@dakotaknight so you pat it dry before or after seasoning though...

Glad you caught that before something went wrong, that glazing sound is terrifying when you hear it up in the tree. I had the same thing happen on a brand new Sterling rope after just two removals, and it turned out my hitch cord was way too tight and I was loading it too fast on my descents. The blakes hitch is simple but it builds up heat quick if you're not letting it slip a little as you come down, especially on a static line that doesn't absorb any of the shock. I switched to a 10mm eye-to-eye cord with a VT prusik and learned to ease into my descents more gradual, and the glazing stopped completely. Have you checked your hitch cord diameter against your rope size?

People really expect everything to work like their freezer these days.

Spray adhesive before cutting can gum up your blade pretty fast, just a heads up.

Blame the new locker rooms... all those shiny tiles and new benches got people thinking they're at a fancy spa instead of a public pool.