How do you demagnetize the heads on a tape recorder?

Answer 1

== To demagnetize a head, use a commercial demagnitizer. They used to be available at Radio Shack and other suppliers, but they've disappeared pretty much. You can still find them, but you'll have to look around. They're aren't really that expensive, but are difficult to locate because the technology of the tape machine is being displaced more every day. The demagnetizer, or degausser as it is sometimes called, is basically a coil of wire with a ferromagnetic core that extends like a "wand" out of the windings. The coil is connected to a plug, which is simply connected to household power. There is a switch on the unit somewhere. It's press and hold, or spring loaded to off, or the like. You have to hold it down for the unit to come on. Let go and it goes off. The coil works by "sweeping" the head with a changing magnetic field to "scrub" any existing fields that may be impressed on the head off of it. It uses 60 Hertz household AC from the power grid to do this. You plug the unit in the wall, hold it close to the head (the "wand" is usually coated with a soft vinyl coating to protect from damage), and move the unit around. Continue moving the unit around for a few seconds like you're wiping off the head, and then, while keeping the unit energized, start moving the unit back away from the head. That is, you'll be "wiping" the head with the unit held on, wiping continuously as you slowly move away, and then letting go of the switch after you get the wand a few feet away from the head. You're done. You might get an audio shop to do this for a few bucks if you lug the unit in. It will save you buying a degausser. And this isn't something you have to do every few months, even if you use your deck a lot.

Answer 2

a way to demagnitize somthing is to not get it magnetized :) simple as that :)