Is abrasive tape of any use?

[sweetbeats]

I got some reels of abrasive tape with my $300 haul a couple months ago. I realize it is for dressing the tape path of an open-reel tape deck, but is it a bad idea to use and hence not worth keeping around? I just never hear of anybody using it and I figure there is a reason for that...

 

[Beck]

Maybe it's past my bedtime, but I'm not sure what you mean by abrasive tape.

Paper leader or timing tape, perhaps?

 

[Jim Lad]

I used to have abrasive tape for cleaning the heads back in the Portastudio days.
Had completely forgotten about them until now.
Came in cassette form.
I used them then and have never heard of them being harmful but I'm not an expert.
The only concern I might have is that some of the fibres may break loose and cause interference but even then I doubt that there would be a problem.

 

[sweetbeats]

Beck, nope...abrasive tape...3 micron aluminum oxide. I'm assuming for lapping the heads, polishing up the guides, etc...I've got two reels, both 1".

Jim, wow. Cassette abrasive tape. So when did you use it and why? What did it do?

 

[Jim Lad]

Basically it was a thick fibre tape that was meant for all cassette players.
Run it once at the start of every session (play & record) to clean the heads and I think maybe to get rid of static.
Is that something like what you've got?
Hey!
Just did a Google on your reel.
Try it!
http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/...atalog_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

 

[ausrock]

Just a useless bit of information, but waaaayyyyy back (probably the late '60s or early '70s) someone (I seem to recall Mallory) made cassettes with an abrasive lead in section to "help" keep your heads clean.

 

[Beck]

Beck, nope...abrasive tape...3 micron aluminum oxide.

Well that's news to me... imagine that?

I've never run across such an animal in my career… likely before my time. I wouldn't want that stuff running through my tape path though, I'm sure, so be careful.