Method Long drop hanging: requirements and rope selection?

[ron_g]

What are the requirements for a rope for long drop hanging?

Obviously, the rope must have sufficient strength. Given the maximum force of the load, what would be a reasonable safety factor accounting for the shock nature of the loading?
The rope should not stretch.
It should also be resistant to abrasion because it will press into skin and run through the noose/knot.
Perhaps it should have low friction so it slides easily along the skin. Do I want high friction if I'm aiming for decapitation?
How important is temperature resistance? E.g., is dyneema's low melting point an issue when the rope cuts into the neck?
Do I have to care about loads rectangular to the rope axis from the rope running through the noose/knot?
What other important requirements are there for the rope?

Any suggestions what kind of rope should be selected?

 

[Jblack]

In judicial hangings the traditional rope was made from hemp with a thickness of 3/4" to 1" (around 20-22 mm). Decapitation occurred as a result of the drop being too long. This was rare but it did happen. The British used a spool mounted in one end of the rope to allow the rope to slide very freely. The Americans used the traditional hangman's noose.

 

[RichardFirst]

There is actually a table of measurements available for calculating such things. You'll find it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Table_of_Drops

I believe that this was used by the hangman Albert Pierrepoint himself. The idea is that the table can be used to gauge the ideal length of the drop required to break the neck without decapitation.

 

[ron_g]

I don't want to copy a traditional judicial hanging. The US Army manual says the rope has to be boiled and stretched while drying. Many new rope materials have been developed since then.