"ChrisCoaster" wrote in message
...
Question: Last summer my above combo deck the VHS side stopped
showing image from tapes. Audio however remains crystal clear and hi-
fi stereo, balanced at all times no dropout except for a half-second
immediately after pressing Play(auto tracking engages).

?? What does one use to clean the video drum when "wet" and "dry" vhs-
tape shell cleaners do not work ??

-ChrisCoaster

One uses a chamois leather tipped head cleaning stick, moistened with 99.7%
minimum electronics grade isopropyl alcohol. If you're feeling brave,
applying very gentle pressure from the 'flat' of a fingernail, to the head
drum whilst running with a tape in, can be very effective at cleaning
stubbornly blocked heads. You feel the heads through the tape going
"DRRRRRRRRR" against your nail. Sounds violent and 'wrong' I agree, but over
the years, I have recovered many badly blocked heads in this way. I guess
it's slightly 'enhancing' the abrasive characteristics of the tape's oxide
coating, by increasing the pressure of the tape against the heads.

Arfa