Starter cord - looks like a bargain

[spandit]

Kepis very kindly gave me a length of starter cord yesterday so I can have a go at making my own fire bow. I've had a look on eBay and it's under half the price of 550 paracord (11p a metre rather than 25p), and according to this site, even the 3mm stuff is about the same strength.

I've had a look inside the piece I was given and there are 3 smaller strands which are in turn composed of 3 even smaller strands, so plenty of scope for using the inner stuff if that's your bag.

Aside from the colour (you can have white or white...) is there any good reason for paying a premium for 550? I would have thought it's pretty low stretch too so ideal for guylines/ridgelines

 

[Shewie]

I have some starter cord which is really grippy and makes for great bow drill cord.

 

[mountainm]

550 is rubbish for bow drills, it stretches and frays quickly. Starter cord is brilliant, no stretch and highly abrasion resistant - makes great bow drills. Otherwise leather cord is a good natural option.

 

[spandit]

I was wondering whether starter cord is a better bet for other uses than bow drills

 

[MartiniDave]

550 cord is "nice", but it's far from essential IMO. I use it for some things, eg it makes very nice lanyards, zipper pulls boot laces, tarp guys etc, but I use other, usually cheaper, stuff like poundland cord, garden twine & starter cord for lots of other jobs.

Hanks of 550 are great for looking at and drooling!

Dave

 

[Thenihilist]

Paracord isn't that great, In reality it has a breaking strain of 200lbs not 550lbs.

It's more fashionable than ideal.

 

[spandit]

I suppose paracord became fashionable because it's a nice size, pretty strong, and has that military chic. However, it is designed for parachutes and thus quite stretchy to absorb the shock of deployment. It's just a pity starter cord doesn't come in different colours

 

[Thenihilist]

Different applications require different cords for an optimal effect.

Paracord is designed specifically for parachutes, it works okay for most things but it isn't needed.

Paracord has a breaking strengh of 550lbs when used on a parachute, as soon as you put a knot in it, it has a breaking strengh of nearer 200lbs,

Poundland paracord is probably just as strong as real paracord.

It's a fashion item. Cheap cord is just as good.

It's personal preference though.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Different applications require different cords for an optimal effect.

Paracord is designed specifically for parachutes, it works okay for most things but it isn't needed.

Paracord has a breaking strengh of 550lbs when used on a parachute, as soon as you put a knot in it, it has a breaking strengh of nearer 200lbs,

Poundland paracord is probably just as strong as real paracord.

It's a fashion item. Cheap cord is just as good.

It's personal preference though.

no it isnt.

 

[savagebushcraft]

no it isnt.

I have been using the poundland stuff, along side genuine paracord, and notice the cheaper stuff frays a lot easier. Even just through regular use, it starts to weaken from quick releases and abrasion. before it frays, it seems to keep it's strength though

 

[Pict]

I use pull cord for bowdrills but find it pretty stiff stuff for most uses. I can't buy it cheap here unless I go with an entire roll of it. If you don't like the color you can color it with a black Sharpie and it turns a dark gray.

 

[Thenihilist]

It would require one heck of a pull to break paracord, you can break it with 100lbs pull on some lashing knots.

Poundland paracord is more than adequate.

 

[Thenihilist]

It would require one heck of a pull to break paracord, you can break it with 100lbs pull on some lashing knots.

Poundland paracord is more than adequate.

The problem with paracord is bulk, stretch, cost and weight. If starter cord is cheaper then it's just as good.

 

[mountainm]

I have been using the poundland stuff, along side genuine paracord, and notice the cheaper stuff frays a lot easier. Even just through regular use, it starts to weaken from quick releases and abrasion. before it frays, it seems to keep it's strength though

The cheap stuff tends to have a far looser weave on the outside.

 

[Whittler Kev]

550 is rubbish for bow drills, it stretches and frays quickly. Starter cord is brilliant, no stretch and highly abrasion resistant - makes great bow drills. Otherwise leather cord is a good natural option.

2nded thirded and fourthed

 

[Pict]

I like paracord for general purpose applications. I'm horrified when I see people using a length of it to tie up a hammock. I had an argument with a guy over it once. He said if it was good enough to rig a parachute it was good enough to hold up his hammock, he was using two strands bearing all the weight not dozens (?) like parachute shroud lines. There is a large difference between a static load strain and the momentary spike of a sudden jolt or shock on a rope. This is a smart board, I'm sure someone will post the correct formula, but a load well within the static breaking strain of a cord can snap it if dropped from even a modest distance.

 

[demographic]

People rave about Paracord but I think its fairly crap actually.
Oh, its green... And?

If I'm doing something that really needs good strength I tend to use climbers accessory cord but I do know that pullcords pretty good stuff also.

 

[Shewie]

I like paracord for general purpose applications. I'm horrified when I see people using a length of it to tie up a hammock. I had an argument with a guy over it once. He said if it was good enough to rig a parachute it was good enough to hold up his hammock, he was using two strands bearing all the weight not dozens (?) like parachute shroud lines. There is a large difference between a static load strain and the momentary spike of a sudden jolt or shock on a rope.

I saw a hammock package recently from one of the well outdoors companies over here, luckily somebody was testing it for them and they weren't in production yet, they'd supplied a paracord sling with a series of knots in it for the suspension. The type you wrap around the tree and then clip a carabiner onto it, no idea what sort of tension is put on all those knots but it can't be a good idea. It was going to be fed back to the manufacturers so we'll see if they listen.