Baldrich,
You can cut it back as far as your HC4Men unit. It will not fray. HC4M uses a ‘hard bond’ process of glue and tape that lasts for about 6 weeks. That’s not sanitary to bond for that long. What tape is being used with the HC4M bond? If you like the extra tapes that HC4M sold you then try them. I recommend Walker No Shine tape. As the name implies it has no shine to it.
Regards,
John