Paracord bracelet with a side release buckle

This tutorial will show how to make a paracord bracelet with a side release buckle. When made on a larger scale, you can make this for use as a dog or cat collar as well. I get my paracord from the Supply Captain and the side release buckles from Creative Designworks. More projects, links, knot references can be seen on my blog page, Stormdrane's Blog.

Step 1 Materials

You'll need paracord, or equivalent 1/8" diameter cord, a tape measure or ruler, scissors, side release buckle, and a lighter(torch lighter works best). The amount of cord used can vary, but for this example, we'll use 10 feet of paracord to start with. Actual amount of cord used for the bracelet is about 1 foot of cord for every 1 inch of knotted bracelet length. So if your wrist is 8 inches, you'd use approximately 8 feet of cord.

Comments

[zerrodach]

very good instructable. very detailed. do you know how well this would work with a twisting design rather than alternating? by the way, i found a clip on my kelty backpack that works in place of the side release buckle.

[Stormdrane]

The twisting(spiral) design does work, but is usually done with smaller diameter type cord when used as a bracelet, because of the thickness(height) that it would sit above the wrist.

[sixtrees]

Great job,  you inspired me to make one of my own. I didn't have a snap buckle though, so I modified mine.

[Zeke330i]

 Thanks for the great Instructable! I've been looking for a new collar for my Mastiff, Zeke, for a while now and thought the King Cobra stitch would look pretty good. I used 45' of Bright Red (wife's idea) 550 Paracord and a 3/4" side release buckle, both from Supply Captain (thanks for the link). I also re-appropriated a "D" ring from an old collar so I could hook a leash to him for walks. Using some extra 550, I made a few Chain Sinnet bracelets based on the instructions from your blog. Great stuff, thanks for posting. 

[fiftyoneman]

 This looks great - do you have an instructable on how you did it? I can't work it out from the photos.

[awsome pie]

Wow that bracelet looks awesome u should make an instructable for that if you haven't already tell me when you do.
 

[sixtrees]

OK, I don't think I need to post a full instructable for my bracelet because I just combined two posted instructables. But I will tell you what I did.
Measure your paracord according to stormdraines version, but add 1 foot. Tie the knot that is in this version. http://www.instructables.com/id/In_and_out_Knot_and_loop_Bracelet/
So I started it like kcardwel's but instead of tieing it to furniture and using a seperate piece of cord, I braided it like stormdraine. The end part was a little tricky. I braided it to the end until there was only enough room to fit the two loose ends of cord through the loop. I had one slightly longer end so I used that one to form the loop for the  big knot, I think I tied a knot so the loop was in place. I then loosely wrapped the ends around the loop 3 times and then fed the cord through those loops (like a noose). I then pulled them tight and ran them down under the braids of the bracelet.  
Hope this helps :)

[i8ntrt]

I've been thinking of trying one of these for a while now. When I saw at the end you mentioned Glow in the dark para chord I was hooked. I have loved all thing Glow in the dark since I was a kid. Had my supplies ordered within 15 mins. Ordered the 3/32 glow with 3/8th buckle

[Suzanne55]

Very nice. It's incredible.

[wilsonmpa]

where did you get the medical ID charm? i would love to make my husband one of these!!

[Stormdrane]

I believe I bought that one at a Kroger grocery store in the pharmacy section.

[Countrygirl27]

Hi , just a question , on the King Cobra bracelet , do you start it like a normal bracelet , but over the finished part ? just wanting to know because would like to try it =)

[Stormdrane]

The king cobra/doubled Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet can be tied in more than one way, but the simplest is to use a single strand, tying it like the normal bracelet, and when you reach the point where you would trim and melt/sew/glue/tuck the ends to finish the normal bracelet, you instead continue the same knotting process back over the bracelet towards the starting end.

Of course you would have doubled the starting amount of paracord to be able to do this with a single strand when starting. You could use a different color for the second layer, having two colors for the start(as seen in examples), or two colors for the second layer, etc....

[Countrygirl27]

Okay thank you for getting back to me , I will have to try it out when I find some paracord , hopefully I'll be able to find some in town . Thanks again =)

[Stormdrane]

Check local Army/Navy surplus stores, or outdoor stores like REI and Bass Pro Shops. ;)

[carl87gt]

This is incredibly awesome! My friend bought me one of these bracelets at a gun show and I was searching online for how to rewind it in case I ever need to use it for the cord. Very nice instructable with great detail. Thank you!

[srobison3]

Thanks so much for this instructable!!! I've read through a few and I just learned how to do this for the first time with your well written instructions! Great job! :D

[cortchops]

thank you so much im thinking about making a belt with 1in buckles

[airsofttheultimate]

This is obviously the best paracord instructable out there. this is perfect just what i needed. greatly detailed. nice pics. my only complaint is you didn't show how to make a multi color bracelet. over all a perfect instructable

[bushsmart]

Great instructions! I have written a short recommendation to your story. If you would like to brush up on your Dutch, here it is: http://www.bushsmart.com/nl/survival-straps/

[ArtByNancy]

When joining two colors, do you just melt them? I worry they will come apart. I melted some together, made a bracelets, sold them...and now I'm worrying about them. :/ I tried super glue one day, but hours later it was still sticky.

[Stormdrane]

If melting or super glue do not work for you, use needle and thread and just sew them together.

[ArtByNancy]

Thank you! I'll try that on my next one!

[jjenssen]

As for gutting the 550 paracord, if you plan on it being worn in the sense of possibly using it for a survival type situation, I would advise against gutting it as the smaller inner threads can be used for a myriad of other tasks as well, such as fishing line, thread for sewing and etc. Not to sound like a paranoid nutcase or anything, but when it comes to survival, attention to the smallest details can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[NPTT13]

(removed by author or community request)

[killnine]

I find this comment to be very useful, and certainly not warranting a whole other instructable for one comment. I don't feel he needs to show his certification on paracord usage for this to be useful information. I'm sure you have something useful to provide to the conversation other than negativity though right?

[NPTT13]

(removed by author or community request)

[Christovich]

Based upon what? It is still usable paracord. Are you saying you would throw it away in a survival situation? When you need something, you use what is on hand and if I am wearing it I will certainly use it.

[NPTT13]

(removed by author or community request)

[Christovich]

Why did you waste time copying what you said previously? It doesn't address any questions and leads me to believe you have limited knowledge/experience dealing with survival situations.

I didn't say there isn't something better out there, but to claim it is useless, well I stand by my first sentance.

[macgyver71]

How bout this...I have been in survival situations (and once just needing it for convenience sake) and the cord on these bracelets IS useable...feel free to look on any survival based site (since trojoda hasn't posted any, I will: http://www.survivalistboards.com/index.php) and you will read countless times where 8 or 9 feet of 550 cord cxan very well save your bacon.
Take what you want from my comment. But for true survival techniques, you could use this bracelet for anything other than show.

And instead of cut/paste, try following the box under the comment input area: We have a "be nice" comment policy. Please be positive and constructive with your comments or risk being banned from our site.

Mac USAR 89-97

[Texasknight]

How do you attach the skulls and the medical id tag?

[Stormdrane]

There are different methods to add them, like sewing them in place, running the cord through the skulls or tag rings as you tie the bracelet, where you want them placed, etc...  I've used multiple methods, so there's not just one way that works, you choose which works best for the items you have to work with.

[sgale2]

Great instructions! been wanting to make one for a while now. just need to get supplies. what is a store you can get the supplies at?

[cordman]

Check at http://www.survivalbraceletkits.com/ You can get everything you need in one place

[prockwell]

any military surplus store

[ashzimm]

you can get the rope in walmart but the buckles at joann's

[Stormdrane]

Paracord can be found online from numerous sources, including the Supply Captain. You might find some at a local Army/Navy surplus store. Side release buckles can also be found online, or scavenged from dog/cat collars, old bags/backpacks, etc...

[cordman]

I found a place to get a bunch of different colors of paracord 550 to make survival bracelets. The side release buckles that have worked great.
http://www.survivalbraceletkits.com/
Great sellers and I got my cord fast

[PurpleSkull]

This was my first Instructable and it was a great one, thanks! Now my husband (and possibly a few other people I know) will have a great paracord bracelet ^_^