- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 2,097
IIRC, 7 strand 550 cord is considered the standard because that's mill spec, and is the paracord they use in parachutes.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Why paracord?
- Thread starter vret
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2008
- Messages
- 10,394
The regular 550-cord has 7 strands.
With some luck you can get 550-cord with 9 strands.
I believe that would be 650 cord.
Easy to say this when you are in a comfy armchair and dont need to make a life decision with no time on the clock. I dont discount anything until the time comes and the situation is analyzed.
FOr the record I have used it for a life line in an ice rescue paired with a tubular webbing swiss seat and a biner. It wasn't under a huge load but it worked just fine.
"There was no other option!"
Skam
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
- Messages
- 283
if i was in a a tight spot id just braid a bunch of strands of 550 together and use it if one or two strands break id still have 2 or 3 others as backup
I am sorry to tell you this but in this case you are thinking wrong.
I know this for a fact after using 550 cord to tow 6'-10'logs out of the woods with my truck
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2008
- Messages
- 10,394
I've hung the tail end of my truck off that stuff. 550lbs is not it's breaking strength.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 631
200 is the working load of just the casing, if you were to gut the inside strands. But when paired together the working load is 550lb.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2009
- Messages
- 4,573
Out of curiosity, I googled 550 paracord and 550 shroud line.
From what I read, 550 lbs. is the test strength: it is given as 550 test.
I'm not sure exactly what this means, and I have to leave for an appointment, so I don't have time to research any further right now.
Hope this helps.
Bob Dawson
From what I read, 550 lbs. is the test strength: it is given as 550 test.
I'm not sure exactly what this means, and I have to leave for an appointment, so I don't have time to research any further right now.
Hope this helps.
Bob Dawson
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 631
Don't know if you've checked out this link yet or not, but it's got some good info: Click
Also, I need to edit my previous statement, I said the shell was rated at 200 pounds, but it's actually around 300. My bad...
I did some testing once with mil spec and 3mm accessory cord. I weigh 230, I made a seat from a length of wood and used a single strand to 'swing' from it. Both held up fine. I;m not sure what the breaking strength is but one thing I did notic with it was this.
550 / 7 = 78.5 +/-
So I tied it around a 33lb weigh and very gently lowered it to allow it to take the weight, each and every time it snapped immediatley, and not where you would expect on a corner but right in the middle. I dont pretend to know much about load and how the strenght is altered by adding another strand or what the strength of the kermantle is but it held me up fine in its natural state and that was all I wanted it for. I carried 100' for self rescue on some of my hikes as there were some dodgy places that were slippery. I was confident that it would hold up, bit I think I prefered the accessory cord as it dosnt bunch or get worm like rings in it.
550 / 7 = 78.5 +/-
So I tied it around a 33lb weigh and very gently lowered it to allow it to take the weight, each and every time it snapped immediatley, and not where you would expect on a corner but right in the middle. I dont pretend to know much about load and how the strenght is altered by adding another strand or what the strength of the kermantle is but it held me up fine in its natural state and that was all I wanted it for. I carried 100' for self rescue on some of my hikes as there were some dodgy places that were slippery. I was confident that it would hold up, bit I think I prefered the accessory cord as it dosnt bunch or get worm like rings in it.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 631
IIRC, the inner strands don't have much weight capacity by themselves, as your test proved. I think the majority of the strength is in the weight distribution, since you've got seven (some say 14) strands working together along with the outer layer.
I have personally seen it tow out large logs, be used to hold canoe's on top of SUV's, secure shelters, hang clothes, lash bikes to cars, and tons of other stuff, and there hasn't been the first problem with it breaking. It's a great all around outdoor accessory. Would I stake my life on it if I could get a hold of something stronger? Obviously not, but in a pinch I think that it would do a good job. And you could always take several complete strands and hook them together to make it even stronger. But that's just my opinion....
De4thStr1ke I had not come across that particular site, but it looks like the info there is matching up with what I had found. Some previously had said that 550# was the working load of this particular type of cord. My only point is that 550# seems to be the max load, I'm certainly not discounting the usefulness of "paracord" it definitely seems like something useful to have along.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 631
I seems like you think I was arguing with you about that, and that's not the case at all. I was simply giving you another site to look at for your information. I have heard that also, and while I think that, in a pinch, it could hold that much, a single strand isn't going to stand up to that type of abuse for long. That's why I also said that I think if you braided several strands together (and conceivably braided several of those strands together) you'd get a very strong, yet still lightweight, cord. But I wasn't trying to be argumentative, even though I come across that way sometimes.....
there is a reason lifelines have a 15:1 safety factor and why professional rope techs use ropes rated as such.
every time you put a bend in a rope, you half the strength. every time you put a knot in the rope, you half the strength. Never mind factoring in ABRASION, ROPE AGE, ambient, rope history and shock loads. 550 lbs "rated" is when the paracord is BRAND NEW, unused, and not subjected to any of the other factors listed here.
Some of you are going to get darwin awards, if you think you can use paracord as a lifeline. That is just flipping nuts to even consider.
whatever, your funeral.
BTW, the outer sheath bears extremely little weight it simply provides a abrasion cover for the inner core.
this topic makes me shake my head.
every time you put a bend in a rope, you half the strength. every time you put a knot in the rope, you half the strength. Never mind factoring in ABRASION, ROPE AGE, ambient, rope history and shock loads. 550 lbs "rated" is when the paracord is BRAND NEW, unused, and not subjected to any of the other factors listed here.
Some of you are going to get darwin awards, if you think you can use paracord as a lifeline. That is just flipping nuts to even consider.
whatever, your funeral.
BTW, the outer sheath bears extremely little weight it simply provides a abrasion cover for the inner core.
this topic makes me shake my head.
Last edited:
From http://www.armedforces-int.com/categories/airdrop-textiles/military-airdrop-textiles.asp
Type III, 550 Cord
A fibrous, braided, cordage item with a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds, a 30 percent elongation, 0.188-inch diameter and linear weight is 75 yd./lb.
Type III, 550 Cord
A fibrous, braided, cordage item with a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds, a 30 percent elongation, 0.188-inch diameter and linear weight is 75 yd./lb.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
Tell us what you really think.
How about miltiple strands? I presume it's not as simple as X times 550 as the strands might not take the load equally.
I like dental floss for many tasks, but with cold-numbed fingers, it's much easier to work with the larger 550 cord.