Cord-wrapped handle help, please

J

JMFWSU

Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
181
Hi,

I don't post too much here, but I read just about everything you guys write.

I have a cord-wrapped knife that Ray Laconico made for me, and I absolutely love it. The only problem is that I'm worried about the wrap retaining moisture and causing rust, so I've never really used it.

I've seen one maker who seals his cord wrapped handles by dipping them in hot bees' wax. I'm not set up for that, so would SnoSeal and a hairdryer have a similar effect?

Thanks,
Jason
 
Well, my strategy on my cord wrapped handles is not to worry about it. I just periodically unwrap, do whatever maintenance is necessary, and rewrap. I'm not sure even the bees wax solution is good enough to keep moisture out, but I could be wrong. Sounds like a good idea to at least reduce the amount of maintenance, though.
 
I think some folks stabilize their cord wraps with some kind of epoxy. However, I bet moisture would still be "held" under the wrap and it wouldn't be as easily replaceable.
 
hm. I hadn't though of that, and was planning on cord wrapping a d2 knife. guess I'll rethink, thanks for bringing it up.
 
Don't worry about it too much. If the handle gets really sticky and wet then you will have to re-wrap it. Approach the re-wrap job with enthusiasm rather than dread. Heck, you can change the cord colour and make it look like a new knife.

For a really simple type of wrap, simply wind the paracord and fix the ends with a bit of superglue. The superglue holds the wrap plenty securely, but can be pulled apart with a little work.
 
You could always try some PlastiDip.

Otherwise you could use spray can clear coat. If you need to remove the clear coat you can use a solvent like laquer thinner, chemical stripper or Easy-Off oven cleaner.
 
You can just spray some type of clear varnish on the tang where the wrap will go. Some people coat the whole wrapped handle in epoxy but I've never tried that.
 
Hey Jason...
I got your PM..... I have never had a handle rust under the wrap.... I use 5160, 1075, O1 and 1095 steels. I put cord channels in all my wrapped handles to prevent slippage... no epoxy unless requested. The hot wax dip really does the trick nowadays.... I used to use silicone spray or soak it in lindseed oil
.
 
Plastic dip, Epoxy/rodwrapping epoxy, polyurethane, Linseed oil, they will all work. You just need a moistures barrier. of these the epoxy will last the longest. Fishing rod wrapping epoxy is flexible and seams to hold up the longest.
 
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