People get so worked up about fermentation gear. Mason jars do the job just fine for most things. The whole crock thing feels like buying a special tool for a problem that doesn't exist. It's just pickling, not rocket science.

Gotta say, the panic over a missing shop rag seems a bit much. It's just a rag, not a missing socket wrench. You find it eventually and the job gets done. People act like it's a full-blown crisis when it's just a minor hiccup in the day.

Honestly, I don't wait for a set check. If I'm in the pit for anything else, I run my fingers along the rope right at the sheave. You can feel the broken wires before you see them. A visual from the car top isn't enough because the worst wear is hidden in the groove. That fraying happens in the same spot every time, so that's where I look.