Paracord bracelet with a side release buckle

Step 5 Start making the knots

The knot used for the bracelet has a few different names, cobra stitch, Solomon bar, and Portuguese sinnet. Take the cord on the left side and place it under the center strands running between the buckle ends. Now take the cord on the right side under the left side cord, over the center strands, and thru the loop of the left side cord. Tighten up the cords so the half knot you just formed is next to the buckle. Now take the right side cord under the center strands. The left side cord goes under the right side cord, over the center strands and thru the loop of the right side cord. Tighten up the cords(not too tight, just until they meet the resistance of the knot) and now you have a completed knot. You will continue doing the alternating the left and right sides as you go. If you don't alternate, you'll quickly see a twisting of the knots, just undo the last knot and alternate it to correct.

Comments

[pgarcia15]

Awesome dude, now i just have o go get some paracord,hey where can i get brightly colored paracord, like lime green or something

[Stormdrane]

There are many online vendors for paracord, like the Supply Captain mentioned in the instructable, as well as sources on ebay, Amazon, etc...

My local Army/Navy surplus store carries a variety of colors now, so you should check one in your area too...

[bioboy725]

I looked at this awhile ago and when I couldn't decide what to do with left over cord on a monkey's fist keychain, I used this. It looks great.

[aplyler]

I found that if after you do step five, you put the ends through the other end of the buckle, so you instead of two strands to wrap around you have four. This gives it a fuller look and makes it look more like an authentic survival strap. (survivalstrap.com)

[Stormdrane]

If using a 3/8" buckle, there will only be room for two strands of paracord, and depending on the cord, there may or may not be room to double up the cord around the ends of a 1/2" sized side release buckle. The 5/8" are just the right size to work the cord around the buckle ends again(4 strands width). If using a larger 3/4" or 1" wide buckle, the cord can be worked around the ends several times to fill up the space. ;)

[aplyler]

I used a 3/16" D shackle. Looks exactly like the ones on survivalstrap.com except my shackle doesn't have a hole in the pin head.

[badfish81]

How do you avoid the twisting of the bracelet, I'm working on my second one, and even though I adjust the knots, it always starts to twist in like a candy cane swirl.

Any ideas or is this just how it turns out?

[Stormdrane]

If there is twisting, it sounds like you may have mis-tied a knot or two, which sometimes happens. With a series of square knots you shouldn't have a problem with twisting.

[nd34794]

this is what has really helped me and that makes me so happy because these instructions really helpful

[nd34794]

this is awesome

[badunkadunk13]

Pretty soon here, my unit is going to be pushing out on yet another deployment.  We're always required to take 5-7 feet of paracord with us and this is such a fun way to take it.  Although it's probably unauthorized to wear them while in uniform, I'm going to be making one for each person that is going out with us.  The only downside is that in an emergency, it would probably be difficult to get the cord unraveled, but let's be honest, most of us will just wear them for the look and take extra cord with us for those emergencies.  Your's was the most instructional guide I've found to making these bracelets and though, yes, there seems to be many more types of knots that can be used to make these, this seems to be the quickest.  Thanks!!

[drstu2000]

When I was in the Military I would stuff about 10 feet of cord in the handle of my M-16.  This is a good idea though.

[c_rich]

If ur a Marine -- then yes they are unauthorized ...

[daffster13]

Hell if you're any respectable serviceman, they're unauthorized. God bless you Marine.

[ryanminty]

there called lanyards you put them over your left shoulder under your epelet pass the loop through the other and secure it to your left breast pocket im in the the Royal Canadian Air Cadets and we use them for our ceremonial whites and for parade positions to accompany the white belts

[Stormdrane]

If you search through images of historical military uniforms(even current cadets, ROTC, & active military worldwide), you can find all kinds of different knot work used in the decoration of uniforms, easily visible even in portraits hundreds of years old.  The Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet/cobra stitch/square knotting knot, which is used in this instructable for a common paracord bracelet, is just a series of square knots(reef knots).  The square knot has been used for thousands of years and I have no doubt someone has tied them for use as a simple bracelet of natural materials in that time.  Here's an example of a square(reef) knot shown used on an Egyptian statue dated 2350 B.C. ;)

[ryanminty]

The Royal CANADIAN Air Cadets only use one knot for their lanyards to save trouble for band and drill compotitions and such if they use a different knot they are either ignoreing the hand book or just plain doing it wrong

[the governator]

oh my god  i have been trying to learn how to braid parachute chord like this for ever now i know, thanks

[SethA]

i know, i'm being picky... but this isn't braiding...

it's macrame...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macramé
http://www.instructables.com/tag/?q=macrame
http://www.free-macrame-patterns.com/
http://www.elainecraft.com/instructions/instructions.html
http://www.craftsitedirectory.com/macrame/index.html
etc etc...

and really... one could make a bracelet out of the same cord using any knot... no need to stick to a square...

[Stormdrane]

There are many knots, braids, sennits, etc.. that can be used for paracord bracelets with side release buckles, or whatever type cordage one wishes to use.  The same knots can also be found to go by different names depending on the source material.  A few other paracord bracelet examples that I've made can be seen here.

The whole point of instructables is to show how to make something from start to finish, as is done with this instructable.  The knot work with a side release buckle makes them easy on/off and also allows them to be made to sizes also allowing their use as pet collars.  Of course they can be made without buckles and other types of materials, but that also limits the utility that paracord offers.

[SteveAnon]

I've enjoyed making your bracelets and would enjoy making a different type -
Any chance you could provide a instructable for a few inches of each of the Knots.

[Stormdrane]

If I made an instructable showing how to tie a few inches of each of the knots shown in the previous comment link, I'd probably have to deal with a never ending stream of questions about how to apply the knots to a project.  Here's a few links with examples/info of the knot work for each of those paracord bracelets, that is already available from some of my blog posts and instructables. ;)

King cobra/doubled Solomon bar/doubled Portuguese sinnet

Alternate half hitch

Woven paracord bracelet/watchband

Basic paracord bracelet

Snake knot bracelet

Another woven paracord bracelet

[SteveAnon]

Thank you.

[cuchulain92]

I also am sorry to be picky, but the knot is a reef knot and not a square knot- though this could be done with a series of square knots as well.

[SethA]

in terms of general knotting... square knot is the name used in N.America for the reef knot...


in macramé... it's called a square knot...

[yoda-iz-my-idol]

i made it ad it is sweet

[Miss Twist]

Absolutely wonderful...I shall add this to my ever expanding list of cord weaving. Thank you.

[MikeyNCat]

You did a great job on these instructions. I just thought I would add that for a beginner like myself, I did this on a table with plenty of room, and I taped down the female end of the buckle. This helped keep everything still as I tried to manage the cord for the knots. I hope this helps the beginners.

[darkside_7]

I made several for my friends and family while I was in Iraq....they loved them

[Moonrabbit]

Just made one here at work. Best thing about it is if I ever need some rope just unbraid it. Nice survivalist jewelry. Might hang one of those little P-38 canopeners from it as a charm.

[dcms4]

Great tut. Basically a para - hemp style bracelet. I used the idea to make my boyscout a belt using 50' with a carabener buckle.

[opus33]

The only thing I would say you should change is how tight you tie the knots. The point in this bracelet is to have a nice length of 550 cord to use in a pinch. So the tighter you tie the knots the more cord you will have. Plus if all the knots are pulled as tight as you can, you know they are all uniform.

[rachel]

The knot is exactly like a square knot, except for the two strands captured in the middle. But if those were removed, it is a series of square knots. And if you do not alternate sides, you get a series of granny knots. Which might actually create a nice spiral effect, if done evenly (and probably with a smaller size cord).