Ropes
Bellropes are expensive, and for them to perform well they must be well looked after and maintained. The difference that a decent rope can make to a bell is surprising. A splice in the wrong place can make a bell almost impossible to handle, and a badly made tail end is painful and makes it difficult to grip it enough to place your bell acurately. A sharp edge on a ceiling boss can saw through your rope in no time.
What we would really like here is a nice article on the history of bellropes and bellrope making. So far we haven't managed to find anyone who knows anything about this, but perhaps you do? For now we have information on how to care for your ropes, spiders (not the sort with legs!), rope heaters and splicing.