Cord Wrapped Handles

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have always wondered about the practicality of cord wrapped handles on fixed blade knives. I only have one and I have to admit I never used it. It is a Cold Steel older USA made one that was originally sold as a throwing knife. Probably a good idea on a throwing knife to use cord wrap to avoid breaking handle material when mis hits occur. I bought it for less than $20 about 15 years ago for a general purpose/survival knife to keep in a vehicle. Those of you who may have used cord wrap handle knives a lot, is cord wrap a durable, long lasting grip or does it have to be frequently redone. Also if the cord gets wet, does it cause rusting by holding moisture against the tang for long periods?

[robpa]

I had an EK with cord handles. gave it to son who uses it for differing uses and so far it is holding up. About 5-6 years now.

[bestgear]

I have always wondered about the practicality of cord wrapped handles on fixed blade knives.

OC - checkout these: https://shedknives.com/collections/2022-models

Very reasonably priced compared to their 2023 models with G-10 handles but both are available.

I think cord wrapped handles are more of an economic decision rather than form or function.

Jack will be at the Blade Show if interested.

[Madmarco]

Personally I've never been fond of cord-wrapped handles on knives, O.C., so much so that when I bought a diver's knife that was wrapped I immediately removed the wrapping to expose the 5 hole handle. I can't offer an opinion on how they hold up and feel when wet, but your reasons for leaving it on/off are quite valid.
I had one situation where cord-wrapped handles saved the day for me! The auto in my avatar has a fixed pivot, so the seller couldn't remove the blade for separate shipping to me in Canada where autos are prohibited and is the method I've used to acquire my autos, so he suggested that he open the blade and then wrap the handle in paracord right down to covering the catch-hole in the blade, and seal the 2 loose ends with glue, giving the appearance of a fixed blade knife. From there he put it in a sheath and sent it off, and as you can see from the avatar it worked. Even if the Customs agent realized what we had done, there is nothing he can do about it because they are not allowed to disassemble or otherwise mess with any knife, so he had to release it as a legal knife to import.
In all honesty, that particular package wasn't even inspected, which was odd because it was quite heavy, but I think the deception would have been successful even if he had!
I know this doesn't help with your questions, but it was an opportunity to tell my story about my experiences with paracord! lol!

[Dan In MI]

I've never used a knife with a paracord wrap, so I can't say how it does in that role. Moisture might be a concern, as it could adversely affect both the blade and the cord. But I have had other paracord items hold up for a decade or more with only cosmetic issues (key fobs are especially susceptible in that regard). Paracord can be had with either a nylon or polyester outer shell. Polyester can be slick (and, in my experience, more likely to result in a lumpy and uneven weave), so I would use nylon paracord for a knife handle wrap. Hope I've been of at least a small amount of help.