Measuring Rosary Strength
Measuring Rosary Strength
Ever wonder if some rosaries are stronger than others? We compare the strength of four basic rosary designs.
Rosary Strength: A Comparison
Is any design reliable? You may wonder if cord rosaries last better than wire and chain ones.
Comment from the Mother of a Toddler
Happy Easter! Just wanted to send you a little note. John loves to play with the rosary you made me. As you know, your rosaries are SO durable, so thank you! Hope you are well.
Classic Wire & Chain Rosaries
Machine-made rosaries cannot compare with handmade ones. The main difference is in the wire quality. Mass-produced rosaries use a thinner wire gauge to avoid stressing the machines. Handmade rosaries have heavier gauge wire that holds its shape and keeps the rosary intact. The tensile strength of the wire we use is 110 to 145 pounds. It retains much of its strength when bent into tight, rounded loops.
The rings that connect the Crucifix and center to the rest of the rosary are a potential weak spot. To keep them sturdy, we use heavy-duty jump rings or wrapped bows.
Wire-Wrapped Rosaries
We use wire with a tensile strength of 110 to 145 pounds. It retains most of this strength with a wrapped construction. Wrapped loops with our wire hold their shape and will not come unhooked.
These rosaries are generally described as unbreakable. But, this is not always the case. A thinner gauge of wire, even if it is wire-wrapped, could bend and break. It will not stand up to use as well as the heavy-duty wire we use for our handmade rosaries.
Cord Rosaries
We make our cord rosaries with the same nylon twine that fishing net manufacturers use. It has three strands tightly twisted together. The cord is surprisingly strong. It will support 84 pounds which is more than enough for the function of a rosary. It rivals the durability of 95 Paracord. However, we do not claim that the rosary can withstand 84 pounds because the Crucifixes, centers, and knots have varied resilience.
Paracord Rosaries
Paracord is also nylon. It has inner strands of cord enclosed by a woven outer layer. That makes it more padded than other cords. Yet, not all Paracord rosaries are alike.
|
TYPE
|
WIDTH
|
STRENGTH
|
|---|---|---|
|
MICRO
|
1.18mm
|
50 pounds
|
|
95
|
1.75mm
|
95 pounds
|
|
550
|
4mm
|
550 pounds
|
Once again, we do not claim that the finished rosary has the same strength as the cord. The knots, Crucifix, and center have varied resilience. Of note, American-made Paracord is generally sturdier than those from overseas sources.
In Conclusion
What is it that makes one rosary stronger than another? Handmade rosaries in any form are sturdier than manufactured ones. You can feel confident in the durability of any handmade rosary design.
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CREDITS
The LOGO image of Our Lady of Grace is original artwork by Martin Lariviere in 2009. We have the artist’s permission (my son). It is our exclusive trademark logo image.
A beautifully photographed sky by Donald Tong inspired the website’s colour scheme. Cropped portions of it are the background for the footer Bible verse. He shared it as a free download on pexels.com.
Raphael painted The Sistine Madonna circa (1513-1514). We made circular cut-outs from the original image.
Our information is from general knowledge, experience, and shared internet resources. We’d like you to use it as a starting point for your research to verify facts and build a reference list.
IN REVIEW
If a rosary is handmade, any style is durable and reliable.
- Classic Link Wire & Chain: Quality wire and jump rings hold their shape and keep the rosary intact.
- Wire-Wrapped Rosaries: Wire-wrapped construction with sturdy wire holds it shape and will not come unhooked.
- Cord Rosaries: Quality nylon twine makes these rosaries rival the durability of 95 Paracord rosaries.
- Paracord Rosaries: Paracord is a padded, sturdy cord. Rosaries made with American-sourced Paracord are generally the strongest rosaries available, depending on the knots, Crucifix, and center medal.