Whip Basics. The Forum

Hi Y'all,
sometimes I like to use a piece of colored paracord to make a fall, especially if I have colored knots on a black whip. Trouble is, I can't get my lacing fid through some colors. Red is impossible, actually bent the fid trying to do that. I can do it with brown, haven't had any luck yet with Kelly green. Black is easy as pie though- Has anyone else experienced this? I'm using a jumbo permalock needle from Tandy. Thanks,
Tyler

I've never had much luck penetrating para cord with any permalock needle the points are to blunt. I made a special piercing needle out of a 5/32 inch welding rod ground with a very aggressive point this works very well I would highly recommend it.

I have no problems with the jumbo permalock needle from Tandy, all you need is to make a hole before you try to put the needle into the paracord (otherwise the little strands will stay together and it will be impossible to "put them aside")

Pawel

Howdy again,
I should have been more specific The problem isn't penetrating the lace, (I make a pilot hole with a nail first) it's feeding the needle through the inside of the lace. It slides right through black like crap through a goose, and binds up so tight on red that I've had to cut it out.

I haven't had this particular problem with the needle, but I can tell you there is definitely structural differences in different para cord colors. I've worked with rust, red, yellow, tan, and two colors of green so far and had little to no trouble pulling out the cores. However I got some black not to long ago, same size and from the same place with the same seven core strands and I didn't think I would ever get it decored. The outer layer was acting like a long skinny Chinese handcuff.

-Dusty

I know that I have only made a couple of whips so far. But,I haven't had that problem. I have pulled an extra strand into Imperial red,it went in just fine as with a couple of other colors.

Larry

I actually don't use a lacing needle for this purpose. I insert a metal Yarn Needle in the end of the paracord, then seal it shut with a lighter, making certain that the point is as rounded as I can make it. I then make the pilot hole with a sharp awl and wedge it open as far as I can get it.

The benefit to this style of feeding the lace through itself comes in the reduced diameter of the implement. The paracord itself becomes rigid, allowing me to inch it along until it comes out the other side. I never have to thread the cord onto a needle and I never have to worry about it coming undone.

The same can be done with any bit of metal rod as long as it's thin and strong. I hope that helps!

Thanks Y'all- that did help! It's good to be able to do different fall colors now

Tyler Blake wrote:Thanks Y'all- that did help! It's good to be able to do different fall colors now

DO you do spring and summer colors as well?

I work with Amsteel for my camping gear. It is terrible at tying knots in it, so mostly everything it is used for involves making constrictor knots. It works basically like the Chinese finger cuffs. I get the end of the amsteel into the core and have to "milk" it through, sometimes a few millimeters at a time.

Tony

Ha! I didn't get it at first, I was sitting here scratching my head, thinking,"huh?" Fortunately, the 10 watt bulb I keep suspended over my head clicked on :P