8 inch floppies, decaying

[Chuck Guzis]

On 07/10/2018 09:14 PM, Steve Malikoff via cctalk wrote:

> So there you have it. I'm not asserting that all diskettes were manufactured as well as this IBM one but I stand by
> what I suggested, I would certainly try IPA again if I had to. By the 1970s I would think a diskette surface had come a
> long way from my dad's RAMAC days and even the 1/2" magnetic tape from the 50s and 60s, where I would be considerably
> more reticent trying this.

Well, they're your disks.   I've seen a system for reading magnetic tape
where a continuous bath was used to combad sticky-shed, but there were
no comments on the condition of the medium after reading.

If these were my disks, I wipe them down with cyclomethicone.  That
would at least lubricate them and leave them (after evaporation) in
pretty much the same state as you started.

Remember that a fatty acid usually was used as a medium lubricant when
these disks were manufactured.  The last thing in the world you want to
do is dissolve this and remove it.

But, as I remarked, they're your disks.  I've certainly seen my share of
8" CPT floppies--and 1960s 1/2" tape.

--Chuck