How to demag. tape heads with bulk eraser

Personally, I would not use a bulk eraser to demagetize tape heads because of it's very strong magnetic field. However, it might work, I've just never tried it.

The procedure to demagnetize is simple. Just start from about a couple of feet away and the move it towards the heads slowly, passing over the heads a few times. Then pull it away slowly before powering off.

That's the procedure I've used for years, except I've always used an eraser with prongs and not a bulk eraser.

I would rather see you buy an eraser intended for head demagnetizing.

Jim

NO! That uses a large transformer that will probably damage the heads -- it's made for erasing complete tapes, fast. You need an actual tape head demagnetizer for the job which will have the correct field strength and a probe that will fit in close to the heads and tape guides that require demagnetization. I have seen them pop up on ebay now and then. As for a new one, I saw an *economy model* at kingdom.com for $15 that looks like it would work on cassette and reel to reel heads, though you may want to call and clarify that before you buy one. Here's the link: http://www.kingdom.com/short-desc.asp?go=35

Breadman: the advice already given is on the money. Since you may be considering the purchase of a head demagnetizer, I want to mention that I have a used professional demag unit, the "Han-D-Mag", made by R.B. Annis, available for sale. This model is a double-ended, probe unit, and is virtually unsurpassed for demagnetizing the heads of home tape recorders.

The R.B. Annis head demag units are superbly built, and my unit is in essentially mint condition. I no longer need it however, since I sold both my open reel and cassette decks.
I have listed this unit on Audiogon several times, but no takers so far.

If you are perhaps interested in buying the demag that I have for sale, drop me a personal E-mail and I'm sure we can agree on a fair price.

Thanks a lot for the super fast great answers. I called kingdom.com and and bought one for $40. I searched the archives here and didn't find anything on demagnetizers. I've played about 25 hours worth of tape since I bought the machine and have been noticing that it is getting more difficult to thread the tape. I'm guessing that a magnetic field is pulling on the tape and making it harder to handle. I have cleaned the heads and the moving parts several times. It's like maintaining an old car! I would also like to add that I am having a blast playing playing with reel to reel.

Much to my dismay I bought the one from kingdom.com before I saw sdcampbell's generous offer. My actually sent my previous post without seeing sdcampbell's. Sorry about that.

Hey, I'm sure the one from kingdom.com will work fine too and it's not really a ton of money when you think about it.

I know what you mean about having a blast with reel to reel. I've bought 3 decks over the past 6 months, two sweet Teacs and a nice Revox A77. I have a decent prerecorded tape collection and I've been scoffing up a few here and there on ebay. Some of those old recordings/performances are really a treat and the sound quality rivals the best sources currently available for cheap. Hey, so what if you have to clean the heads now and then, and go through "all that hassle" of threading the tape?! Certainly it's no more trouble than vinyl's maintenance rituals and the price of admission is even sweeter. I don't know anyone that's broken a head while threading a tape, but I do know of many instances of stylus/cartridge destruction due to a momentary bobble. :)