Validity of manila rope edge retention testing

[subwoofer]

Thanks, that video is very useful on many levels, but I'm not sure I want to build all of that jig, or follow the exact approach with weights. He has made his own BESS type sharpness measurement with the weight required to cut the smaller rope in one stroke.

The larger rope he uses has a wrap of some sort. It seemed quite papery and made me remember I had considered the rope being wrapped in masking tape.

Is the glue on the tape going to be a problem? If it is always there, at least it is consistent.

I do like that idea of not cutting onto a surface. Every other test I've seen has the rope sitting on a wooden board. Making it so the cut is into air removes any inconsistency of how much you cut into the board.