perhaps a stupid question about paracord

Y

YoYoMa

Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
112
Does the 550 in paracord stand for the weight at which it will snap, or the safe working load?
 
I think it refers to the weight it's tested to, meaning the breaking weight. I wouldn't trust it for much over 200 pounds, especially if there's any knots in it...
 
It's the tensile strength. That's for the seven inner strand cord. I don't know what the four strand cord is rated at.
 
IIRC the four-strand cord is either 300 pound or 350 pound rating. As noted, knots SIGNIFICANTLY decrease the strength of cord. The best I remember seeing was 33% loss in strength, with 50% loss and more being more typical.
 
Knots decrease the load which cord or rope will safely bear, due to their ability to cut through the rope/cord, when sufficiently constricted. The loss can be far beyond 33%, depending on a variety of factors, such as type of knot, direction of pull, material which the cord's outer sheath is made from, etc.

--Mike
 
Typically, working strength for any type of rope is as follows...
10% to 15% of breaking strength for life support uses...
15% to 20% for non-life support uses.

But for your own sake, don't use anything not specifically made for life support for that purpose.
 
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