I feel your pain
Hi,
Wrestling sessions like the one you describe were much of the reason I abandoned Samson fids. Especially with well-made (i.e. firmly-laid) rope, the proper size fid isn't a good fit. One dodge is to use the next smaller fid, though with the same tail lengths, and you might try that. You should not need to massage the rope with the tool inside, and you definitely must never lubricate the rope, as it is difficult to find a one-way lubricant.
45 minutes to run home even a splice in used rope is, um a bit on the long side. Think of it as dues-paying. But re-check all your dimensions, including how you tapered. And consider a slightly longer gap between the first and second marks on the core, to give you more slack of getting home.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss
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