paracord tube part disintegrating

[alana]

some 5-year-old paracord i have is crumbling in the tube part.
just a couple of the colours, i think,
the light grey, and another light khaki.
they've been indoors the while time.
the inner strands are structurally sound.

[JohnC]

I had a similar problem.

Years ago when I became aware of the paracord craze I bought some on-line to find out what all the fuss was about.

I used it quite a lot: tied and untied many knots, both in the hand and on objects inside and outside. It was only a few weeks before the casing started flaking off in my hands; very fine particles, like dust.

I wasn't using it on anything abrasive, and I've used good quality braided synthetic cord much more than that without any unreasonable deterioration. In fact the cordage I use the most is now stained by the body oils from my hands (sorry, gross) and has become soft and pliant without in the least shedding any bits.

By contrast, some braided synthetic cord I got with a gazebo started shedding very quickly. I wasn't using it for the gazebo (ratchet straps were safer in a windy spot), but when I used it in the same ways as I used the good stuff, it deteriorated very quickly.

I've since become aware of the damage micro-plastic does in the environment, so I treat both the paracord and the gazebo cord as single-use disposable now, but not for outside. For instance I would use them to tie a bag of rubbish that's destined for a landfill, or in some test of a knot to see how easy it is to untie after a heavy load.

I believe that in the US there are military standards for paracord, and that stuff is probably a completely different story, but since it would be difficult for me to establish whether I'm getting the good stuff or knock-off junk, I don't anticipate buying paracord again in the foreseeable future.

 

[alana]

yes, exactly, the dust ..!

(bit of a problem in the long term for works tied in entirely gutted line)

the other colors aren't showing any sign of a problem,
but now i'm shy of buying any more 

recently i bought a wad of 2mm paracord,
it'll be interesting to see how that endures

as i observe a substantial interior is more important than a fleeting pretty exterior,
knots and cord continue to prove themselves metaphors for life

marine store stuff is probably more dependable,
and the military stuff, i'll be looking along those ... lines 

[KnotMe]

I haven't been into paracord long enough to see any fall apart, plus I only really do decorative so I don't use it for things that will see significant wear.  Not looking forward to the things I've made from the pretty rainbow string flake into microplastics.   

However, a significant portion of my paracord collection I've purchased from places that claim to have milspec (made to military specifications) cord and I imagine that if your parachutes that have been stored for a few years just drop all the paratroopers there'd be trouble.

Interestingly, the paracord that I've purchased at hardware stores is pretty much the same quality as that you get from craft stores so I'll just expect it to fall apart in short order.  *sigh*

[wysper]

I have been knotting in paracord for a while.
I guess I have been lucky, none of mine have gone dusty.

I can't remember where I get it from as it varies.
But I have have several bracelets that are years old, christmas decorations that have lasted several christmasses (not very taxing I realise).

I imagine if I used it round home or in the garden for actual use as a rope it may not fare so well.
The worst I have is the cordage with reflective strips in it. I don't like tying with it and am not that impressed with how reflective it is.

But it does bring up an interesting question of if it is military spec, and used in the military, what is the lifespan they expect to get from it?
Maybe it is replaced fairly regularly?

Cheers
Greg

[KnotMe]

But it does bring up an interesting question of if it is military spec, and used in the military, what is the lifespan they expect to get from it?
Maybe it is replaced fairly regularly?

Considering that it is used for actual parachutes, one does not imagine that it is reused much.  That said, you don't want to be making/packing a fresh parachute on the way to each mission, so they need to sit and not rot for ....?  significant amounts of time?

A recreational sky diver should be able to answer our questions.   

[PatDucey]

I have some Paracord that was salvaged 1950's era parachute.  It was stored in a basement for 50+ years, and seldom used until I harvested it.  It doesn't show signs of degradation, even when I am working it.  I wonder if it the quality of the fibers used in manufacturing the line is the root cause of the issue.  Paracord labeled as 550 Paracord has manufacturing standards.  I also have some line that is sold as "utility cord" that is poor quality.  It looks like Paracord, it even feels like Paracord, and appears to be manufactured similar to Paracord.  I bought it on line because it was cheap, but I don't think the material is a good quality nylon.

Pat

[SS369]

Parachutes are generally inspected twice a year or after deployment. Retirement of a parachute is determined by inspection performed by a certified rigger. It can be many years of service before a chute is removed from service.

The deterioration of the paracord's sheath could be cause by various influences. Something it the air (fragrances), sunlight, ,moisture, heat or it could just be some truly cheap material.

I have "paracord" with sheaths made of polyester, polyethylene and nylon. To date, I've not had any exhibit a drying out and crumbling, except some paracord-like cord that has been suspending a bird feeder. In the yard and sun it basically disintegrated.

Get some god stuff... 😁

SS