How can I tell if what is claimed to be a dry 8mm video head cleaner is not just a relabeled video tape?

Question

I recently purchased what was advertised as a SONY 8mm Head Cleaner V825CLD (a discontinued model). Even though it is labeled as the video head cleaner, I am not convinced that it actually cleans, and I can record and playback video on it. Since the cassette was not in shrink wrap (in theory, it could be sold from a bulk box), and I can record/play back (plus it has the record lock/unlock slider), I strongly suspect I have been sold a fake. Given what I've said, can I be 100% confident that it is a fake? If so, why?

I recently purchased what was advertised as a SONY 8mm Head Cleaner V825CLD (a discontinued model). Even though it is labeled as the video head cleaner, I am not convinced that it actually cleans, and I can record and playback video on it. Since the cassette was not in shrink wrap (in theory, it could be sold from a bulk box), and I can record/play back (plus it has the record lock/unlock slider), I strongly suspect I have been sold a fake. Given what I've said, can I be 100% confident that it is a fake? If so, why?

==== Additional Details ===

I've bought (and returned) an 8mm head cleaner from Best Buy which looked like video tape and not like a fabric.

Answer 1

Having worked in television station master control for decades, i can tell you the best "head cleaner" is a fresh, not dirty yet, videotape. It provides just the right abraision and clears off the head safely. Of course you don't want to rewind and use for a second pass, but at 2 hours length, this shouldn't be a problem. A new tape is more abrasive than one that has seen at least one pass of service. Stations that only used new tape for every purpose suffer pre-mature head failure on their decks.

Answer 2

Head cleaner is going to be a ribbon of the same size as the tape, but the ribbon is a light-colored, porous fabric.

Videotape is a shiny, dark, metallic ribbon of magnetic tape.

Videotape is not going to clean the heads.

Head cleaner will not take any recording and definitely provides no playback.

Answer 3

Contact these people and ask if they can help.

[e-mail]

They're UK based and cover a wide range of accessories for camera based equipment.

Also Amazon do two cleaning tapes for 8mm

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-8mm-Digital8-Camcorder-Cleaner/dp/B00005TQKQ/ref=sr_1_1/203-4605246-2967103?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1192402091&sr=8-1

and

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotch-Head-Cleaner-8mm-CAMCORDER/dp/B000CR7BXU/ref=pd_sbs_ce_1/203-4605246-2967103?ie=UTF8&qid=1192402091&sr=8-1

Some head cleaners are 'tape-like' - Scotch used to sell a tape that played a sound and showed a picture on a VHS cleaning cassette (I owned one) that worked until the picture improved. The record tab was missing so it could only be played.

My TDK MiniDV head cleaning tape looks like tape but it cannot be recorded onto.