Wait, does that pencil trick actually work for anyone, or did I just manage to jam a Bic into my VCR like a complete idiot? My uncle swore by that method too, but after I tried it, the ribbon snapped and the deck ate my copy of Space Jam like a hungry raccoon. I spent the next week explaining to my parents that no, I didn't break it on purpose, and yes, the pencil was supposed to help. Honestly, I think those 90s tapes were designed by people who never actually touched a VCR. Now I just rewind with the machine and pray, which is probably what we should've done all along. 😂