I pulled my Lufkin luorolok tape out the whole way and now it won't retract - Help!?!

http://www.crescenttool.com/crescent-lufkin-measuring/tapes

Asking Lufkin is your best option as they might repair or replace for free or low cost.
The Official Site of Lufkin Brand Measuring Products
There are videos out there that will show how to take tape measures apart. However it can be tricky and if you are not careful the whole thing can become a mess to deal with. Most companies will not offer repair or replacement if you have tried to fix it yourself.

When you pull it out eightteen inches, does it feel like it's under tension like normal? Is it retracting like normal? If so pull it out hard, in a quick tug, you probably got something in it. It's just bound.

Pull the blade out all the way to approximately 5" past the end of the tape. Some tapes have a hole that you can put a nail to hold them open. If not you have to hold firm, and turn blade of tape 90 degrees, and remove old tape. Install new tape, let it go back into case slowly.

Hi...sorry for the bad image but if you can make it out ...this tape measure is offered in two types of measurements either Feet/Inches/Eighths or Tenths/Hundredths ...if your father's is off by an inch my guess is that the Lufkin is measuring in Tenths/Hundredths.

Hope this helped!

Here is a better look: http://www.cspforestry.com/Lufkin_1_2_x_100_Hi_Viz_Orange_Fiberglass_Tape_p/lufkin1706.htm

are you looking to replace the tape blade, or purchase a new tape measure all together ?

I looked around and can't find a replacement tape for this 12 footer. The tape measure itself seems to be no longer available.
I suggest recycling it and buying a new tape measure.

Buy a new one.

If it has gotten wet, muddy, or sand and grit in it you can spray WD40 in it and slowly move it in and out cleaning it as you go. do not pull it out to far ( no more than 6 inches past 49 1/2 feet. If ytou pull out a tape measure to far it will uncoil the spring and you will either need a replacement refill or just get rid of it and ask Santa for a new one. I have used broken tape blades for "measuring sticks". Simply cut them into 1 or 2 foot sections for hard to reach areas.....Joe

I found that part #T5B was on the bottom of the VCR tape tray on the right side of the VCR tape bay opening and was spring activated by inserting the tape to allow the tray to retract into the player mechanism. Without a tape installed, part T5B prevents the tape carriage from retracting.
However, I still couldn't get the whole mechanism timed properly, and gears were skipping teeth, the mechanism was still binding, and shutting the power for the whole player down. Therefore, I removed the rubber drive belt that operated the VCR tray insertion/ retraction process, and disabled the VCR side from operating at all. This allowed the power to remain on and allow the DVD side to work properly.
This worked only for the Phillips DVP3150V/37. I cannot say for certain if other Phillips players are the same.