weapon checking questions

[Izanaki]

I have heard the term "dog ear" a few times, and was wondering what exactly is "dog eared" and how does it pertain toward weapons?

What is the best way to check the flex on certain weapons?

The most general flex testing i've seen has been for weapons that have a padded haft, like maces and flails. they test their flex by slamming them down on the edge of a shield, and seeing how close the head of the weapon comes to the face of the shield.