I've found it quite practical. For hundreds of years sailors have wrapped items in cord to enhance grips; am I afraid of bacteria in my handle? LOL, I don't think so, no offense but thats silly. Do I plan to unravel it if I get in trouble, not thats why I carry paracord. Do most hikers carry hatchets? no, most hikers don't have a clue what to do with a hatchet or knife other than to pick their fingernails. Thanks for the positive feedback chicken. Its a fiskars hatchet; and to be honest its the sharpest thing I own. I can beat the hell out of wood all day, then shave hair clean in one stroke.

A paracord wrapped handle improves your grip when you are sweating and in the rain. It is also a good way to carry extra cordage without taking up space. As far as bacteria, if that is your greatest worry, you are worried about the wrong things. If you need to, just let them set in direct sunlight when you are able. It will kill most of it.

thanks montanero. also, thinking about it paracord is synthetic; and dries very quickly. there is just nothing on which micro-organisms can grow.

Wrapping cord around tool handles is a good way of improving their grip. It needn't be para-cord, any synthetic cord with the right characteristics will work. Polyester and nylon are good. Polypropylene, very prone to abrasion and UV damage, and Dyneema, tough as iron but slippery, not so much. Any middling two to five millimeter utility cord will serve. For smaller tools braided mason line can work well.

In Florida, land of heat and humidity, cord wrapping handles can improve comfort and function. But you also have to be careful. If the tool handle is prone to rust cord wrapping can hold salty sweat against the vulnerable steel and cause corrosion.

Also, IMHO, handle wrapping is not a particularly attractive way of carrying cordage. Yes, it means you have some cord, assuming you haven't lost the hatchet, but so would stuffing a hank of line in your pants or jacket pocket. And a hank in your pocket doesn't require it to be unwoven before use and, an important point in my book, the stuff in your pocket hasn't been riding exposed to the sunlight and the sort of physical abuse hatchets and such tools get.

Having some light line at hand is good. But it is better if you can break it out quickly and if it isn't half worn through or weak from UV damage.

A thirty foot hank of light line tends to disappear if you coil it loosely.

I agree 100%. I put way too much work into it to have any intention of unwrapping it to sling a bear bag or rig a tarp or something. that's what the cord I bring is for, like you said Art.

Very nice work...

That truly is some Beautiful work,Indeed!As for bacteria,If anything,It would be the Good Bacteria,but of course,lol!Short of Dis-colored,I've yet to see Paracord's Integrity,Compromised by U.V's but,I'm sure if Salt water were added to that,I'm sure something would come of it!In lieu of whale/walrus parts,I would call that the Scrimshaw of Today!I would Happily purchase some of that Knowledge, if it were available!