Introduction: Nalgene Cap Paracord Fix

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Problem: The strap of my small mouthed Nalgene finally broke.
Good Timing: Paracord contest going on.
Fix: Replace strap with paracord.

What do you do when your vintage Nalgene with BPA has a broken cap strap?  Fix it with paracord!

Paracord is durable, cheap and has a nice feel to it so it is ideal for a cap loop that will get lots of use.

Step 1: Remove Broken Strap

The strap to my Nalgene cap finally broke.  Cut off the broken piece.  Find or cut an appropriate length of paracord.  I have a personal aversion to cutting rope so I used what I had already cut.  I wanted to make sure that the cap did not hit the table when in the open position.  I suggest also adding 3 times the loop's length for braiding of the strap for a good starting point for the initial rope length.

Step 2: Tie Slip Knot for Top

Paracord fits snugly in the flange at the top of the cap.  Create a slip knot (fisherman's knot) at one end of the rope.  You want to make sure that this is a tight knot so that the rope does not fall off the top.

Step 3: Tie Other End Onto Bottle Neck

Tie a figure 8 knot and tighten appropriately so that the loop can freely rotate when tightening the cap while also not falling off while carrying by the loop.

Note: Monkey's fist at end of the rope because this is a reused scrap of rope and because monkey's fists are awesome and annoying to untie.

Step 4: Braid Strap

From here tune the length of the strap to obtain a desired length.  I did not want the cap to touch the table when in the open position.  After this has been done choose if you want a thicker stiffer strap.  If so try a variety of braiding methods to get the desired feel and stiffness.  I tried about 5 different versions before settling on this version.  Take the working end and thread it up to the cap and create a series of figure 8s  to create the braid.

Step 5: Other Legacy Paracord Projects

I have created many projects with paracord over the years and most of them predate Instructables.  Here is a brief description of some of these projects which in total used less than the $15 spool of para cord.  If you recreate any of these please create an instructable and post here in the comments.

Step 6: Hammock Chair

I had just gone to the Outer Banks in NC and had seen people weaving hammocks outside Nags Head Hammocks www.nagsheadhammocks.com. 

I created a loom with 2 2X4s and 2 PVC pipes held ~4' apart by the 2X4s with partial holes drilled in them.

I then created 2 4 braided strands for the front and back of the chair.

Made shuttle out of clothes hangars and some duct tape and wound all the rope intended for the chair on the shuttle.  I would suggest allowing for multiple strands to be tied together instead of one strand because the shuttle is relatively large and it is annoying to unweave when done.

After done weaving attach 2 carabiners, hang and adjust for comfort.

Step 7: Boot Laces

Cut the paracord to a similar length to the original shoe laces and burn.  I thought that the laces stretched too much and did not hold their knot very well.  If you remove the 7 strand core both of these failings improve.  These are very durable shoe laces that still are showing minimal wear after over 5 years of use.


Step 8: Key Chain

Overhand Knot for ease of removal.  Alternate plastic and metal for reduction of noise (I know that there are 2 metal keys next to each other).

Step 9: Camera Wrist Strap

Figure 8 knot back threaded near the camera and a small bowline loop to create a slip knot.

Step 10: Monkey's Fist Temorary Loop

With a monkey's fist and a loop (double overhand knot in this case) a useful temporary loop can be created to hold extension cords or similar stuff.

Step 11: USB Lanyard

Figure 8 knot back threaded through.

Step 12: Lock and Key Holder

 I hope you have enjoyed the insructable and extras and that they inspire your future projects!

Paracord Contest

Participated in the
Paracord Contest