I agree that the end flange should have a gap to accommodate the
eccentricity of the paper on rewind.  The variants to the rolls poor
condition are its age, type of paper, how it is stored in the box and
the surrounding atmosphere and the tracking device.

On a relatively new roll, if the tracking device does not work as it
should, the roll will not wind on the take-up spool equally in line.
This will then start a series of problems.

If the roll is later stored in its box in tight, slack or otherwise
poor form, the paper will then form a permanent 'zigzag' on the roll.
The tracking device will have to work harder and, in 40% of cases,
the roll will not track correctly and move side ways on the tracker bar
causing notes to miss or change to another key.  This permanent zigzag
of the paper can never be corrected and is set that way for all time.

Stephen Bentley  - enjoying this two-month long 'monsoon' in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada