tape preparation and worries

[smartel]

most if not all of my VHS tapes have been stored almost for 10 years without being touched

most of the time (if i remember well) standing up
and stopped at the end of the tape (i think it's the way suggested)

is there a way to prepare the tape so they are not eaten up
last time i took a tape in a deck was instantly swallowed by my player (sanyo)
i unplugged it and went to other things
got a HR-S5800U , good condition and don't want to relive that again

i got a cheapo tape rewinder (kinyo UV-420) maybe ...

should i just rewind and play ?
is there tape brand to watch out more ?
shaking the taped a little before hand would help ?

i got my JVC , my Sanyo still works , i got a GE somewhere around , maybe my old Quasar still works

i thought about rewinding and fast-forwarding them a couple of times
maybe even playing them normaly before rewinding may help somehow
or i am just too cautious my HR-S5800U may not be a tape eater after all

[Lodovico]

I'd avoid using a cheap tape rewinder. A good VCR will slow the rewind as it gets near the end and uses a sensor to detect the clear leader and prevent the jerk-stop that can damage a tape.

As your tapes are stored "tails out", then rewinding once before playback should be sufficient preparation.

If you're unsure about your VCR's appetite for tapes, try it first on a few you don't care about.