So I’ve been on a survival bracelet kick lately. What’s a survival bracelet, you ask? It’s essentially a huge length of 550 paracord that is braided into a cool looking bracelet for quick access when you’re in the need for something to tie. I’ve made a few different ones. The cobra weave, the king cobra weave, the ripcord, and the millipede. Thanks to all those folks for making how-to videos, and especially the folks at Army Surplus in Idaho Falls. One last mention is a gentleman from Kinnewick Washington, who makes them for folks associated with the Sheriff’s department up there.

Anyway, so I’ve been making bracelets for myself, teaching my family and my Venture Scout Crew, and plan to train some Cub Scouts in the near future. I decided to make a belt out of 550 paracord. Why? My (over ten years) old leather belt is falling apart, people have been talking about it. I needed a challenge, and got it it. I’m a big guy, but losing weight, so I’m looking at a 40 inch belt. I’ve picked up a length of 120 feet of 550 paracord in black.

Now I’m not going to go into the details of how to do the king cobra weave, there are plenty of tutorials out there about that. Instead I’m going to show you a little trick I picked up to keep the two 60 foot ends of cord from getting all tangled up. Right, at first I could tell you I put it on a spool (actually an empty spindle for blank DVDs) but it just was too cumbersome to work with effectively. My daughter made fun of me. Instead I figured out this trick…but I could attribute it to anyone who has ever knitted anything. Those folks know their knots!

First, get the length split into two sections. You can run it out and find the middle and mark it, or put it on a bigger spool, or just have it marked when you buy it at your local supplier. After you’ve got the middle marked, start with one end and make a “yarn ball”. You know, just wrap it around itself until it’s a ball, like so:

Next, take a sock, preferably nylon because it will slide easier on the nylon cord. Sorry for the black cord and black socks. I realize it would have been easier to see with another color, but I’m making a black belt, and I only have black nylon socks!

Once the cord ball is inside the sock, slide the ball to the bottom (toe) of the sock like this:

Now, just roll the tops down until the ball is near the opening, but still at the toe.

Finally you’ve got 60 or so feet of 550 paracord all nicely tucked into your socks. All that remains is to use the sock balls in your weave of choice:

Now that you know how to get a better hold on great lengths of cord, you can look into making longer bracelets, belts, gun straps… you might even try to weave a paracord shirt!

Thanks for reading.

Ryan
North Rockies Design