I'm sure that it can be done.

How safely and efficiently is a completely other matter..

I imagine that braiding it would be the method of choice. Thats what I'd do if faced with no other choice to stay alive.

However, chafing, stretchyness, and a plethera of other issues would be an issue. ( the length of drop, etc, etc..)

I would be interested to see what tests done by a technical expert would reveal.

"...The melted cord will weld onto the surface..."

It has welded to my fingers from time to time, when I am trying to pretty up the melted end of a piece of cord...

Just spit on your fingers first, and then you can weld it to anything.

Of course everybody is going to side with caution and say don't do it, whether or not they know if it could be done or not. I think it's possible that it could be done. Now before people jump on me for saying that, I'm not recommending anyone try it, just like I wouldn't recommend anyone hanging from a keychain carabiner, but I know that can be done. I doubt the intent was to go out and start rappelling on paracord, but rather an excercise to see if it's possible, and if it could be done without proper equipment.

Legal disclaimer - Don't rappel on paracord. Don't even think about doing it. Don't look up breaking strengths of paracord on the net, and micro-descenders and harnesses, or even daydream about it. You will certainly fall and kill yourself, and most likely fall on something sharp and pointy for even thinking about something as crazy as rappelling on paracord.

Now, if we were talking about doing this in a book that you're writing, and it's all just hypothetical, that's a different story. To get around the issue of strength, doubling or quadrupling the paracord would give you a much greater safety margin, so you'd want as many strands as you could get. Although, for someone very experienced in rappelling, I'd bet they could probably do it with one strand if they were very, very careful. I know a lot of the descenders won't work too well with such thin cord, you will probably need something specific for that use. Maybe a figure 8 or some variation might work with multiple strands, I don't know, but you'd need more friction. The work gloves would obviously be used on your hands to prevent rope burns. Chafing is a huge issue with thin cords, so any tarp or poncho would be folded over several times and used as padding around the rope (held in place by zip ties) to prevent abrasion. As for a harness, I'm thinking a really really well made backpack, with strong hipbelt and sternum strap, could possibly be used as a makeshift harness. Either that or use the hammock as a giant sling, and sit inside of it while attaching the descender to the top. And since we've gone through all this trouble to setup a makeshift rappelling rig, forget the climbing carabiner and use the one of those keychain ones. It's probably stronger than anything else used in the setup.

Of course that's just random thoughts on my part. You could use webbing to create a harness, but they're extremely uncomfortable, even on a short rappel. Or you could do a body rappel (the dulfer), but if you've ever done it on regular climbing rope, you won't even consider doing it with thin cord. There's also the muenter hitch, but using that on paracord that would be a last, last, last resort. Again, don't think about doing any of this in real life, you'll die. But if it absolutely needed to be done, that's how I would do it.

I think he has already been persuaded not to do it and to wait in the burning building for the emergency services.

What he could consider doing is learning to rappel and then with the knowledge learnt reassess his original idea. it would be foolish to wait till an emergency to try it out.

When I escort groups in the jungles I carry a 7mm line but no harness. this is to save weight and that is as critical as the potential safety issues.I have never had to rappel to assist anyone but did once descend a steep section using the CLASSIC ABSEIL to save time.

Don't fool around with back packs and slings, learn to tie an improvised harness.

Personally, I don't think I'd use it

I suspect, hypothetically of course, that a six carabiner brake might work, 'specially if you had some smaller sized 'biners. NOT the toy key chain ones tho!!!

Long link to fire self rescue rope federal requirement.

Looks like minimum harness strength they give is 300 lbs.

I know a rappel can generate over 1000 lbs if you slip
a bit and load the system.



http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:9IKW7EgvfYgJ:www.homelandsecurity.az.gov/documents/TSCDocs/NFPA/NFPA1983-01ed.pdf+NFPA+1983%E2%80%932001&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

No, that is simply the standardized weight for the test torso.

6.3.1.2

The static and dynamic load test data are in sections 6.3.1.5 through 6.3.5.4 and looks like a 22k/N force is applied for the static testing.

Pete

Well, i hope that splitting a 550 cord in half was a joke because you can't do that to 550 cord.

If i had to get out of a building with 550 cord i would tie one end to my belt and loop the rope around something VERY solid and immobile and lower myself down. I would be happy with any bones i broke if/when the rope fails since it would have been much worse to jump out the window. I guess if you had enough 550 cord you could knot the middle to your belt and increase the odds that your cord not failing.

Yes, the whole thing was a joke. Don't do any of it...ever...please.