550 paracord Soft Shackles

**Deadphans** · 08-03-2011, 02:01

Originally Posted by jwright

Carry on good man, Carry on. (But you really should be using video, for the sake of science

)

Jason

lol. We definitely need video review for the scientific records por favor.

**Mountain Gout** · 08-03-2011, 05:37

I think I will try that with my stock web suspension for my bird, in place of a biner.. Less overall stress that way..

**Avenger** · 08-03-2011, 07:57

vinnya42,

Did you end up leaving all the inner strands in your version? The YouTube video shows to remove them all but it appears you left at least a few of them (if not all) in your soft shackle.

How difficult did leaving the inner stands in make it to do?

Thanks!

**DemostiX** · 08-03-2011, 09:08

I'm near the Jersey Shore. Lots of anglers. (Fishers?) All my life, the jock sheet carried stories, as elsewhere in the world, about big fish caught, many featuring the surprise that it was caught with line much lighter than would seem possible. Surely the line would break, but it didn't.

That you may have applied a dynamic load greater than your shackles estimated rating, by trampolining, is something like those fishing stories. No doubt a lot of the shock and load was born by the hammock stretching. You can consult tables of stretch at fractions of rated load for nylon rope. Maybe archives here or from before include the results of measurements on just that.

I'd like to know from anyone just what it is you are advised to be looking for as signs of damage so that when you use these shackles you have avoided a risk of breakage evident from their appearance.

The Wikipedia article on paracord usefully point to varieties with different break strengths, beside 550lb. Of course your paracord was diminished if you removed the core, but what was left might be estimated to have a doubled breaking strength due to the load being distributed on the two legs, but then then reduced by the knot.

Do you know that the stopper knot you chose contributes least to shackle derating of the rope, of the stopper knots you could have chosen?

If these shackles are in a kit among others made from a fiber with steel-wire strength for equal diameter nominal 1/8" or greater, (ie Amsteel, Vectran, Dyneema, etc )do you know that you or someone else would correctly pick the slender, plasticky looking one as the one to use and trust for the heavier load?

Great pics.

**timabababaluka** · 08-03-2011, 10:10

Originally Posted by Avenger

vinnya42,

Did you end up leaving all the inner strands in your version? The YouTube video shows to remove them all but it appears you left at least a few of them (if not all) in your soft shackle.

How difficult did leaving the inner stands in make it to do?

Thanks!

I think what we are seeing is a quick release loop made (cleverly, might I add) out of the gutted paracord. I like the idea--on a cold morning picking away at your soft shackles can be a hassle. Definitely gonna have to make this addition to the ones I take with me when I camp.

Sweet! When I woke up this morning I was kind of bummed--in a project mood, but no project on the horizon. Got me a project now

**vinnya42** · 08-03-2011, 10:21

Timabab.....exactly right about the quick release. I put mine about 1/4" in from the end of the loop, test before finishing the knot, if you put the quick release in too deep it will bind and not move freely.

Here is the link to my bounce test to try and break the 550 soft shackle.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...147#post519147

**Avenger** · 08-03-2011, 10:23

Originally Posted by timabababaluka

I think what we are seeing is a quick release loop made (cleverly, might I add) out of the gutted paracord. I like the idea...

Ok. I can see that now and it makes sense.

But I am still wondering why you would remove the internal strands just use the external sheath. If it is because that is the only way to make the shackle, then fine. But otherwise, why remove the part of the cord that is giving you the most strength?

I guess I will just have to give it a go myself when I get home today and see if I can thread the paracord, with internal strands intact, back through itself.

I don't profess to understand all the stats that DemostiX put or puts out, but I would have to think that a piece of paracord, with the strands intact, would provide a pretty decent amount of break strength.

**vinnya42** · 08-03-2011, 10:27

I removed the inner strands, I don't think you could get the sleeve through if they were there. check my other thread and you will see the inner strands are not needed for strength.

**Avenger** · 08-03-2011, 10:46

Originally Posted by vinnya42

I removed the inner strands, I don't think you could get the sleeve through if they were there. check my other thread and you will see the inner strands are not needed for strength.

I am not sure I can either, but it has now become a challenge that I must attempt.

Thanks for clarify though and for doing this little experiment, and the test, to begin with.