This thread could have just-as-well been posted in the Gear and Gadgetsl forum, but I figured that it would get the widest exposure here. I could have titled it "Eureka Moment!" but I hate vague thread-titles.
Earlier today I was poking around ... looking through old stuff trying to solve an annoying issue with my otherwise-wonderful new Kershaw Whirlwind. The problem? Although it's a fair-sized folder that sits/fits comfortably into my Size XL hand, the lanyard hole in the handle is (inexplicably) tiny in diameter ... maybe 2.5 mm. I wanted to loop something through it ... not to use as a lanyard but to provide a small tight loop onto which I could quickly clip-on (via small toy 'biner or proper Delrin swivel) a proper lanyard, for when I felt it might be a good idea.
Nothing in my two junk drawers would fit or appeared strong enough. And then in the fishing closet I spotted an old box of fly-line "backing". 100 yards for $5.99 about ten years ago. In a day-glo Fluorescent Orange that just pops. Twenty-pound test and made of braided dacron with a nice soft "hand" for tying knots ... and only about 1mm in diameter. Google "Western Filament" for my particular brand/details ... they even offer it in Spectra and Spectra blends.
For those who are unfamiliar with fly-fishing, the actual fly-line itself (which can be floating or sinking or a combo) is not that long ... the longest cast imaginable ... but then is attached to a strong thin fly-line backing that's there as back-up on the reel ... in case the The Fish of a Lifetime makes a hellacious run and strips-out all the real fancy fly-line real quick. Someday, maybe ... I hope.
Perfect. I put two small loops through the lanyard-hole (allowing just enough room for a clip/carabiner but not enough room for the adjacent-for-strength loops to reach-around/block the bottom of the handle) ... tied it off and tugged the knot tightly into the hole. It works great ... and those two tiny fluorescent loops (laying alongside each other) make the dull camo-scaled knife just "pop" visually.
So why post/share it here? It's occurred to me (that "Aha Moment!" mentioned earlier) that this stuff deserves a spot in everyone's kit ... strong, light, cheap, flexible, tyable, visible, totally negligible in volume and mass.
550 cord done real tiny ...
Time to hit the Submit New Thread button, literally
Earlier today I was poking around ... looking through old stuff trying to solve an annoying issue with my otherwise-wonderful new Kershaw Whirlwind. The problem? Although it's a fair-sized folder that sits/fits comfortably into my Size XL hand, the lanyard hole in the handle is (inexplicably) tiny in diameter ... maybe 2.5 mm. I wanted to loop something through it ... not to use as a lanyard but to provide a small tight loop onto which I could quickly clip-on (via small toy 'biner or proper Delrin swivel) a proper lanyard, for when I felt it might be a good idea.
Nothing in my two junk drawers would fit or appeared strong enough. And then in the fishing closet I spotted an old box of fly-line "backing". 100 yards for $5.99 about ten years ago. In a day-glo Fluorescent Orange that just pops. Twenty-pound test and made of braided dacron with a nice soft "hand" for tying knots ... and only about 1mm in diameter. Google "Western Filament" for my particular brand/details ... they even offer it in Spectra and Spectra blends.
For those who are unfamiliar with fly-fishing, the actual fly-line itself (which can be floating or sinking or a combo) is not that long ... the longest cast imaginable ... but then is attached to a strong thin fly-line backing that's there as back-up on the reel ... in case the The Fish of a Lifetime makes a hellacious run and strips-out all the real fancy fly-line real quick. Someday, maybe ... I hope.
Perfect. I put two small loops through the lanyard-hole (allowing just enough room for a clip/carabiner but not enough room for the adjacent-for-strength loops to reach-around/block the bottom of the handle) ... tied it off and tugged the knot tightly into the hole. It works great ... and those two tiny fluorescent loops (laying alongside each other) make the dull camo-scaled knife just "pop" visually.
So why post/share it here? It's occurred to me (that "Aha Moment!" mentioned earlier) that this stuff deserves a spot in everyone's kit ... strong, light, cheap, flexible, tyable, visible, totally negligible in volume and mass.
550 cord done real tiny ...
Time to hit the Submit New Thread button, literally
