article with scanning electron micrographs showing groove damage from playback of LPs.
http://www.badongo.com/file/12497545 (http://www.badongo.com/file/12497545)
too tricky to download.
Oh really? Thanks for sharing, krabapple.
Thanks krab. I made a special trip to the UT engineering library once to track this down, but this particular issue of Audio was missing (!).
Keep in mind that Davies went on to sell the LAST record preservative, so he's not exactly an unbiased source on the matter. But the commentary - especially relating to the relative unimportance of plastic deformations in relation to surface fracturing - is very informative.
More interesting stuff about vinyl manufacture can be gleaned off an RCA patent on a vinyl formulation in the 70s, uploaded at Vinyl Engine (http://www.vinylengine.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15482). Important take-home point: mold release agent does exist (at least for newer records) - but it's mixed into the vinyl rather than sprayed onto the stampers.