Importance of MTs cutting paracord?

[MMR]

It seems like most of MT reviews talks about how important it is that they can cut through paracord.

I am not talking about a specific MT, just in general.

Is it really that important to you guys?

I think in the last 10-15 years I have only had the need to cut paracord maybe 2-3 times...and one of those times was just me testing a serrated blade.

The times I have been camping, fishing, hiking or hunting, I have had no need for cutting paracord at all.

Not even when I used to do property management, I had no need for cutting paracord at any time.


I am not talking about cutting rope, just paracord.

Please share stories!

I’m interested to know why this seems to have such an importance.


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[ddogu]

 

I guess the paracord cutting (and the ease or difficulty of it) is used as a means to measure the sharpness of a knife, since paracords are the same everywhere, they're all of the same standard (they are, right?).

[ReamerPunch]

There is an overlap between people who have multi-tools and people who have paracord. It has grown as probably the most common cordage thanks to the tube, and it's everywhere. I have some and use it mainly for lanyards and zipper pulls, but also for tying furniture to car racks or anything in the house that needs tying.

I also use it for my multi-tool reviews, just because lots of people who are interested in multi-tools also have paracord. It's just another material to cut and demonstrate blades, scissors, and cord cutters, and if you have serrated blades and cord cutters, you might as well cut the most common cordage of the edc and prepper community.
It is a good test for scissors. Victorinox scissors will just snip it in half in one cut, but cheapos will either push it out, fold it, or mangle it.

[SirVicaLot]

  Paracord is just something that most EDC folks have laying around. That makes it easy for them to judge the cutting capabilities of tools.

[MMR]

But a lot of the reviewers talk about cutting paracord like it is something essential.

Like when you are out in the bush it’s important that you can cut through paracord

I was actually looking for one particular review I had in mind, but I couldn’t find it


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[Poncho65]

I don't watch a lot of review videos I don't cut paracord much myself either but I guess any knife should be sharp enough to cut through it or at least scissors   Good point MMR

[Aloha]

Impotance? I'd say paracord is an overlap in the gear community.  For many paracord is something easily carried and used more than other types of "ropes".  The MTs ability to cut paracord does in many ways demonstrate the capabilities of the MT not unlike any other task.  For me the scissors ability to cleanly cut paracord is a good demonstration of the scissors abilities.       

[AimlessWanderer]

No importance here. I don't live in the woods and need to build a new shelter everyday, like some of the internet reviewers seem to do. Amazing internet connections they get in their lean-tos.

[ezdog]

Now I wonder if there is more to Paracord than I ever realized?

EEK!

How could any knife not cut Paracord really?

[SteveC]

I think it's just a good standard cutting test with readily available cordage kind of like the paper cutting test for blade sharpness. I certainly don't do a lot of paper cutting with my knives but it's a good way to test for sharpness.

[MMR]

Now I wonder if there is more to Paracord than I ever realized?

EEK!

How could any knife not cut Paracord really?

Well according to YouTube; everyone needs to carry paracord with them when they go camping because they need to be able to build shelters (because no one who goes camping brings a tent?) and need to be able to build river rafts and setup traps for catching food...


...apparently you can’t go camping without that


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[specgrade]

Shoe laces. I seem to either tie them in a knot or they grow into a knot. I grab my mt and make quick work of those little buggers 

[eTripper]

Now I wonder if there is more to Paracord than I ever realized?

EEK!

How could any knife not cut Paracord really?

Exactly, ezdog.  No biggie!  I just use the scissors on my Vic's to slice-through-it like butter. 

[SirVicaLot]

Now I wonder if there is more to Paracord than I ever realized?

EEK!

How could any knife not cut Paracord really?

Well, the Micra i bought a while ago was not able to cut it  We came to the conclusion that something must have been wrong with it though.

[eTripper]

Well according to YouTube; everyone needs to carry paracord with them when they go camping because they need to be able to build shelters (because no one who goes camping brings a tent?) and need to be able to build river rafts and setup traps for catching food...


...apparently you can’t go camping without that


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There's a world of difference between being a:  bushcrafter, survivalist, or just; a saavy EDC-er.  You can have great-time with your EDC-carry, and still be moderately prepared.  We all prove-it here everyday. EDC-ers just wanna have fun!  Now back to your regularly scheduled program.   

[nate j]

I cut paracord from time to time, as I use it for tarp tie-downs, knot practice for the Scouts, etc.

That said, I don't think it is used for tests because so many of us cut so much paracord.  Rather, I think it is considered a good test because:

• Paracord is something almost everyone is familiar with, so it has become something of a standard.
• Paracord provides enough resistance to being cut through that the effort required to do so demonstrates something about the quality (or at least the sharpness) of the tool being used.

[Sea Monster]

Yeah, I don't they picked paracord for any science reasons, it's mostly likely just because the sort of person who makes a lot of youtube reviews for knives is probably also the sort of person who has paracord (as has been alluded to by most here)

the necessity thing might be over cooked a bit - arguably yes if you are dealing with cordage you may want to have the means to cut it (although, if you've done whatever you're doing at least once before you'll ideally have the right lengths and know how to tie the appropriate knots)

I think it mostly just sounds good to talk about cutting paracord because
A. Paracord has gained some sort of fame as ultra rope for survival nerds
B. Uhh, just A I guess.


Personally I think it would be more useful if they talked about how well it cut 8 or 12mm 8 plait, double braid, or 3 strand, or even 50mm tie down straps, but that's just me, and paracord is cool

[Vidar]

I never use paracord for anything so the need to cut it is zero.

From a testing perspective I see the logic of using a common standard item, but is it really much of a test? I mean any serious MT should cut it and I do expect that much. However I'm not sure what that actually proves? While failing proves it to be bad, passing doesn't actually prove it to be good? To me it seems a bit like testing cars by seeing if they can reach 60 miles per hour - that is just be to expected and doesn't really provide any real axis to differentiate quality?

As for camp build needs I'm thankful most people don't go off and do lots of irreversible change/ damage to their chosen spot to stay. That way the next person, and generation for that matter, can come and enjoy the same experience later on. Leave it as you found it is a good concept - emergencies exempt of course.

[cody6268]

I really don't think it is. Most blades, ranging from Classics to huge fixed blades should cut it with no issue if even reasonably sharp.   Most knife and MT scissors aren't exactly designed for that kind of cutting, though I have cut it regularly with my 8-inch Wiss scissors.

I like to keep the stuff around (and on the farm, it's replaced baler twine for field expedient work), and many of my knives have lanyards made from the stuff on them.