Now they offer many different colors in neons/camos/solids and have multiple brands to choose from: Atlanco, Atwood Rope Mfg, Rothco, all commercial type 550 paracord with 7 inner strands, and had a couple of larger 1000+ ft. sized spools. They had paracord bracelet kits, with about 10 ft of paracord and a 3/8" side release buckle with included instructions, various colors of 3/8" buckles in multi-packs, and some 5/8" black buckles, and handmade paracord duck call neck lanyards as well.
The DIY paracord using crowd has certainly gained in popularity over the last several years. It may be worth a trip to check your local Army/Navy store to see what they have in stock, if they're not too far away. The cost of gasoline is getting close to being higher than the shipping and handling charges when ordering online...
A few future knotting projects I have on the mental 'to do' list:
Add some paracord to a kydex sheath of the Horan Knives Sub-Q Tanto knife. Tim did a nice Japanese style wrap over nylon cord on the handle.
A blog reader, Ronnie H., sent me a large stone arrowhead that he made himself. An amazing piece of skilled craftsmanship(knapping) with very sharp edges. I was thinking of trying to mount it to a short section of 'arrow shaft' for display, in a small frame. I need to find a suitable sized piece of wood to use and maybe trying traditional arrow making tying methods, with artificial sinew or leather, or even playing around with using a turks head knot with small diameter nylon for attachment with some type of hitching over the shaft.
I've had an unused pool cue for several years, and have tried a few different knotted grips/hitchings for the handle, but haven't been satisfied with anything yet. I've left some green flat nylon cord wrapped around it, that I've tried a couple of open turks head knot patterns over, but have removed those and put it on a back burner until I get in a good knotting mood to get it just right...
I found a neat 'First Aid Aluminun Bottle' at Big Lots, which has a screw on compartment/mug with a small first aid kit included. It will eventually get some type of paracord knotted or hitched pouch/wrap to carry it. The only online source I could find for this bottle was on Amazon.
*Note: A white cross on a red field is recognized as the Flag of Switzerland, and a red cross on a white field is recognized as the symbol of the Red Cross. The International Organization of Standardization (ISO) sets a standard for the first aid symbol of being marked with a white cross on a green background, so that anyone requiring first aid would recognize the sign.
Very cool SD, sounds like you got some interesting projects in the works. I am especially curious to see what you do with the Horan Sub-Q. It looks like Tim does some top notch work, should make for a very cool final product.
ReplyDeleteI also picked up one of those first aid bottles, it was at a local Joann Fabrics actually. They also have something else that appeared to be from the same company though i cant recall exactly what it was, possibly a tin shaped first aid kit.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting stuff. Have been following your work for about a year now, and your two-bight work has been a significant help in figuring out many wrapping projects I've created.
ReplyDeleteQuestion -- and I suppose you've probably been asked this a lot: How do you determine how much cord one might use beforehand? I ask because after looking at your work on the cane wrap and the two-bight hat wrap, it seems like one might want to know how much cord to use ahead of time.
@Ninja R, There is math involved in determining how much cord to use for a project with variables of cord diameter, length of wrap, number of passes, object being covered size, etc... but that's all beyond me as I just guestimate and hope I use enough or more than I need when I start... ;)
ReplyDeleteI think there's a 'calculator' of sorts for that somewhere on the KHWW.net website.
I'll check it out over there. Coincidentally, I was just checking out your Turk's head bracelets over there for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWas looking around earlier for paracord and buckle sources (ended up using two of your recommended suppliers) on Craig's List and happened upon this: http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/jwl/2362475297.html
10,000? Imagine making all those.
Just thought it was interesting what you can find looking for paracord sources. Thanks for the response.
@Ninja R, Looks like they went overboard with it, and I wonder if they were tied locally or contracted out to someplace like China at pennies a piece, hoping to cash in on what should be a DIY project, lol...
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to figure out how to make the black 550 cord bracelet with the thin blue line (1 single electric blue cord) can you help me with that, or do you have it posted somewhere already?
ReplyDelete@Cindy, I don't have the method posted for tying those, but it's really simple.
ReplyDeleteAs you tie a regular cobra stitch/Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet type paracord bracelet, with black paracord, you'll use a gutted length of blue paracord to weave over/under the knots of the visible/outer side of the bracelet as you tie the knots.
You'll need enough blue cord at the start and end to tuck/pull(use hemostats) the cord under the knots on the inside/underside of the bracelet to secure/finish.