Odd question - removing tamper proof stickers from old rental tape?

[justin81]

I own a VHS of a rare film that was a previous rental video. I was going to set it up for capturing yesterday, but unfortunately, the physical tape inside snapped off the spool at the leader. I have experienced this problem before on some of my older videos and have been able to rectify the situation by opening the cassette shell and re-attaching the leader to the empty spool. However, this is a prior rental tape and has those tamper resistance seals/stickers on the sides of the cassette to prevent people from opening the tape. Is there any trick to getting them off without doing much/any damage to the video?

I was thinking of just cutting them with a razor blade, in the middle where the two halves of the shell of the cassette connect, but I wasn't sure if that would expose glue residue that could potentially be harmful to the tape inside.

Any suggestions for taking them off more cleanly?

[PhoneMatt]

Just slice them with a razor. You can also peel them off, if you want to. The only thing that happens when you peel them off, is that most leave the word "void" in silver glue on the shell of the cassette. No way that this will hurt the tape.

[Noahtuck]

Careful!!

Ever watch Mission Impossible ?

If you mess with those tamper proof stickers your whole tape could go POOF in a cloud of smoke!!!

LOL!!

[V Bot]

Careful!!

Ever watch Mission Impossible ?

If you mess with those tamper proof stickers your whole tape could go POOF in a cloud of smoke!!!

LOL!!

Ha Ha, This message will self destruct in 5 seconds...

[orsetto]

Slice 'em with a razor. I owned a video store for many years, we did this any time we had to fix a broken tape. If you peel it you risk the glue residue gumming up the loading mechanism of the VCR. Slicing cuts clean thru leaving no gunk. Just be careful you don't push too hard on the razor blade: you just need to cut thru the thin sticker. Try not to push the blade more than 1/8-1/16 inch into the shell seam or you risk cutting into the actual tape. Its a good idea to slice thru the spine label the same way if you need to open the shell: don't ever peel the original studio label unless a test corner comes off easily and cleanly. Some studios like Paramount used some godawful adhesive that turns to powder and contaminates everything if you peel it.

[Cornucopia]

As an alternate to cutting, a Heat Gun (or Blow Dryer will do) is your friend. Turns the adhesive to "butter" so it can be easily pulled off (even those old Paramount stickers mentioned above).

Have done HUNDREDS of tapes this way.

Scott

[sum_guy]

Those stickers carry the same dire warning as a label on your bedroom mattress that says "Never remove under penalty of law" blah blah blah... I'm very anti warning label. By all means possible, eliminate that sticker with all due haste!

[Noahtuck]

Seriously.... it's a F#*CKING sticker for christ's sake!!!!!

I have cut them, removed them, i have even taken apart VHS shells with the stickers still intact when they were placed on the back of the shell/casing and used them as a hinge then put them back together with zero ill effect!!!

For years before cd or dvd even existed!!!!!

Talk about overly paranoid or making a mountain out of a mole hill

Oh!! they might make some kind of dust that will blow through your VHS recorder, or they are a gummy glue that will gumm up your VHS recorder and destroy it and you will never be able to to use it anymore!!!

It's a STICKER!!!!!!!!!

Talk about over complicating something....

LOL!!!!

[hech54]

Seriously.... it's a F#*CKING sticker for christ's sake!!!!!

1000% agree.
Some people just enjoy hearing themselves talk.
Get a F#*CKING life.

[TBoneit]

They were not there to keep people from opening the tape. They were there so that the store could detect if someone had opened the tape and put a copy inside and kept the original.

[dvd3500]

They were not there to keep people from opening the tape. They were there so that the store could detect if someone had opened the tape and put a copy inside and kept the original.

I'd have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids!

[Cornucopia]

Zoinks!!!

[16mmJunkie]

They were not there to keep people from opening the tape. They were there so that the store could detect if someone had opened the tape and put a copy inside and kept the original.

I'd have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids!

Scooby-Doooooooo!

[Noahtuck]

they were not there to keep people from opening the tape. They were there so that the store could detect if someone had opened the tape and put a copy inside and kept the original.

i'd have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids!

lmao!!!!!!!

[Noahtuck]

They were not there to keep people from opening the tape. They were there so that the store could detect if someone had opened the tape and put a copy inside and kept the original.

Well, in order to open the tape shell & replace the original with a copy, they would have to be there to keep people from opening the tape/shell, but that's all i am going to say about that....

[Noahtuck]

Seriously.... it's a F#*CKING sticker for christ's sake!!!!!

1000% agree.
Some people just enjoy hearing themselves talk.
Get a F#*CKING life.

You cynical b@$t@$d!!!


LOL!!!

[hech54]

You cynical b@$t@$d!!!


LOL!!!

Don't try to sweet-talk me...I'm still very mad at you for saying what I wanted to say all along FIRST.

[justin81]

LOL, thanks!

[orsetto]

Seriously.... it's a F#*CKING sticker for christ's sake!!!!!

1000% agree.
Some people just enjoy hearing themselves talk.
Get a F#*CKING life.

If we had "a F#*CKING life", we wouldn't be here talking about "repairing a rare rental tape to set it up for capturing", would we? If you're on this forum AT ALL you're a "F#*CKING" geek who "enjoys hearing themselves talk". Cripes- if you've ever foolishly peeled one of the giant Tower Video or Blockbuster tamper seals that covered the entire freakin top and sides of a tape, then had the old thick exposed glue jam the effing tape in your VCR loading slot, you'd have appreciated a warning to not bother peeling it. Slice the damned thing open and drop the reels into a new shell.