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Very dirty head cleaning advice needed

xchg.ca

xchg.ca

Active Member
Guys please take a look at those dirty heads.
Photos do not give it a justice how gunky they are.

I've tried IPA 99% and 70% with very little success. Also tried small amount of acetone, with no success either.
What would you recommend to use on such dirty heads?
That brown residue very stubborn and does not want to come out.

I have Varsol, Mineral Spirit and some other concoction with Naphta for cleaning paint brushes in my disposal!
Just kidding, these I will use right before throwing this deck in the garbage :D
 

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gooooOOOOooogle HEXANE. That's industrial strength head and path cleaner, and it can't do it, nothing that won't damage your gear will.

Little trick - wet down a cotton ball and let that sit on the head for a minute or two, then touch it up with a q-tip. That may actually work with the iso ...

PS - sorry to say, that looks more like corrosion than dirt. In that case, you're pretty much fu ... fu ... functionally out of luck. ;-{
 
Oh wow, seems like you are right !

Well then I do not know where to obtain HEXANE in Canada. But up in closer inspection theory with rust seems to be more plausible.
So I probably will use this deck for rewinding tapes and listening to shady tapes I got from USSR era which I was reluctant to play in nice decks :)
Eventually those crappy tapes will polish that head to its pristine condition :D
 
I have seen suggestions to use a metal polish such as Noxon 7 or Brasso to remove surface corrosion. Placing a small amount on a Q-tip and wiping back and forth along the same path that the tape moves to remove the corrosion, followed by a careful cleaning to remove all polish residue is the recommended procedure.
 
Really dirty heads use Acetone. Although if you steal your wifes/girlfriends nail polish remover, it will probably be only 2% or less acetone its mostly water. You can polish out rust with brasso etc. The heads dont look worn from that distance.
 
Yep, what dhnash said; a little dab of aluminum polish such as Mothers Mag Wheel polish, Noxon or whatever you like on the end of a Q-Tip. Rub back and forth in the direction of tape travel until they shine then clean them off several times with propanol on a Q-Tip. Been doing it that way for years on heads that looked worse than yours, works beautifully. Just don’t use anything too abrasive, aluminum polish is just right.
 
Than you for all advises guys.
Wondering what is Brasso? Is that liquid of a sort ?
I have in my possession "bar keeper friend cleaner soft" is it ok to use?
 
You can also use automotive polishing compound (Not rubbing compound). Same principle-a very fine abrasive. Clean well after use. Don't be afraid to use moderate pressure-rubbing in line with tape travel. You will be removing a trace amount of metal-but that's not a problem. After all, removing significant amounts of metal is what is done with head re-lapping.
 
If it's corrosion which is what it looks like I'd use one of the polishing compounds suggested and a little felt wheel with an adjustable speed Dremel type device and carefully polish it off. It could be pitted which might render it useless, more for recording than playback.
 
Brasso is a liquid polishing compound for brass. It probably has very fine abrasive in it.
 
zedex said:
Brasso is a liquid polishing compound for brass. It probably has very fine abrasive in it.
Click to expand...

On the Brasso bottle it indicates cleans and polishes Brass, Copper, Stainless Steel, Chrome, Aluminum, Pewter, and Bronze. Versatile stuff!
 
I use brasso to polish ammunition 1 cartridge at a time when im reloading. :) Your shells chamber smooth as silk. Definitely works for lots of metals. Its good stuff.
 
Never tried it myself, and sure would be a last resort.. But some folks simply use a very fine grain sandpaper to scratch-off corrosion. There is a sereus risk of damage here of course.
 
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