Here is something that can be VERY difficult to find nowadays!
We used to clean our professional 2 & 4 track cassette machines manually, followed by a demagnetising routine because we liked to see what "rust" was accumulating across the heads and the rollers but for a 'quick n easy' tape path clean up, these cleaning tapes were also used by professionals and consumers alike.
These cleaning tapes provide a simple cleaning solution for most cassette machine users.
Many enthusiasts or archivists still use cassette machines to "pull off" that old audio recording which may only be on cassette tape.
This TDK cleaning tape has NEVER been used until today when I made a quick "test run" to check the mechanical operation of the tape. For around 30 years now, this tape had been sitting at the bottom of our storeroom boxes of goodies, still a good tape for the purpose but the outer shell has some scuff marks.
SPECIAL NOTES:
This is a "limited use" dry cassette tape head cleaner.
This means there are no liquids used, the cleaning is undertaken by a specially made tape rubbing across the tape head face(s)
It provides a safe, "quick n' easy" head maintenance solution but should only be considered as part of a maintenance routine for your beloved cassette machine.
TDK were a respected name in world of cassette tape and accessories - their products could be trusted!
Three main areas need to be attended to when using a cassette machine regularly:
Head maintenance (cleaning & demagnetising)
Pinch Roller(s) cleaning
Every 40 hours of use (or whenever you can hear something isn't right e.g you notice a loss of high end response or even tape transport movement being irregular or noisy) the above basic maintenance should be undertaken.
This TDK head cleaner only looks after the face of the heads - the tape material is intended to gently run across the head face and remove oxide/dirt build up.
The tape has limited ability to clean the pinch roller(s) and for head demagnetising, it will be useless! For demagnetising you need to obtain (or even make) a demagnetising wand.
The primary purpose in life of this tape cassette is to ONLY clean the heads.
These tapes are intended to be inserted using Side A ONLY and the number of cleans is limited to approximately 480 hours of continuous cassette machine use, although this can vary wildly due to the oxide and other rubbish the tape picks up while travelling across the heads.
This tape travels in either direction for exactly one minute.
Once the tape has accumulated material after repeated use (you will see that the tape is no longer clean), STOP using it ... it's mission is complete, it now needs to go to "tape heaven" as it's purpose in life is done and to continue using it would be like cleaning your vinyl record with a dirty rag - you may cause more damage than you started with!
TDK Cassette Head Cleaner
Type: HC-1
Made In Japan
Number of cleaning "runs" to date: 1 (unused)
This is '1' because I ran the tape from end to end, just to check the mechanical movement of the tape was fine.
Old stock "As NEW" cleaning tape condition however the TDK stamped clamshell does have a front crack and looks a bit "tired" after all these years. I did not change the clamshell because of the stamped clamshell, I like to keep originals where possible.
We had this cleaning cassette on hand "just in case" a quick head cleaning was required but we usually would maintain and clean our cassette tape machines (Tascam's & Nakamichi's) manually using soft tipped wands with cleaning fluid but that is quite a fiddly process so these cleaning tapes can be useful when you notice that the "high end" seems to be dropping off a bit (don't forget that magnetised heads can cause this as well) to time was of the essence. Using a cleaning tape is quick n easy!
While the original cover is inside the clamshell, I cannot find any 'tape use' record card, it should be there but it is missing so the user will need to record the number of uses on a piece of paper instead.
Insert this cassette tape into the machine.
Rewind to the beginning if previously used.
Play the tape (Note: there is no background music while you wait!) until the tape reaches the end of travel - this takes one minute exactly.
Remove the cleaning tape and make a test playback using another tape.
If you feel it could be improved further, repeat the above process.
Record the fact you have used the cleaning tape on a piece of paper that you have beside you for the purpose.
Since checking this cleaning tape I have now sealed it in plastic to protect from dust/dirt and at least provide better protection for that outer clamshell.
