Paracord Handles

[DReicht]

Ever find a permanent place for them?

 

[Tom Militano]

Could you elaborate a little?

 

[Robert_Phelps]

I like a paracord handle on my little hard-use/heavy abuse utility knife I made myself, so the handle can be replaced easily as it gets ruined. I don't really like how they look/feel though.

 

[Larry S.]

Ever find a permanent place for them?

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[Tom Militano]

I'm still not sure what you mean.

 

[Dogpack]

instead of paracord have you tried leather lace? ive done a few and i like it. if you need the round profile of cord your local fabric store should carry round cut leather lace

 

[DReicht]

Well you know how some people just wrap a paracord around the tang of a knife as opposed to constructing a formal handle?

Does anyone set out to make knives like this? Or in Dogpacks suggestion, do they use leather cord/lace?

 

[Mace]

I make some knives and use paracord for a handle. But I also like maple.
Mace

 

[Black Dog]

I used 550 cord for a handle because the person I was making the knife for requested it. It turned out really nice (for a cord wrapped handle) and it was fun to do. I think wrapped handles look interesting, especially on fine Japanese swords and knives, but I am not a fan of cord wrapped handles for general field use for practical reasons. If the cord gets wet it stays wet. If it gets contaminated with sweat, blood or any nasty substance it can not be decontaminated without changing out the whole cord. Some people say the cord can be used in an emergency in a survival situation, but then you have just stripped your knife of its handle. My opinion is that it is probably better to have a knife with a solid comfortable handle and carry a roll of cord if you are worried about having cord with you.

 

[flatgrinder]

I've used a Japanese style cord wrap with epoxy rubbed in before, and in my opinion once that epoxy dries it works very well as a handle material. Grippy, waterproof and stays put.

 

[GibsonFan]

My opinion is that it is probably better to have a knife with a solid comfortable handle and carry a roll of cord if you are worried about having cord with you.

Amen. A 40' hank of 550 cord fits easily in any pocket, and that's a lot of cord. Cord-wrapped handles look cool but they're just not comfortable and don't feel secure to me. Besides, they seem to either come unwrapped at the worst time, or they're glued down so you couldn't use the cord anyway.

 

[skaterboy]

try searching for the ranger digest web site they have a good tutorial on wraping your handle in paracord

 

[T Blade]

I made these knives for the "Lightning Brother's", a group of guys who I jam with, we got together last night, and as only 4 others were there I only have these left.

For these knives I used paracord from which I removed the inner core in order to have a thinner feel for the knives, they were coated with Barge Cement, which makes them a little more "grippy" I'm not too sure what the barge cement does for water proofing. The blades are as forged, made from 1" X1/8" 1084, courtesy of IG. I had finished the first one at IG's and used some tool black for coating. When I left his house, IG gave me some tool black from a different container. When I applied the tool black to the other knives at home, I discovered the blades were coming out a much different color, more like the color of pakerized or plum brown, oh well,,,

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o295/TBlade_2006/PICT2096.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o295/TBlade_2006/PICT2093.jpg

Larry T

 

[Mace]

Nice ones Larry! Like the lightning bolt.
Mace

 

[T Blade]

Mace,
As those are the last of the Lightning Brother's series, the limited marking of the blades will no longer be used .

Hope you had a Happy New Years, may 2007 be good to you and your loved ones,

Larry T