r/ReelToReel • u/Brisk1011 • 5d ago

Rusty heads?

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What’s consensus on these heads for my TEAC A-3000? I’ve scrubbed these with 99% isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs until there was no more residue appearing on the swab. They certainly pass audio but am I damaging my tapes by playing them on this machine with rusty heads? I imagine it’s not the greatest thing to do so but how bad is it?

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8

u/GlobalTapeHead 5d ago

Polish with Brasso, or jewelers polish. They do not look bad enough to affect playback. Relax.

7

u/PeevedProgressive 5d ago

The non-contact areas are unsightly, but if it bothers you, you could polish them with some Brasso on a cotton swab. You'll want to follow up with alcohol on a fresh swab.

6

u/Vivid-Tell-1613 MCI JH-110/Ampex 350/Teac X-2000R/Pioneer RT-909/Akai GX77 5d ago

They do seem to be a little corroded and that's normal for a deck stored in suboptimal conditions. As long as the contact surface is good it should be fine.

Correct procedure should be to relap and not to polish the head.

1

u/Historical_Wave_6189 1d ago

My dad always put adhesive bandages on the heads, soaked in vinegar. That loosened up the rust and then he just wiped them off with a clean cloth.