Partially Eaten Casette Tape, is it recoverable?

Factual Questions
1

I was listening to a casette tape that my friends and I made a few years ago, when my damn stereo started to eat it. I hit stop after a few seconds. When I opened the player, I had to unravel some of the tape which had detached from the casette and was stuck on the player. The ends are now separated (I’m not sure, but it looks like its should be split there.) Theres now about 2 feet of tape hanging outside the casette. This tape is of major sentimental value to me, and I’m wondering (since I’m from a generation which never really had to deal with casette tapes much,) what can I do (or have done) to preserve all, or as much of the tape as possible? There are a few visible scratches and cruches on the tape, but it seems otherwise in tact. Should I try to reravel it, and then record it to another tape (and eventually to my computer?) If so, how do I go about re-raveling it?

Also, how can I prevent other tapes from getting eaten? Do I need a new player?

(In case its relevant, the casette type is a TDK SA90 High Bass.)

2

Go to Radio Shack. They should still sell cassette tape repair kits. They’re only a few bucks. Reattach the ends. TAKE YOUR TIME!!

Alternate: get an empty shell (again, Radio Shack), some leader tape and put each half of the tape in its own shell. Copy both parts (either into your computer or another tape). Put the damaged originals away. With the right software, you should be to salvage the whole recording.

Worse case: the sound will waver on the chewed up bits and you may get some garbled sound. Sounds like the tape player needs a good cleaning, especially the rubber bits.

3

What Mr. Blue said. When a tape gets eaten, it’s most likely not the tape but the player. I’ve saved some tapes with scotch tape in a pinch, but it will probably be garbled slightly, especially if the tape looks “accordianned” or however the hell you spell it. Re-spool it, carefully fix the ends, preferably with a repair kit, and retape it. If it sounds good, retape another backup.