Custom Pure Silk Cord (components)

Custom Pure Silk Cord

Aroundsquare's silk cords are a fully custom product, manufactured to our individual specifications, and unlike anything else you'll find on the market. In fact, it is extremely difficult to find real silk cord for purchase anywhere period. Most of what is listed online as silk cord is actually synthetic fibres, and it was the lack of real silk cord that compelled us to seek out a manufacturer who could make some for us.

Kernmantle (sheath and core) Silk Cords

Our original silk cords (those listed with a gram weight) are 100% pure silk, with a round-woven sheath, and inner core strands, much like conventional paracord. The cord is surprisingly robust (our supplier actually provides silk for industrial applications as well, due to its awesome properties). Although it can fray, it resists wear very well, and tends to get smoother and softer with use. The cord is slightly dynamic, meaning it has a small amount of stretch to it. Although it looks quite like standard paracord, it has a softer feel to it, especially after some use. It holds its shape well and doesn't tend to flatten out or stiffen over time. Note that (like Kevlar) the ends can't be singed flat; however, the tassels on the silk cord are extremely soft and definitely score as a feature not a bug. 

3mm Integrally Woven Silk Cord:

The 3mm integrally woven silk cord is single-braid, meaning that there is no outer sheath and inner strands. This is the construction used in our kevlar cords, whereas our additional range of silk cords are kernmantle construction (outer sheath and inner core strands) like conventional paracord. Perfomance-wise, the integral cord feels firmer than our existing silk cords, but is still plenty supple. In that respect, it is comparable to broken-in 2mm kevlar cord. It has a little bit of stretch to it, but less than our other silk cords. Broken in, it become extremely supple, but retains the firm feel, and importantly, it doesn't flatten out the way sheathed cords can.

Details and recommended uses: 

• Integrally Woven (roughly 3mm thick): best suited for begleri with a 3.5mm bore, and available in black, white, and crimson red; comparable to broken-in 2mm kevlar cord; technically usable for MKUltras but requires considerable patience and effort to string two strands through the Boss bead, and thinner bore beads may hang on the cord during raindrops
  
• 7g (roughly 4mm thick): best for begleri with a 4mm bore (can work with 3.5mm), and available in black (with blue core) or blue (with white core); slightly thicker/ cushier than 550 paracord, and slightly coarser in weave
• 4.7g (roughly 2.8 to 3.5mm thick): suitable for begleri with a 3 to 4mm bore, and available in black (with blue core); most similar to 550 paracord, but softer
• 3.8g (roughly 2.5mm thick): suitable for any metal or Delrin MKUltras, or begleri with a 3 to 3.5mm bore; similar to 275 paracord, but much softer (not recommended for jade bodhi or wooden ultras, as they are more prone to snagging on the cord)
• All options sold in 2m, 5m and 10m lengths 

Note: Since the ends of the silk cord cannot be singed like paracord, they will fray quickly. When threading, we recommend a single wrap of clear tape, or using glue to create a more rigid end prior to threading. 

See the photos below for more insight. The photo with the three begleri sets show the three thicknesses strung up thickest (top) to thinnest (bottom).