The Gerber Infinity Ultra flashlights aren't very bright with their bluish tinted beams, but they do offer enough light for keeping a couple in a vehicle, around the house, or campsite, even on a key chain.
They are inexpensive, durable, and have an extremely long runtime from a single AA battery.
A few weeks ago, I found this blog and I'm enjoying to see around and do some paracord weaving like you. How did you finish the spiral braids? I did some knots but they were not as nice as you.
I treated the four strands, from the spiral braid, as two by pairing them up, and tied a lanyard knot.
One of those strands was used as a loop and worked back into the lanyard knot. It's done by pulling one of the other strands out a few turns and following it with the loop strand, then the lanyard knot is tightened up.
Is there any other way to learn the spiral or diamond braid? I tried for two days to follow the boondoggle instructions but simply can't get true results with paracords. I'm desparate. Thanks
Take your time, make the cord in your hand look like the example pictures and repeat the process. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it easy to do.
Okay, I tried to do this the whole sunday without any success. Seems that the brain section needed for braiding is simply missing in my head. I give up. Thank you for your time Markus
Learning takes patience. When I find learning a new knot difficult, I'll move on, to keep from getting frustrated, and try something else for a while before going back and trying again.
Go to your local library and look for books on knots, you might be surprised at what you find.
Thank you for your encouraging words. I GOT IT! How embarrassing! It's so easy, one could teach it to a monkey in 5 minutes. I found a blurry youtube video named "braid knot" which got me the trick.
Now I need to order a few thousand feet more paracord. ;o)
Hey, I love your website and I'm interested in the bottle sling you have made...I was wondering if you watch Man Vs Wild ever with Bear Grylls?...He always has 550 para cord wrapped around his waste and shoulder and is attached to something like his water bottle. I have been looking around how he might have done it...because he just pulls a string and his water canteen comes right off the para cord around his waste...you are the only guy around that I have seen that has a water bottle sling like him that's why I'm asking...thanks and I hope I wasn't too confusing
I've seen it a couple of times, but haven't seen the bottle sling he uses. I've read that he uses a 'daisy chain' to keep his cord in. Here's a link showing one way to do it quickly. You can increase the amount of cord by doubling it then doing the chain.
Thanks for the quick response...I think I have the daisy chain part down pretty well...but then does he have another daisy chain around his waste?...and how he has it all connected on his side...It's pretty much that no one has the answer...I've been trying at this question for a couple years now if you get any information I would greatly appreciate it, because I go on kayak or canoe trips where all I need is 550 para cord my knife and a water canteen and Bear Grylls has the best and lightest set up in that sense
Without seeing his setup, I'm not sure how Bear actually does it. But, some googling brought this comments response that I found 'cached on an old web page:
"To answer the Bear Grylls “water bottle question”… It is a standard issue NATO one liter Water Bottle. The cup is also a standard NATO issue steel “Crusader Cup” that is made to fit over the end of the bottle for compact carry. I believe both items are manufactured by a company named “BBC”. He puts the bottle down in the cup, then uses 550 Parachute Cord (which he has loop-braided in what we always called a “daisy-chain braid”) to secure the entire unit, then slings over his shoulder, routes back around the unit, then around his waist and ties it off. If you double the cord and braid it properly, you get pretty much thee universal way to carry up to 100ft of excellent cordage into the field for emrgencies (although it appears from a distance that he has only loop-braided a single strand so he may only have 50ft)."
haha...wow you are being very helpful I'm just still so confused...I really appreciate you responding like this...So he incorporates the canteen to the daisy chain around his shoulder how?...So you are saying the 550 cord daisy chained around his waste and shoulder are all 1 long 100ft 550 cord?
Without seeing his setup, I can only guess that he may put the neck of the bottle through one or two of the daisy chain loops and tighten them up to hold the water bottle.
And, if a 100ft hank of paracord is doubled or tripled(folded into thirds for a 33ft length), then daisy chained, it would shorten it to a manageable length. You'd have to try it, and the final length is gonna vary based on how tight or loose you make the daisy chain.
I have a question. How do you make a spiral braid? BTW I like your youtube demonstrations. It helped me get the lanyard for my SAK Huntsmen.
ReplyDeleteThe spiral braid and diamond braid are tied the same way, just the start is different in how two colors are set up to begin.
ReplyDeleteGood online examples on how to tie either, can be found on the boondoggleman.com website.
Thank you for the information.
ReplyDeleteGreat site and inspiring too. I have an off-topic question, as I see you have the Gerber LED flashlight, how do you find it for power, etc?
ReplyDeleteThe Gerber Infinity Ultra flashlights aren't very bright with their bluish tinted beams, but they do offer enough light for keeping a couple in a vehicle, around the house, or campsite, even on a key chain.
ReplyDeleteThey are inexpensive, durable, and have an extremely long runtime from a single AA battery.
A few weeks ago, I found this blog and I'm enjoying to see around and do some paracord weaving like you.
ReplyDeleteHow did you finish the spiral braids? I did some knots but they were not as nice as you.
I treated the four strands, from the spiral braid, as two by pairing them up, and tied a lanyard knot.
ReplyDeleteOne of those strands was used as a loop and worked back into the lanyard knot. It's done by pulling one of the other strands out a few turns and following it with the loop strand, then the lanyard knot is tightened up.
Is there any other way to learn the spiral or diamond braid?
ReplyDeleteI tried for two days to follow the boondoggle instructions but simply can't get true results with paracords. I'm desparate.
Thanks
There are examples in a few books, but not many online. Here's a couple more to try:
ReplyDelete4 strand braided lanyard
round braid
Take your time, make the cord in your hand look like the example pictures and repeat the process. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it easy to do.
Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI will keep on trying.
Markus/Germany
Okay, I tried to do this the whole sunday without any success.
ReplyDeleteSeems that the brain section needed for braiding is simply missing in my head. I give up.
Thank you for your time
Markus
Learning takes patience. When I find learning a new knot difficult, I'll move on, to keep from getting frustrated, and try something else for a while before going back and trying again.
ReplyDeleteGo to your local library and look for books on knots, you might be surprised at what you find.
Thank you for your encouraging words.
ReplyDeleteI GOT IT!
How embarrassing! It's so easy, one could teach it to a monkey in 5 minutes.
I found a blurry youtube video named "braid knot" which got me the trick.
Now I need to order a few thousand feet more paracord. ;o)
Cheers
Markus
Hey, I love your website and I'm interested in the bottle sling you have made...I was wondering if you watch Man Vs Wild ever with Bear Grylls?...He always has 550 para cord wrapped around his waste and shoulder and is attached to something like his water bottle. I have been looking around how he might have done it...because he just pulls a string and his water canteen comes right off the para cord around his waste...you are the only guy around that I have seen that has a water bottle sling like him that's why I'm asking...thanks and I hope I wasn't too confusing
ReplyDeleteI've seen it a couple of times, but haven't seen the bottle sling he uses. I've read that he uses a 'daisy chain' to keep his cord in. Here's a link showing one way to do it quickly. You can increase the amount of cord by doubling it then doing the chain.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the quick response...I think I have the daisy chain part down pretty well...but then does he have another daisy chain around his waste?...and how he has it all connected on his side...It's pretty much that no one has the answer...I've been trying at this question for a couple years now if you get any information I would greatly appreciate it, because I go on kayak or canoe trips where all I need is 550 para cord my knife and a water canteen and Bear Grylls has the best and lightest set up in that sense
ReplyDeleteWithout seeing his setup, I'm not sure how Bear actually does it. But, some googling brought this comments response that I found 'cached on an old web page:
ReplyDelete"To answer the Bear Grylls “water bottle question”… It is a standard issue NATO one liter Water Bottle. The cup is also a standard NATO issue steel “Crusader Cup” that is made to fit over the end of the bottle for compact carry. I believe both items are manufactured by a company named “BBC”. He puts the bottle down in the cup, then uses 550 Parachute Cord (which he has loop-braided in what we always called a “daisy-chain braid”) to secure the entire unit, then slings over his shoulder, routes back around the unit, then around his waist and ties it off. If you double the cord and braid it properly, you get pretty much thee universal way to carry up to 100ft of excellent cordage into the field for emrgencies (although it appears from a distance that he has only loop-braided a single strand so he may only have 50ft)."
haha...wow you are being very helpful I'm just still so confused...I really appreciate you responding like this...So he incorporates the canteen to the daisy chain around his shoulder how?...So you are saying the 550 cord daisy chained around his waste and shoulder are all 1 long 100ft 550 cord?
ReplyDeleteWithout seeing his setup, I can only guess that he may put the neck of the bottle through one or two of the daisy chain loops and tighten them up to hold the water bottle.
ReplyDeleteAnd, if a 100ft hank of paracord is doubled or tripled(folded into thirds for a 33ft length), then daisy chained, it would shorten it to a manageable length. You'd have to try it, and the final length is gonna vary based on how tight or loose you make the daisy chain.