The backcoat binder system chemistry is in most cases similar if not identical to the oxide binder system, so it sounds like you really do have a mess. Removing one without damaging the other will be extremely difficult. It may be that using a pellon wipe to try to remove it not chemically, but through successive wipes at high speed MIGHT remove enough of it to allow playback, but I would have to see it to tell. It also might be that a low concentration of a solvent will remove the "low hanging fruit" first - so again a pellon wipe with a dilution of solvent and water might work - although you then have the rh issues to deal with, which might also cause problems. These are the "fast and cheap" approaches that might work - but then again you have tried fast and cheap already and have reaped the rewards. In the past I have used modified film rewinds (with a NAB hub to accommodate tape) and placed the supply reel on one side and the take up reel on the other side - oxide side up in your situation. In between you have your work surface, and you now hand "polish" the tape using a solvent. Unofficially I might suggest experimenting with the now banned 1:1:1 trichloroethane using this modified film rewind approach. Although banned, it may still be available in small quantities from chemistry supply facilities, and yes it is expensive. Fortunately you do not need much. Read the MSDS very carefully, handle very carefully, adequate ventilation, follow all guidelines, hands end eye protection, ventilator - all of it. This will be a slow hand process. As you get experience you will be able to remove the goo and if you are careful in your application leave the stuff under it. Too much solvent and too much pressure and you will wipe all of it. You "polish" slowly foot by foot winding the completed and clean tape on the take up side. Based on your description you will need to also clean the back coat side because it sounds as if you have softened it enough so that it will reapply itself to the oxide if rewound on it directly based on the pack pressure. Yeah, well you really do have a mess and a science project. This is just one reason why I am not a big baking fan. There are not too many cases where I see media that is dumpster bound. Next time you might consider cleaning before baking. Jim Lindner Email: [log in to unmask] Media Matters LLC. 450 West 31st Street 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10001 eFax (646) 349-4475 Mobile: (917) 945-2662 www.media-matters.net Media Matters LLC. is a technical consultancy specializing in archival audio and video material. We provide advice and analysis, to media archives that apply the beneficial advances in technology to collection management. On Feb 7, 2012, at 5:18 PM, Martin Fisher wrote: > Hey Guys, > > What chemicals are good to strip backcoating off reel tapes. > > NO! NO! NO! I don't want to send them out for stripping. Way too expensive. I don't even want to strip the entire tape. > > What I need is to clean the backcoat off the oxide layer. The tape was given a "B" wind after developing sticky shed and, in places, some backcoating "hairs" got stuck between adjacent layers and adhered to the binder. This was exacerbated further by baking. The stuff just turned to goo and spread out on the surface of the binder like butter on bread in the oven. > > Alcohol works but also dissolves the binder an many instances. No way of knowing the tape stock since the boxes are generic, reels are haphazard but the backcoating is of the thick, matte gooeyer variety. > > Any help appreciated! :-) > > Martin >