Page 22 - Bob Holtzman "The Field Guide to Knots How to Identify.."

Safety

Personal safety in outdoor activities can depend upon good rope and well-
tied knots. Climbers carefully inspect their ropes and habitually check each

other’s knots to guard against mistakes. If you don’t have access to
experienced backup, it’s important to check your own knots scrupulously
before relying on them. If you’re unsure about a particular knot, it may be
safer to substitute one in which you have total confidence, even if it might
be less convenient.

Broken fibers indicate that this rope is well past its useful life for any purpose where safety is at stake

The condition of the rope itself is also of key concern. Just sitting on a shelf,
almost all ropes will deteriorate with age, and wear accelerates with use and
exposure to the elements. Inspect any rope inch by inch before using it in a
safety-related application. Signs of excessive wear or age include: fraying,
permanent kinks, discoloration, broken or melted fibers, reduced diameter, the
cover sliding over the core, and areas where the angle of the lay or braid
changes.

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