sorry about the title

Africa trip some of you may have mentioned me talk of taking landroiver discovery to africa and travelling around! In a few of weeks we will be off! Wheeeeeee So this will be my lasty post for about 2 - 3 months-evcents depending.

Paracord-when you soak paracdord in wsater does it expand-if i wanted to strap the handle of my mini-bushman (back up sheath knife) with paracord is it worth soaking the cord i water, lashing it on then letting it dry-wasn't sure if it would go tighter?

Anyway-thanks for all the help and advice-on my returnb i will post pics and what worked and what didn't!!!

Hope you can help with this post

Mark

First, I've not tried this so I'm guessing what will happen from a physics point of view. I could be wrong, you'll just have to try it if you want to find out:

My guess is that the paracord will expand across the cord's diameter but not significantly across it's length. This would mean that it will actually be loose when it dries since it will increase the handle's thickness while wrapping it without contracting lengthwise after drying.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong! <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Mark,

Although I do not know your route IMHO nowadays a trip to south might be reconsidered. Good luck.

Burak
Istanbul

Ranger Rick details the process he uses on his site:

http://www.therangerdigest.com/

Scroll to My Other Tips and click Para-Cord Knife.

In short, he suggests soaking the paracord for 20 minutes before wrapping it, for the reasons you gave.

Bear

Strider Knives has a demo and description of how to re wrap the handles of thier knives (which have para cord handles) and they don't mention wetting the cord. This is, of course, a differnt style wrapping than I believe you're talking about. Just my own thoughts here, so I may very well be wrong, but if it expands when wet, wouldn't that loosen the wrapping when it gets wet in the field, making the handle inefective, maybe even dangerous?

Chris

some very good points that i mappreciate alot!

ratstr-you sounds very right it's amazing how you can get tunnel vision i thinki i may have to go back to the drawing board!!! I've totally missed the war-TV and all majoy possesion put into storage!

Mark

I too think he's NUTS to be travelling there at this time! I spent considerable amounts off time in Africa over the past 10 yrs. The current turmoil ongoing all over the Continent, is really prohibitive to 'enjoying' travel there at this time. I have a friend who is a US Army Col, Military Attache to that Continent, over there RIGHT NOW, and he told me NOT to visit him this year, due to the instability! We clean weapons together, so I guess you could call us 'close friends'?! Anyway, I'm not going over 'til he gives the 'all clear' to me, word to the wise friend, Gene <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It's amazing how desire and selfishness can win over sensibility BUT having read alot of the posts on here and ringing the home office i have made the decision not to go-wiuth the idea if i work for another year or so i'll be able to stay out there for a bit longer because i'll have more ,money-selfishness again!!!!

Mark