Hi, Shiffy,

I've done 3M, Brush, and Utah (Canadian) paper tape from the late-40s 
and early 50s and none were as brittle as you described. In fact, all 
of the tapes played very well. The Brush tapes benefited from the use 
of the NAB Stereo Cartridge head (3 tracks) because the centre track 
appeared about 100 mil, centred. Neither that nor the FT mono head 
were ideal, as the FT mono head had 150 mil of DC-erased noise and 
the NAB cart head was a bit less than half the track (43 mil).

If I get any more, I'll try and centre-up the Pacific Recorders 
TOMCAT head that has an 82 mil right channel, moved up with a narrow 
cue track below.

Cheers,

Richard

At 01:40 PM 2010-04-10, you wrote:
>A possible negative consequence of recording tape being paper backed is
>intimacy of the medium-to-head contact. Its typical surface (in 2010)  isn't
>as smooth as acetate & plastic (at least when those substances are not
>aged).   Is it known if the paper used by Brush, 3M & others were acid free?
>
>Years ago I transferred some I.G. Farben paper tape that had been recorded
>in 1944.  It broke frequently while running @ typical 'modern' tensions.  It
>was self-evidently more brittle than Brush & 3M paper samples with which
>I've worked.
>
>Art (Shiffy) Shifrin
>www.shifrin.net
>NYC USA

Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.