Different materials for "cord" wrap?

R

RH

Joined
Jan 31, 1999
Messages
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I have used climbing accessory cord to wrap handles, because you can get it cheap, in different colors and diameters at an outdoor store. But I really don't feel it improves the grip very much. Being a synthetic sheathed cord (like para cord) it's kind of slick. Some folks here have done some things like soaking the cord wrapped handle in superglue, epoxy, or some other liquid that will then harden into a tackier and more durable finish. Sounds messy, and then the handle has epoxy goop on it besides.

I would like to wrap my Siff Kiss with leather lace. Either the squared shoelace, or the real rounded lace you can get in a leather supply place (Tandy?). I'm thinking that by wetting the lace first, it would stretch during wrapping, then dry and contract nice and tight. Leather washers have been used on military knives for years, why not lace?

Has anyone tried this, or have any coments on it?
 
Wet rawhide thong would definitely tighten as it dried. I don't know how It would hold up to water though. I just did a strider-style cord wrap on a cheap bolo machete and covered it with five minute epoxy. When the epoxy was still drying, I hit it with some sandpaper. Left a dull finish, but a pretty good grip. I think I might try some leather next time. If you try it, let us know how it turns out.
--Josh
 
I've used leather boot lace (72") on two of my Stiff K.I.S.S.s so far, and they've held up pretty well.

Also, for the more adventurous among my geek friends, I did a "Trash Bowie," wherein every piece of the knife came out of the dustbin. The handle was a cord-wrap, using Cat 5 Network Cable (blue). I coated it with Superglue, just to keep it from shifting, and it's held up to several camping trips since then. Finally, a knife I love to abuse!!! Surprisingly comfortable, too.

:D Pack-rats UNITE!!
 
I wrapped my stiff kiss in leather, and it rusted the hell out the handle. I had to sand of all the rust and it ruined the bead blast. I wouldn't recommend it unless you dont plan on removing the leather. Good luck.
 
When playing with epoxy wraps, I have 2 tips.

1) Get a penetrating epoxy. It is runnier and beasier to apply for the job at hand.

2) Have soem paint thinner and cotton swabs on hand. Whoiel the epoxy hasn't set, you can erase epoxy off of areas that got epoxied with the paint thinner. Tape areas you want to be sure that no epoxy gets on.

E-mail running dog knives and ask them, they know a lot about this subject.
 
this is how i wrapped my STIFF KISS and it looks TRICK - take some black para cord (i got mine at the gunshow in san antone) and run it down throught he round hole on top towards the 2 small holes near the midpoint, or the juncture of the handle/blade, leaving some cord sticking out of the top hole -again,run the cord down through the 2 small holes, and then wrap tightly (tape your blade or ya can get cut) up the handle, all the way to the top, then run the cord out the top hole - now take the 2 ends and run them back over the top and loop them back into the large hole (now w/4 cords runnin thru it gets tight, get a small phillips screwdriver to push cord around) and cut the cords pretty close to the edge of the hole, and burn the ends - the ends on the cord expand enought o keep the cord from pillinf BACK thru the hole - i bet i have wrapped mine 10 times w/various things, rawhide, etc and this is #1 for sure IF ya can understand what i mean..no pic darn it - i promise though done correctly looks GOOD!

sifu

PS - hey what the heck will wrap CRKT STIFF KISS knives for $5 + S&H, satisfaction guaranteed...look out bill gates lol
 
I just wrapped my Stiff KISS and my ArcLite with some multicolored cord I bought at REI. I'm terribly untalented at such things, but have to admit that I am modestly pleased with the results.

The KISS always worried me that if I needed it, the handle was so narrow it would roll in my grip, rendering it ineffective. I now feel that I have a solid enough grip on the handle that rolling should not be a problem. I used no glue/epoxy or anything like that yet. Finished it off with a hangman's noose at the bottom.

The ArcLite had a wider handle, but made of quite thin steel. The edges weren't chamferred much, nor the edges of the lightening holes. Basically the same result as with teh KISS. I can comfortably grab it now, with no worry about the thinness of the blade.

Somebody on the forums, very recently, will put scales on the handles of ArcLites for about $25. If I get unhappy with my wrapping, believe I'll go that route. He has blue and red G-10. Pics of the blue looked good. Think this may have been on the Shop Talk forum. Can't remember the maker's name, darn it. Was within the past 2 weeks tho, for sure.
 
View


wrapped dry, no problems.

:cool:
 
I wrapped both my Stiff Kiss and my Neck Peck with the cord they came with. Its wrapped with the "weaving" style in bigbores pic, on the Stiff Kiss. Looks, and performs very well.

With bead blasted finish, I'd be worried about wetting the cord, as it will probably rust the thing to hell.
 
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