A Little About Paracord
We use real American Made 7 strand 550 paracord. This nylon coated cord is capable and rated to support up to 550 lbs, hence the name 550 paracord. Also called parachute cord, paracord, or 550 cord, this cord is frequently used by the military for multiple uses. It was used during WWII as the primary cord for rigging parachutes, which is where the name came from. Now almost all services of the military have access to this cord. It’s uses range from attaching equipment to harnesses, as dummy cords to prevent the loss of small objects, securing cargo and sacks to vehicles, and even securing lines to camouflage netting and tents. Since the cord is made of nylon, it will not mildew or rot.
The 550 cord can also be stripped for multiple uses as well. The inner cord, or “guts” can be stripped and used for sewing line to repair clothing in a pinch, and as fishing line in a survival situation. The nylon sheath can also be used by itself for instances where the cord needs to be thinner. The gutted nylon sheath is commonly used as replacement shoe strings. Just remember that once the 550 cords are gutted, they are no longer rated to hold 550 pounds.
Now, 550 paracord is frequently being sold as bracelets, belts, dog collars and other applications, so that the cord is readily available. The bracelets and other accessories are functional, and they are just cool to wear. A lot of companies are now selling these bracelets in stores everywhere as fashion statements, and are calling them “survival bracelets.” The problem with these so called survival bracelets is that even though they claim they are made out of 550 cord, they often are made out of knock-off paracord. These cords are usually not the military spec seven strand 550 lbs rated cords that the military rely on. These cords are often manufactured just for the look, and then are marketed as true “survival bracelets.” They are also often finished with a nasty burn mark to keep the cords from fraying, and these burn marks are often uncomfortable when worn.
At S&S Paracord and More, all of our bracelets are made using American made seven strand military spec paracord. While making two colored bracelets often require burning the two colors together, we hand weave our bracelets so that you cannot tell where they are joined together, so you do not feel nor see any of those nasty burn marks. We also finish the bracelets off without burning the ends as most paracord bracelets are done. This ensures that no burn marks are visible to rub against your skin. Your satisfaction is our ultimate goal, so if our products are not satisfactory, let us know so we can fix your problems and any problems we may have in the future.
The 550 cord can also be stripped for multiple uses as well. The inner cord, or “guts” can be stripped and used for sewing line to repair clothing in a pinch, and as fishing line in a survival situation. The nylon sheath can also be used by itself for instances where the cord needs to be thinner. The gutted nylon sheath is commonly used as replacement shoe strings. Just remember that once the 550 cords are gutted, they are no longer rated to hold 550 pounds.
Now, 550 paracord is frequently being sold as bracelets, belts, dog collars and other applications, so that the cord is readily available. The bracelets and other accessories are functional, and they are just cool to wear. A lot of companies are now selling these bracelets in stores everywhere as fashion statements, and are calling them “survival bracelets.” The problem with these so called survival bracelets is that even though they claim they are made out of 550 cord, they often are made out of knock-off paracord. These cords are usually not the military spec seven strand 550 lbs rated cords that the military rely on. These cords are often manufactured just for the look, and then are marketed as true “survival bracelets.” They are also often finished with a nasty burn mark to keep the cords from fraying, and these burn marks are often uncomfortable when worn.
At S&S Paracord and More, all of our bracelets are made using American made seven strand military spec paracord. While making two colored bracelets often require burning the two colors together, we hand weave our bracelets so that you cannot tell where they are joined together, so you do not feel nor see any of those nasty burn marks. We also finish the bracelets off without burning the ends as most paracord bracelets are done. This ensures that no burn marks are visible to rub against your skin. Your satisfaction is our ultimate goal, so if our products are not satisfactory, let us know so we can fix your problems and any problems we may have in the future.