Scotch 777 "blue label" tape blues confirmed

[Chuck Guzis]

On 7/19/19 8:59 PM, Adrian Stoness wrote:
> same as sticky shed syndrome?

No, not exactly--it's more like binder bleed-through.  The oxide remains
firmly attached to the base, but there is a film of either gummified
lubricant or binder that fouls up things.

Normally, if it's sticky-shed, the tape sticks to itself, but that isn't
the case--the tape despools and spools quite easily on its own, but
leaves deposits on any stationary surfaces that it glides over--and
adheres to those.  Isopropanol seems to clean deposits from heads and
guides; no oxide is left behind.

So a coating of cyclomethicone renders the tape non-sticky for a time.

It's bizarre and seems to be related to this particular type of tape.

--Chuck