Woven paracord bracelet/watchband

This tutorial will show how to make a paracord bracelet or watch band using a weaving method. More knot work with releated links and resources can be seen on my blog page, Stormdrane's Blog.

Step 1: Supplies

For this project, you'll need approximately 10 feet of paracord, scissors, lighter, tape measure, hemostats, watch, and a 5/8" side release buckle. I used a 5/8" ITW Nexus contoured side release buckle, but you can use other less expensive ones like those found at Creative Designworks.

Paracord can be found at local Army/Navy stores or from various online sources: Supply Captain, Lighthound, Cool Glow Stuff!, ebay, etc...

The actual amount of paracord that will be used depends on your wrist size. My wrist is about 8.5 inches and I actually used around 8 or 9 feet after finishing the bracelet/watchband. So using 10 feet is a safe estimate for most folks, since having too much cord is better than coming up short when making your project.

*If making a watchband, the watch needs to have about 5/8" space between the lugs(where the watch pins go) so that 5 strands of paracord will fit.

Comments

[Stormdrane]

For many more possible new and old knots and ties to use as bracelets, fobs, lanyards, straps, etc..., it's worth a visit to see JD of Tying It All Together's YouTube channel and Forums, and more on the Parachute Cord Crafters group on Facebook. KHWW.net also has much to offer for those interested in knot work.  :)

[dchristyandjeff2000]

I am trying to take this design and make it into a belt, basically put more stands and used a hitch knot onto a belt buckle. but I'm having trouble keeping the weave tight in the first few rows. do you have any pointers or tips?

[Stormdrane]

You can use an improvised marlin spike tool, like hemostats or a clay stylus, to help work out any slack every couple of rows of weaving.  And push your work up towards the starting end too, to help keep the work tight.  Hope that helps. ;)

[zpickel]

This is a nice easy design, and it looks great!

[robgilmore88]

Well instructed! Looks amazing...I was able to purchase a para cord bracelet (8ft) and it worked great. Good work stormdrane

[Vonnie2]

Wonder if the paracord could easily be unwound for survival purposes?

[Stormdrane]

Yes, since it's woven with a single working end, it's not difficult or time consuming to take it apart, should you need to repurpose the paracord. ;)

[emilyvanleemput]

this looks really beautifull!

[tictaclad]

Awesome instructable, do you guys think it would look good with the Nixon "The Unit"?

[whopoder]

Pretty cool! And the instructions are perfect, very easy to do.
Thank you!

[Crystalenia]

This looks really great! I just wonder.... how do you change the battery if needed?

[Stormdrane]

Simply remove one of the watch pins and you have access to remove the battery cover and replace the battery. Then reinstall the watch pin back over the paracord. ;)

[WouterZ]

All thanks to your great instructions and some knot experience due to 15 years of climbing and my sailor school background. The watch is huge (more than 1/2" thick and more than 2" wide) and weights a ton (full stainless), but after 5 years I think it's still one of the coolest watches out there. Now, with the new strap it's updated to modern standards).

[WouterZ]

Hi,

I promissed some pictures of my result following this great tutorial.
Hope you like it (this was my first paracord experience and I'm hooked).

Wouter

[Stormdrane]

Nicely done!  Cool lookin' watch too.  Welcome to the paracord addiction. :)

[WouterZ]

Hi, thanks for this great instructable. Now my Taugmeister watch looks even cooler. I used camo green Mil-C-5040 Type III which works great with the stainless steel housing and black dial. I found that I could adjusting the size right up I finished braiding the first half of the strap (using the short end to tighten and loosen it). It fits perfect in one go. It took me about an hour to finish it, and most of that time was spent tightening it and adjusting the size. My leatherman was my best friend in this since I don't have the suggested tool. I'll upload a picture soon.
Thanks again very much!

Wouter

[Rick Grimes]

Your Instructable is constructed really well. What is the name of that watch? I know its a Timex, but what model?

[Stormdrane]

It's a Timex ReefGear, but no model number is visible on the watch itself, just instructions for setting the alarm on the back. I bought mine 13+ years ago, and it keeps on ticking, as long as I change the CR2016 battery when needed.

The one I have looks to be discontinued, although there are still some 'ReefGear' models out there. They vary in design and some look to have narrow lugs that may not work with multi-strand paracord watchbands...

[clutz2]

Thank you sir, your instructions were very helpful. Props to you for making them so detailed and thorough. With no prior paracord or weaving experience, I was able to do this in merely 30 minutes. Here is a picture of the finished project. I used olive drab paracord on a battery-free, self-winding watch. No power, no hassle. Something that will be dependable for a long time. Thanks again!

[misses_soulful]

Made one for my husband for Valentines Day (what a cool wife, right? :P) but took me forever to finally take a picture of it. Thank you for the Instructable! He loves it. It was easy, but it took some elbow grease because I'm a perfectionist in making each one tight as can be. I ended up taking it all apart and remaking it 3 times since I kept getting the sizes wrong. :( Also, it was difficult getting the 550 cord through the watch we bought. Heads up for you folks that plan on making it, its tricky to get the exact size. I stopped remaking it because I worry I'll snap the pins on the watch. Thank you again! :) :) :) now I want one too.

[Stormdrane]

Nicely done!

[misses_soulful]

Years later, my husband still gets TONS of compliments on the watch. Thank you so much for teaching me! I still think it's better looking than any I've seen on the market. Can't thank you enough. Happy holidays to you and your family! :)

[misses_soulful]

thanks!! :)

[Masofhan]

Is it possible to make this using 2 different colours on the thread?

[Stormdrane]

Using two colors doesn't work with this instructable, as I tied it with a single working end weaving around the core strands.

You can do a similar looking two color pattern with two working ends by following tutorials that show how to tie the six pack/ladder rack/trilobite knot.

[Softballgirl97]

Where did you buy the watch faces??

[Stormdrane]

The watch used in the instructable is a Timex ReefGear that I bought years ago and is no longer made/discontinued. Whatever watch you end up using, it just needs to have room for the cords to fit over the pins and between the lugs of the watch body.

All watches are different, so some will work, some won't, you just have to find a suitable model for the paracord watchband.  You can still tie the paracord bracelet without a watch... ;)

[kaperdomo]

could I use matches instead of a lighter???

[Stormdrane]

Any heat source that can be used to carefully melt the ends, without melting/damaging the surrounding cord, so that they don't fray, will be sufficient.

You can use wood burning tools and soldering irons as well as lighters, and you can tuck the cord ends instead of melting, sewing, or gluing them too, with various finishing methods, just a quick melt with a flame is simply the quickest/easiest method with the others taking more time.

The hot melted paracord can burn, so as always take care and knot responsibly... ;)

[doggynurse]

So I made the braclet using the ladder rack however my husband wants a gun sling, I like your method compared to others I have seen, do u know what the inches to feet ratio is, like on the cobra weave, they say roughly one foot of cord per inch, so I'm wondering for roughly 27 inches how much cord should I cut for use?? Braclet is pretty awesome by the way!!

[MrsHill]

Oh, wow! Thanks for that idea.. I've wanted to make something for my hubby for Christmas and he needs a sling for a couple guns. This is perfect for that!

[Stormdrane]

The amount of cord used can vary quite a bit by how loose or tight the pattern is woven. It's best to over estimate what you need so that you don't come up short when tying a project.

The core strands that will be woven around will use around 10' feet or so before the weaving is even started, so if I were making a 27" long sling, I'd start with a 40' length of cord to be on the safe side.

[ArtByNancy]

I have an odd question. I have been braiding cobra weave horse reins. I have lobster snaps on each end. I carefully measure, as the reins must be exactly 8 feet from the tip of one snap to the tip of the other. I clip each end to a stationary object, stretched across a room. As I braid, the line begins to sag. When I finish, the reins have "grown" about six inches!

What am I doing wrong? This has happened on three sets of reins. Is this normal?

FYI, UNbraiding is not nearly as fun as BRAIDING.

[Stormdrane]

550 paracord is nylon, which can and will stretch a bit, and some types(450 and 650) will shrink, so some folks soak it in hot water and run it through a dryer to preshrink it before tying with it.  Longer projects like reins and leashes may experience stretching or shrinking of a much more noticeable length than you find with smaller bracelet type projects like lanyards, fobs, and bracelets.

I've not tied any horse tack, but I think some of the folks over at ubraidit.com might be able to better help you with your project since they have a lot of experience with your particular task. ;)

[ArtByNancy]

Thanks! And don't you guys laugh, but a quick & easy way to pull a cord through a tight stitch is to use a crochet hook.

[MrsHill]

Genius!

[VoodooDali]

LoL'd at this just now, I too found crochet hooks perfect for this task but wasn't brave enough to say so. My jewelry kit works nicely as well ;)

[lin1256]

I love this bracelet. Can you tell me how to start and finish this weave with a loop and toggle instead of side release clip? Thank you!

[dc_grimm]

I did my own for a cheap watch i have and love.
I already replaced the band before. Things seem to disintegrate when they get too close to me.

Didn't have a fancy protractor thingy to tighten and do stuff with but managed with a combination of screw driver and copper wire for pulling through.

Enough story. Here's the pictures.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/qt9rj.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/3XWsI.jpg[/IMG]

[dc_grimm]

I was hoping that would work.
here are links.

http://i.imgur.com/qt9rj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3XWsI.jpg