Spectra Cord any good for lanyard?

I was thinking of getting Spectra Cord at Berkeley Point and was wondering how it held up to the CPF standards. ANy comments would be greatly appreciated. TIA,

Dan

When I did rock climbing I used spectra for slings, and for the loops on hexcentrics and nuts. It's very strong, but not noted durability, I think. It's made of a sort of polyethylene, oriented as I recall, so it's got a lower melting point than nylon. I also use much thinner spectra for kite lines for strength and low stretch - more like string. It is very strong for its weight, and has low stretch, which you want for large stunt kites.

If you go to a decent outdoor/climbing/backpacking store that sells ropes you'll see an assortment of nylon cordage ranging from shoestring replacement stuff to 11mm rope or bigger. I think any of the 3 to 5mm nylon stuff would be fine, and probably much cheaper than spectra, which, as I recall, was pretty pricy! They usually sell the small stuff in a few colorful patterns for making lanyards and tying stuff together. It's usually kernmantle construction, which means you have a braided outer core around either a braided inner core or a bundle of twisted strands. Either way, it takes knots fairly well but isn't really splicable.

If you don't care about color, go to an army navy store and get paracord. About 3mm or so, nylon, usually sold in 50 or 100ft hanks - more than enough for lots of lanyards.

If you want to get fancy, and don't mind using 1/4" stuff or larger, go to a boating store and pick up some dacron line and a 'fid' kit. You can splice eyes in the end of the rope, even splice it onto the object you're putting the lanyard on - no knots that way. Kind of a pain, but a really nice lanyard when you're done.

Well,
I am biased as heck so take that into consideration. Spectra is overkill for lanyards and tethers in terms of strength. In fact, caution and care should be exercised to make sure that there is some type of designed "weak" link in any tether that is attached to your body. Spectra is stronger than steel wire rope of the same diameter.
In terms of abrasion, there is no contest! Spectra will outlast nylon or polyester. Spectra will not absorb water and in fact it floats. Nylon and polyester will absorb water. Spectra has a nice "hand" to it, IMHO. The 7/64" single braid spectra can be easily spliced and I see this also as a real advantage compared to most small cordage that can not be spliced.

SteveD questions the durability and yet it has been my experience that this is an area in which spectra can really excel. I welcome enlightenment in this area.

I have come up with a simple lanyard that Dat2zip will be offering in his shop in the future. This lanyard uses spectra. I think you will find that with any tether or lanyard you make using spectra, the cordage will be the last component that needs to be replaced.

- Don

I seem to remember Kevlar has very little stretch compared to nylon. Spectra may have a little more than Kevlar. I don't know what consequences that would have for lanyards, if any.

Spectra and Kevlar are both very low stretch compared to nylon. In the application of a lanyard or tether, this is likely a disadvantage to some extent. The stretch in nylon aids in reducing the shock load encountered if something is dropped.

I see the real advantage in spectra due to its strength, low weight, good UV resistance and durability.

- Don

Thanks for all the advice, I will get a bunch of Spectra from Berkeley Point.

3mm is a bit big IMO for a lanyard, but I might keep that in mind.

Dan

Don,

You know, I think my memory may be screwing with me. Spectra has a much lower melting point than nylon ((297F vs. 480F) and a much lower 'sticky point' (150F vs. 250F). It is very slippery, so in cases where one line crosses another (as in kites) it works well, but if you get it in a situation where say a nylon cord is running over a spectra cord, you can have trouble. However, this is a situation you work hard to avoid with any cordage.

I got the above numbers from the rope comparison chart on page 25 of 'On Rope', which does rank Spectra higher than both Nylon and Polyester for abrasion resistance. Although, both Nylon and Polyester rank higher for flexing endurance, and polyester isn't much worse than spectra for water absorption, and is better than spectra for creep. Both polyester and Spectra beat Nylon for UV & acid resistance.

In the notes on each fiber, they mention that knotted spectra was weaker than nylon or polyester, but it is "extremely abrasion resistant" - I stand corrected!

Dan,

Before you order give me a PM. I have about 20' of Spectra that I bought from Berkeley Point which I haven't used. Besides, they'll eat you up on shipping.

-Ray-

SteveD,

No problem, I am working off my memory and that can be really suspect! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif One of the reasons I really like the small spectra is the fact you can get it in a single braid that allows for clean and simple splices. The looks, function and strength of the splices can often make a difference in the final assembly. Spectra's biggest weakness aside from low melting point is the creep. In applications like tethers and lanyards, these are not so important aspects, typically.

- Don

Don't put a lanyard around your neck that you can't seperate with a sharp pull!

while we're on the subject, is there a special knot to be used to facilitate the break-away? doesn't seem very practical to use cordage that is garaunteed to break with a sharp tug, you'ld be replacing it all the time.

currently i use a single barrel knot (single fisherman's bend without the backups). this knot is most excellent for necklaces. it alows me to pull the knots appart and shrink the size of the necklace to get it up out of the way. or i can push the knots together and open the necklace up to remove it or for holding my arc-aaa in my mouth.

the down side is that it is a pretty secure knot and i don't think it would give if i were hanging by it. i could, however, probably make the loop big enough to easily slip over my head if i needed to even with a helmet on.

so is there a better, quick release type knot? preferably one that still allows for adjustment.

http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/resqdyn/articles/knots/Knots.htm

Papasan,

I don't know of any knots but wouldn't be surprised. I have used stailness split rings and even O-rings as a safety fuse. I agree with Roy that serious care and consideration should be given to anything worn around your neck. I think the environment you are in is also very important to take into consideration. I suspect that most of the shirts we wear couldn't be torn away with a sharp tug yet we wear them. I am most concerned with anything I can't easily slip over my head or hand.

- Don

Ideally, you want MORE than one break away on something that goes around your neck, because there is a chance that the breakaway will be the iten that gets caught

That's part of the reason the military uses bead chain - it'll break. A lot of guys will cover it with the outer part of some 550 cord, in 2 or 3 sections

At work, they have been giving out badge lanyards - of course, they don't have break aways, and they wonder why I won't use them, and keep using chain