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Amazing Uses for Paracord

By Ready Expert
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Paracord can be an awesome tool in your preparedness arsenal. This durable nylon rope can be tied into tons of different designs including a paracord drawstring pouch, bracelet, strengthened cord, pouches and more. If you’re in an emergency, you simply unwind the strong cord and use it to bind, haul or anything else that you might need.

So, whether you’re a beginner or an expert paracord lover, we have a design for you. Check out these paracord designs below. If you don’t want to spend time weaving your own bracelet, you can always let us do it for you.

What is Paracord?
Paracord, also known as parachute cord, is a soft, lightweight nylon rope that was originally used for parachuting. Typically, 550 paracord (which is the paracord used for our bracelets) is made of 32 strands of nylon sheath on the outside and seven strands of 2-ply nylon yarns on the inside (the “guts”). The 550 paracord is the same made for the government and has a minimum breaking strength of 550 lbs.

While paracord started out as a parachuters tool, people quickly recognized its usefulness in other areas. Since the cord is quick-drying, rot- and mildew-resistant, it’s great for many purposes. Military units use it for securing packs, hanging covers and tents. Many military personnel even use the guts as fishing line.

Paracord Drawstring Pouch

You’ll need:
• About 100 ft of Paracord
• A heavy object to use as a base about 7 inches in diameter (a small trash can will work well)
• Scissors or a Knife
• A Lighter

Creating the Drawstring
1. Take one end of the paracord and wrap it around your object with about 3-inches or so on each end. Cut the ends.

2. Tie one end of the string around the other end so that it creates a drawstring effect. You can use any knot that works well for you. You can also use a slip tie.

3. Replace the drawstring base on the top of the trash can.

The Bag
1. Take one end of your paracord and tie it onto the drawstring.

2. Move 1 ½ - 2 inches to the right of the drawstring and tie another overhand knot. Make sure to leave just a bit of slack between the two knots.
3. Repeat this process until you rotate all the way around the trash can.

NOTE: Make sure that the distance between each knot is roughly the same. It helps to keep things a little more uniform.

4. Once you tie knots all the way around the drawstring you’ll find that you’ve come back to the original line. Simply continue tying overhand knots on the second layer of rings.

Finishing the Net Design
1. Once you’ve made your bag as long as you’d like it, it’s time to end! Simply take the line that you’ve been working with and weave it through all the loops that remain on the bottom layer. You can crisscross the weavings or you can go through all the loops in a giant circular motion.

2. Finish the bag by tying off the excess paracord so it doesn’t get caught.

Thanks to Snipir for this tutorial

Paracord Watch Design

• About 10 feet of Paracord Make your own paracord watch
• Watch with no band
• Hemostats
• Lighter
• Tape Measure
• Side release buckle
• Scissors

1. Measure about 20 inches from one side of the paracord. This is where you'll loop in the buckle.
2. Once attached, you'll have the longer section which will be your working end and the shorter end which is just attached to the buckle ends and will be tucked in when finishing the bracelet/watchband.
3. Take the strands of paracord from the looped section of the buckle and run them over the watch pin, under the watch, and over the other watch pins. Then you loop the paracord around the other buckle end twice.
4. Measure the distance between the buckle ends for your wrist size. The distance should be equal to your actual wrist diameter. The weaving process will stretch this original spacing of bracelet/watchband about another inch after tightening as you reach the finishing point.

Make a Paracord Watch

7. Once you've reached the point where your watch will be centered, push the watch tight against the woven cord and bring your working strand thru the pin along side the other cords under the watch, and back through the other pin. Continue weaving the paracord, keeping a uniform look, and tightening as you go. To finish up, you'll take the working strand around one of the outer cord, so it's coming through the under side of the bracelet/watchband.

Make a Paracord Watch

8.Take your hemostats and work them through about three of the center weaves, towards the buckle end. Grasp the working strand and pull it back through the center weaves.

9.Trim the end with your scissors, quick melt the end to prevent the cord from fraying, and tuck it under the weave.

10. Now do the same with the shorter end of cord and you're done.

Paracord Keychain
• 3 strands of Paracord measuring about 40 inches long each
• Scissors
• Lighter
• Ruler or tape measure
• Masking Tape

1. Gather the three strands together and then measure from one end down to 17 3/4 inches. Hold the three strands at the 17 3/4 point, and then grab a strip of tape to secure the paracord together (make sure to place the tape edge against the 17 3/4 point).

2. Begin braiding the three strands by bringing the outermost right-hand strand over to the left. Then bring the outermost left-hand strand over the strand to its right. Continue this process of right-to-left until the braid length is 3 1/2 inches long and then tape the strands together to hold them in place at the point you just measured.

3. Bring both taped ends together forming a loop; securing them together with a strip of tape. From the top of the strip of tape (the loop end), measure down 2 1/4 inches and then secure the strands with tape at that point.

Tying the Crown Sinnet

The knot used to tie the fender is called a Crown Sinnet and can make a great looking decorative design to wrap objects in paracord.

4. From the bottom of the tape, bring the strands back up towards the loop.

5. To tie the Crown Sinnet, make a backward "C" from each strand laying each strand on top of its neighbor to the left. Pull the strands tight.

7. Repeat the same procedure laying each strand on top of its neighbor to the left. Pull the strands tight and repeat until you reach the end of the tape.

Finish

8. Begin the steps to tie the Crown Sinnet but this time, instead of going over the top of every strand's neighbor and pulling tight, go under each strand and pull it tight.

9. Once you've tied your last knot, tuck each of the loose ends under their neighbors and behind the strands as shown:

10. Use the scissors to cut the cord as close to the final knot as possible. Use the lighter to singe the edges and keep them from loosening.

Paracord Bracelet Design
• About 10 feet of Paracord paracord bracelet
• Lighter
• Tape Measure
• Side release buckle
• Scissors

1. Measure the diameter of your wrist by wrapping a single line of paracord around your wrist. Make sure it’s nice and snug and with a marker, make a line across the paracord while it is wrapped around your wrist. Straighten out the paracord and measure the line.  This will be used for reference later.

2. Take the 10 foot line of paracord and fold it in half.

3. String the two loose ends through the male end of the buckle and pull them through the loop that the 10-foot line makes at the other end. Pull it tight and it should look like this:

4. Measure the line to the diameter of your wrist and place the female end of the buckle.

5. Position the bracelet with the female buckle at the top. The two loose ends of paracord should be coming up through the buckle. Take the left paracord line and pull it under the two lines of the paracord bracelet. Then place it over the top of the right loose end.

6. Then take the loose end on the right and place it over the top of the two bracelet strands. Then pull it through the loop that you made on the left side with the left loose end. Pull the two loose ends tight so they tighten against the buckle.

For the next section, you’re going to basically repeat steps 6-8 but start with the opposite end.

9. Take the loose end on the right side and pull it underneath the two strands of bracelet. Make sure it’s on on top of the loose left end.

10. Then take the loose end on the left and place it over the top of the two bracelet strands. Then pull it through the loop that you made on the right side with the right loose end. Pull the two loose ends tight so they tighten against the previous knot.

REPEAT

12. Repeat steps 6-11 until the paracord reaches the end of the bracelet. If you need more room to braid, simply hold the male buckle firmly and pull the knots down the line.

Finishing the bracelet

14. Take your loose cords and thread them through the remaining slit of the male buckle.

15. Slightly lift the last knot that you made and pull the two loose ends through the loop.

16. Cut the loose ends close (about ¼ inches) to the end of the loop and seal them off by using a lighter.

5 years ago
Comments
Maria @ Survival Food List
12 years ago at 7:09 PM
Thanks for this great DIY tutorial and series -- I'm seeing paracord bracelets and wristbands all over the place, so it's definitely catching on. Good stuff!
Rafael T. Oneil
12 years ago at 11:57 PM
These are great easy tutorial tips! Thanks for sharing!
Gabby
12 years ago at 5:48 AM
We are making the paracord bracelets this weekend as a group and this will be another project for us. Thanks for making it so clear.
Ken
8 years ago at 4:14 AM
There is a great YouTube TITA (tying it all together) with hundreds of paracord projects. The author also wrote a few books on the subject.
Woodee
12 years ago at 7:43 AM
This is neat; would make for a good fishnet as well, but I'd suggest NOT cutting the cord unless it is essential. I'd prefer to weave it much like an artist might weave a dream catcher, thus avoiding cutting the cord until the product is finished. It may be a little more time-consuming, but if your weaving baskets or nets out of paracord, you haven't the luxury of waste. One more note - if you're going to take the time to make paracord bracelets, try including a list of uses for that cord, unless it is made strictly for decoration - then who cares? Best wishes to all - Woody
John
12 years ago at 8:04 AM
Great project could be very useful, trying to teach the grand-kids lots of things that they can do to help them if they ever get into the situation where they need to survive. Lot of these things are becoming a lost art in the new electronic age, we must pass it on. God and Country John
Mary
12 years ago at 10:50 AM
Look up the paracordist & TIAT on youtube. They each offer fantastic tutorials for making some pretty creative stuff, especially if unsure how to tie the required knots. This will be my next project. Pretty easy. I have learned throughout my process of this hobby that rather than to struggle with a 100ft cord, it is FAR easier to work in 10-15ft-length cord strands (it saves time & minimizes the struggle of the twisting, as the longer the cord you work with, the more twisting that you must fight). -I cut my cord in equal sections, seal the ends by melting and then use one of those sections to begin to weave the pattern. -Once I've reached the end of the first section, I cut off that melted end, pull out about an inch of the inner twine & cut it off & give a quick melt to the "hollowed" end to prevent unraveling. -I then add a section section to the hollowed end of the first by FIRST applying a drop of super glue to the tip of the second section (the end that is going inside the hollowed end)& then slip it into the hollowed end and carefully roll the two together so that the glue joins the two. -I then carefully melt the two together, (quickly rolling them between my fingers) to remove any lumping that may be remaining. -I now have added another section to continue my weave. Repeat this as many times as needed to the requirements of the project you're making. I hope this helps some of you & happy cording :) btw, I learned this from the vids of the youtube members that I've mentioned previously.
THOMAS
12 years ago at 9:40 PM
This also would be good using nylon string or cord to make a fishing net its very much the same thing.
JDBushcraft
12 years ago at 8:39 AM
Putting splices in the cord is ok as long as what you are making is strictly decorative. I'd be 100% ticked off if I pulled apart my bracelet or belt in an emergency and found splices.
shawn woolard
12 years ago at 5:33 PM
Wow! This is awesome! So informative, too! Thanks for sharing this guide in making a paracord drawstring pouch. This really helps during emergencies!
Marcus C. Jackson
12 years ago at 11:56 PM
I have always wanted to make a drawstring pouch using Paracord. The instructions sound easy but i wonder how long will it take to make this paracord drawstring pouch? This can also be a good business venture.
Kate
11 years ago at 7:38 PM
Can you show us how to make a paracord "grenade" with a carabiner. It's the one with the small survival kit inside the "grenade" and contains stuff like fishing line, fishing hooks, waterproof matches, kindling, aluminum foil, etc. Thanks!!!
Andi
11 years ago at 12:44 PM
I would not want to untie all those knots in an emergency. It is a great idea in theory but your execution is not practical. Try a "crochet" method so you can cut one knot at the top and unravel the entire bag in a jiffy.
Northwoods Cheryl
11 years ago at 6:33 AM
Andi! What a GREAT idea!!! I like it! Crochet the bag so one pull of the string will take the whole thing apart.
Cheryl Olson
8 years ago at 5:47 AM
As I said up way above.. (I used to be called "Northwoods Cheryl"), the Paracord sold in craft stores is NOT the same quality as that sold in military Surplus or hunting/outdoors stores. GOOD quality Paracord is a MUST if you want it for a survival situation!!!!