I did some looking around for Victor Reinz sealants. No auto parts stores near me carry the sealants. Is that something that comes in a seal "kit"?

Do you just use the sealant on the corners of the block only when you use a rope seal, or do you also seal the corners with RTV/sealant when you use a neoprene seal, too?

As far as cutting the rope seal goes, yeah, you're supposed to cut it to length when you install it. You're supposed to cut it a little bit long so it compresses a little when you put the bearing halves together. But how do you tell how much is enough? You're dealing with rope that's stretchable. Any tips for getting just the right amount of extra rope?