Polyester picture cord

[Rainbow]

I want to replace my Lion polyester picture cord No 3 with the Wessex equivalent.

Lion say the maximum picture weight for their No 3 cord is 46g. However, the Wessex spec talks about the "breaking load" rather than the picture weight. I'm not sure whether the breaking load is the same thing as the picture weight, and therefore whether Wessex 2N is equivalent to Lion No 3. Please could anyone confirm.


https://lionpic.co.uk/p/11505/Lion-Low- ... 84kg--100m

https://www.wessexpictures.com/picture_cord.html

[Jamesnkr]

What more are you looking for than this?

Lion Low-Stretch Picture Cord No. 3 184kg.

Maximum picture weight 46 kg.

As a guide, to allow for 'shock' loading, the picture weight should be no more than about one quarter of the breaking strain. The breaking strains are regularly been checked and tested.

Wessex: 91Kg breaking load

[Rainbow]

I'm sorry - I know I'm being a real bird-brain here but I seem to have a mental block about it. If you're saying 46kg picture weight is the rough equivalent of 91kg breaking load, I'm happy to accept that (thank you!) that but I don't quite understand why, for future reference

[prospero]

These load ratings refer to the weight it can theoretically carry. BUT if it gets a sudden jerk the load
increases a lot for a split second. Imagine towing a car. If you start off with a steady pull the towed car
will move slowly an equalise it's speed with the towing car and all is well.
But if you start of too fast or let the rope slacken and the snap tight again the rope is likely to break.
(or pull your axle loose ) Same with fishing.
It's all to do with inertia and all that physics crap.

[Jamesnkr]

No, I'm not saying that.

The Lion cord is 184kg breaking load. So if you take a sack of potatoes weighing 184kg and hang it off the Lion cord, then it will break. Therefore they recommend that you hang a picture no heavier than 25% of this, i.e. 46kg (that's one hell of a picture!!)

The Wessex cord is 91kg breaking load. So - going by Lion's 25% rule - is suitable for pictures of up to 23kg.

So the Wessex cord is only half the strength of the Lion.

[Rainbow]

James, that makes perfect sense now, thank you!

And thanks for your explanation, prospero. Physics... not my strongest subject...

[David McCormack]

...and therefore whether Wessex 2N is equivalent to Lion No 3. Please could anyone confirm.

A different comparison is the thickness... Wessex 2N is only 1.6mm and Lion No3 is around 2.5mm (measured myself) so I would say Wessex 6N (2.5mm) is approximately the same as Lion No 3?