Nakamichi Dragon capstan cleaning concern...

[ggeorge]

I just acquired a Dragon yesterday through an eBay sale from a kind and generous seller who lived close enough to me for me to take personal delivery. It has seen a fair bit of use and at least three owners; also, it was a little tweaky and had some cosmetic issues... But anyway, that's beside the point, and having had a little time with it, I am thoroughly satisfied with the deal even if it means I'll need some service/maintenance to get it into top shape--and I hope the seller is too...

My question comes from something that happened while attempting to clean the tape path: the swab unravelled and tangled around the capstan, creating enough friction to stop it. Is this potentially damaging to the drive mechanism and gears, or should I not worry too much and just be more careful in the future?