A tape head, configured to contact a magnetic tape, at the level of a contact plane, for writing to the tape, in operation is provided. The tape head includes a transducer, the latter being a write element, configured to write to the magnetic tape, in operation. The transducer includes a layered write pole, the latter comprising a set of two or more superimposed layers of distinct materials, the layers superimposed in a direction perpendicular to the contact plane. A saturation magnetization of each of two material layers of the set is between 1.0 to 2.3 Tesla. A contrast between the saturation magnetizations of the two material layers of the set is between 32% and 130%, the contrast defined as 100(B.sub.s,max/B.sub.s,min1), where B.sub.s,max and B.sub.s,min respectively denote a largest one and the smallest one of the saturation magnetizations of the two material layers of the set.

When servo heads in a head chip of a servo write head assembly record servo patterns onto a tape's servo tracks, the servo heads are continuously being rapidly worn away by the tape. This general wear affects the servo heads' ability to record the servo patterns, impairing accurate positioning of the tape heads in the drive. However, by implementing, on the leading edge of the head chip, a support block that has a wear resistant skiving edge and landing zone for the tape crow bar, which forms when the tape is running over the servo head, the general wear of the servo heads from the tape is mitigated. The skiving edge, which may be formed by thin film technology process steps, causes the tape to fly over the head chip in those regions. An additional support block may be implemented at the trailing edge of the head chip.