This blog began the 7th of January 2014 and is dedicated to Paracord and fun (I think the two go hand in hand). I love to blog about Paracord whether it is a special product that is changing the game, a new technique or simply how Paracord can improve your life. I am all about all things Paracord. If you are interested in a fun, engaging and lighthearted blog and Paracord is a passion of yours like it is mine, come check it out!
550 Paracord is great, we all know
that, but if you are a red-blooded American like myself, sometimes you just
need a little more. Whether it is based on necessity or just peace of mind, 750Paracord has an added 200 pounds of tensile strength to put your mind at ease.
The ‘Closer’ as I fondly call it, is one of the most unique Paracord types we
offer and just so happens to be one of the best kept secrets in Paracord.
Paracord Planet
The fundamental difference between
750 Paracord and 550 Paracord is the number of yarns in the cord. 550 Paracord
consists of 7 yarns of Paracord, each comprised of 3 strands. 750 is unique in
that it offers 11 yarns each made of 3 strands for 200 pounds of added
strength. Despite these modifications, 750 Paracord is still only approximately
1/32 of an inch bigger than 550 Paracord, making it surprisingly easy to work
with.
Image Source: Outdoor Life
Ultimately, 750 Paracord is a very
unique type of Paracord that can be great to have around. My personal
suggestion is to have a length—possibly a hank—in your survival bag. These ‘Grab
and Go’ bags are predominantly prepared among survivalists to have the bare
essentials at the ready in a moment’s notice. 750 Paracord makes a great
addition to survival kits in particular because it pays to be extra-prepared in
survival situations.
Of course, our 750 cord is not only
strong, but also comes in a variety of colors to enable you to use it in your
regular Paracord projects. And as always, it will never rot or mildew and it is
made in the USA!
Thanks for
reading guys, drop a comment below to let me know what you are going to use 750
Paracord for and like our Facebook Page to stay up to date on the latest deals.
You have all seen them. Sometimes with spikes, sometimes a
ball bearing, probably at the end of the lanyard; the Monkey fist has a rich
history rooted in practicality at sea. Sometimes seen as a self-defense gimmick
today, it can be easy to forget where the Monkey Fist came from and some of the
practical applications it possesses. I am here to show you a little about this
historical knot and explain how it can be useful to more people than simply
your friendly neighborhood ninja.
Image Source: Pprune.org
Like many historical knots, the
Monkey Fist began at sea as a way to ease the impossibly hard lives of sailors.
The Monkey Fist was traditionally tied at the end of a light weight ‘heaving’
line to enable the sailor to easily throw it on shore or to another boat. The
knot was frequently wrapped around a rock or a piece of wood to add weight to
make it easier to throw. This simple knot actually significantly changed the
lives of sailors, because they had previously been subject to working with
heavy, extremely cumbersome ropes that were difficult to throw.
Image Source: Gattling-Gun.com
Naturally, sailors saw
the dual-capacity of the Monkey Fist to also be a weapon, calling it the
‘Slungshot.’ Surprisingly effective, the Slungshot was on a much shorter length
of rope than the Monkey Fist and was tied around the hand, similar to the way
in which many people wield their Paracord Monkey Fist today. The Slungshot
continued to be adapted to fit its surroundings because of its simplicity and
was used widely by organized crime up until the depression era; variations
included the infamous ‘Black Jack.’
Image Source: Rockclimbing.com
Modern applications of the Monkey Fist are as varied as its
history. Today, a Monkey Fist can be found wedged in the crack of rock face for
a climber, falling from a plane as parachute pull or simply lying in someone’s
purse. The great versatility of the Monkey Fist is what makes it such a great
knot that really allows the creator to be highly unique. Whether spikes and
golf ball are your inclination or you have a proclivity for steel ball bearings, the Monkey Fist is easy to make your own. The Monkey Fist has also
never been easier to tie or customize, check out our jigs and ball bearings to
get started today!
Image Source: ParacordPlanet.com
Thank you so much for reading, whether you enjoyed it or
hated it feel free to leave a comment below or share with your friends. And as
always, ‘Like’ our Facebook page for all the latest deals and Paracord news!
Author’s Note: The Monkey Fist is
also said to get its name from the way a Monkey Strikes
I’m Feeling GIDdy: The
Top 5 Uses of Glow In The Dark Paracord
The best Paracord you
have never tried
Most of us fondly recall glow in the
dark (GID) from our backs, looking at the many glowing stars and planets stuck
to our ceiling. If your childhood bears any commonality with mine it was pure
fascination with GID and those seemingly endless stars. Jump ahead a few proms,
football practices and finals week all-nighters and my fascination remains, in
another form. Glow in the Dark Paracord and Glow in the Dark Tracer Paracord
are seen as gimmicks in the Paracord world to a certain extent, I will explain
not only why they are awesome (because they are GID) but also how useful they
can be to you.
I
would like to pause here to explain the difference between Glow in the Dark
Paracord (Glow Cord) and Glow in the Dark Tracer Paracord. Glow Cord is completely glow in the dark with
no other colors in it and has a minimum tensile strength of 350lbs. Glow in the
Dark Tracer Paracord is real, 550lb test Paracord that has GID fibers woven
into it.
GID Tracer Cord
Glow Cord
So without
further adieu, the top 5 uses:
Photo Credit: Stormdrane
5. General Use:
Sorry this
one is not that original, but I wanted to get my point across here. Having a
supply of Glow Cord/Tracer Paracord on you can be a great idea. As I have
written about in previous blogs, there are a number of great ways to store
Paracord so it is convenient anytime you might need it. You never know when a
little glow might come in handy in the field, whether it is tying up a boat or
leaving a few knots to find your way back.
4. TIAT’s Strapped Endless Falls
It goes
without saying that you can work Glow Cord or Tracer Paracord into any project
you want for a unique and fun twist, but as expected TIAT gives the best
example. J.D. is up to his usual tricks with this video showcasing how to make
his beautiful design. I believe this design best takes advantage of the color
and effects of Glow cord while incorporating them into a beautiful design with
other colors.
Image Source: Kids Paracord ID
3. Medical ID Bracelet
Although any
Paracord bracelet could be made into a Medical ID bracelet, the inclusion of
glow cord appears to be extremely practical. Having a Medical ID bracelet made
from Paracord is smart in that in many cases someone with a Medical ID bracelet
is more likely to be in an emergency situation where Paracord might benefit
them, more than others. Also, the GID aspect makes wearing these bracelets more
fun for kids and easier to find for adults.
2. Knife/Flashlight Handle
Image Source: Stormdrane
Anyone who
has hunted and brought their knife/flashlight along (which I assume all of you
would) knows how frustrating it can be to fish around for your knife/flashlight
in the dark. Furthermore, if you hunt in Minnesota like I do, or somewhere similar
like the South Pole, you know how cold a flashlight can be to touch after a
long hunt in the cold. Wrapping your knife or flashlight in Glow Cord kills the
proverbial two birds with one stone (or in this case one hank). This is in
addition to the fact that it just plain looks awesome, there are many ways to
wrap a knife or flashlight, but this is an excellent video, again by TIAT.
1. Lanyard/Key Chain
Image Source: madcov
This comes in at #1 because of how practical it is. You are
most likely going to be using a key on a daily basis, either for your home, car
or office, why not make it easier to find? By making a lanyard out of Glow Cord
or GID Tracer Paracord you are not only making your key much easier to find in
any low-light situation, but simultaneously making it much more stylish as well.
Not to mention, you will always have a small bit of Paracord with you, just in
case you need it (which is almost as reassuring as knowing you can find your
key before work).
Thanks for reading, if you are looking for more GID products
check out our GID Buckles, Micro Cord and Combo Kits! Please comment and let me
know what project you are going to use Glow Cord in next and be sure to ‘Like’
our Facebook page for the latest deals!
The real story behind the world’s handiest product
Few household products have inspired such a following as Duck Tape®, but how did this acrobat of adhesion come about? In honor of the fact that we recently started carrying Duck Tape® I thought I would offer some history behind this utilitarian wonder, and how it came to be the mainstay of junk drawers across America.
Duck Tape® is entrenched in anecdotal evidence referencing its original use as ‘duct’ tape and how similar the name was to the ‘duck’ animal and so on, but here are the facts. The first ‘duck tape’ was in fact strips of cotton duck cloth—a thick woven cloth made of cotton—that had a variety of applications from reinforcing shoes to wrapping steel cable. In fact, the cables of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge were first covered in linseed oil before being wrapped in duct tape. Adhesive tapes were used throughout the early 1900s but Revolite, know today as Permacell—a branch of Johnson & Johnson—was the first to create and adhesive version of duck cloth, for medical use.
Duck Tape as we know it today was created by Revolite after a factory worker suggested soldiers in WWII needed a tape to waterproof their ammunition cases. President Franklin D. Roosevelt required the tape keep moisture out while also capable of being torn by hand. Johnson & Johnson met this challenge through the use of duck tape with waterproof polyethylene on one side and gray adhesive “Polycoat” on the other. Macgyver’s best friend quickly became one of the most popular and practical products in the military, used to repair everything from vehicles to weapons. Some of the name confusion comes from the military nicknaming the product “duck tape,” no one can ever be sure if it was a result of the waterproof characteristics of the duck animal, its base of cotton duck tape or the military amphibious duck vehicle. Regardless, the name stuck!
After WWII the ‘duct’ vs. ‘Duck’ confusion centered on contractors using modified versions of duck tape for heating and cooling ducts. The tape was modified from its traditional military olive drab to the iconic gray color most of us think of today to match such ducts. In 1971, the rights to Duct Tape were purchased by Jack Kahl and he rebranded the product as the Duck Tape® we know today. Since its rebranding, Duck Tape® has become a national fascination, offered in over 20 colors and patterns. Paracord Planet is proud to offer this innovation icon in a variety of colors, styles and sizes on our website. Who knows, it may just got perfectly with your next Paracord project?
What is your favorite Duck Tape® style? Feel free to comment below and let us know! As always, be sure to our ‘Like’ our Facebook page for the latest Paracord—and now Duck Tape®--sales and news! Plus check out our HUGE variety of Duck Tape®!
Exclusive Interview with J.D. Lenzen of Tying It All Together
J.D. Lenzen, creator of the famous ‘TIAT’ YouTube videos stops by to answer a few questions for us!
J.D. Lenzen of Tying It All Together
We took a week off, but the Paracord blog is back and better than ever, this week featuring an exclusive interview with J.D. Lenzen. J.D. is the creator of the ‘Tying It All Together’ (TIAT) videos on YouTube, the author of the Paracord Fusion Tiesbooks with another coming out this year; and an inspiration to millions of people worldwide. J.D. was kind enough to grant us an opportunity to get to learn a little more about him, how his knot tying began and where it is headed.
Sam: How did you get into knot tying originally?
J.D.:
Having a restless nature, I suppose. When I was a kid, about 7 or 8, I started tying lanyards to pass time and occupy my mind, but I quickly grew bored with the limitations of flat (lanyard) cords. So I started fiddling with rope. By my teens, I’d memorized nearly all of the practical and decorative knots in The Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK). In my early twenties I began breaking knots down into their component parts—studying the techniques for tying them, then reorganizing them by to their fundamental structures. By my late twenties, I’d established a style of tying I call Fusion Knotting, or innovative knots and ties created through the merging of different knot elements or knotting techniques. I still enjoy tying historical knots, but my primary passion is Fusion Knotting. This style of tying provides me more creative freedom and has allowed me (and others) to shift knotting from a finite field of study, to an expansive and infinite expression of creativity. I'm still restless, but now I have something to show for it.
Sam: You work full time as an environmental chemist, how did your hobby of knot tying become a second full-time job?
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