> On Nov 4, 2025, at 10:53 AM, Bob Vines via cctalk <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> ...
> P.S. I thought that I read here or in a PDP-8-specific forum/mail-list
> that DECtape wasn't actually laminated on both sides, which apparently
> explained the visible red oxide material removed from dirty DECtapes while
> cleaning them (per whoever posted their observations)?
I know of oxide rubbing off, I cleaned it off DECtape drive heads and tape
guides often enough. But the spec is quite clear, the stuff is indeed
laminated. The upper layer is very thin, though; spec is 0.04 mil. So one
would expect heavily-used tapes to have that layer wear off at least in spots.
I expect that's what we were seeing.
paul
