Personally I think gaffer tape is wonderful. It's easy to tear pieces from the role and it can be removed with some ease. These properties make it a great favourite with musicians and theatres for temporary holding of microphone leads &c. in place. However, I don't know the origin of it's name. I know gaffer is a term for a leader of a group of workers and particularly in modern use a chief electrician and I suppose this is where the term comes from with regards to the tape. But where does gaffer originate and what is it's relation to gaff.