Some light reading into all the uses for the stuff ;-)
Commercial Type III, 550 Parachute Cord
7 Inner Cords Made Up of Two Strings Each for a Rating of 35 Pounds
per Cord
14 Inner Strings, Each of Which Have a Rating of About 17.5 Pounds
32 Strand Sheath Structure
550 lb. (248kg) Minimum Breaking Strength
30% Minimum Elongation
225 Feet (69m) per lb. Minimum
Approximately 1/8 (3.175mm) Diameter
Quick Drying
All Weather - Will Not Rot or Mildew
Made in the U.S.A. by a Government Contractor
Parachute Cord, also called Paracord or 550 Cord, is a lightweight nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachutes during World War II. It is now used as a general purpose utility cord by both military personnel and civilians. The soft braided outer shell is durable yet cushioned, allowing this cord to be flexible so it is the perfect wrap for knife handles, spears and survival gear. The braided sheath has a high number of interwoven strands for its size, giving it a relatively smooth texture. The all nylon construction makes paracord fairly elastic. This versatile cord was even used by astronauts during STS-82, the second Space Shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
U.S. Military issue paracord is specified the MIL-C-5040H standard. The Mil-Spec specifies six types: I, IA, II, IIA, III, IV. Type III, the most common, is nominally rated with a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds, thus the term "550 Cord". Despite the historic association of paracord with Airborne units, virtually all U.S. units have access to the cord. It is used in almost any situation where light cordage is needed. Typical uses include attaching equipment to harnesses, as dummy cords to avoid losing small or important items, tying rucksacks to vehicle racks, securing camouflage nets to trees or vehicles and so forth. When threaded with beads, paracord may be used as a pace counter to estimate ground covered by foot. The yarns of the core (commonly referred to as "the guts") can also be removed when finer string is needed, for instance as sewing thread to repair gear or fishing line in a survival situation. The nylon sheath is often used alone, the yarn in the core removed, when a thinner or less elastic cord is needed. Ends of the cord are almost always melted and crimped to prevent fraying.
The inner nylon cords are made from high-tenacity, light resistant and heat-resistant polyamide. It has a melting point of 244 degrees Celsius. The inner nylon cords loose no more than 15 percent of their original breaking strength after exposure to heat and light.
In addition to purely utility functions, paracord can be used to fashion knotted or braided bracelets, lanyards, belts and other decorative items. 550 Cord is used by many U.S. military members as a bracelet signifying deployment to the Central Command Area of Responsibility, typically countries in the Middle East.
Countless Uses
Emergency / Survival
Shelter / Gear Tie Downs
Fire Starter Bow
Improvised Pace Counter
Drag Line
Safety Line
Tunicate to Stop Bleeding
Boot / Shoe Laces
Clothes Line
Food Hanging
Improvised M.O.L.L.E. Repairs / Modifications
Binding
Trail Marking
Spear Making
Magazine Pulls
Trip Wires
Improvised Fishing Net
Inner Strand Uses
Fishing Line
Traps / Snares
Sewing (Tent / Clothing Repair)
Sutures
Lashing
Dental Floss
Small Animal Snare Trap
Gill Net
Small Repairs
Paracord Braiding
Lanyards
Survival Bracelets
Zipper Pulls
Knot Making
Hat Bands
Belts
Rifle Slings
Monkey Fists
Key Chains
Dog Collars / Leashes
Whips
