Paracord fingerloop retention ring...

A friend sent me a video link that showed/mentioned different carry and retention methods for flashlights.  One method was using a loop/ring of metal, rubber, or paracord with a flashlight's pocket clip to aid in retention of the light, that's easily removable and unobtrusive.   

Roger asked me if I might have any ideas with making a paracord loop/ring like shown in the video.  I first tried a split ring covered with paracord, like I've made with small dreamcatchers before, but I found the stiff metal ring uncomfortable to use with a flashlight/finger grip. The finger loops I'd done a few years ago would be too large done with paracord for this purpose, but using smaller diameter cord could work.  Maybe a large rubber/silicone o-ring would be more flexible and might still work with a little gutted paracord or knotwork wrapped around it...

For a couple of examples, I tucked one end of a length of paracord(not gutted) back into the other end and used a drop of super glue to secure it, but sewing or melting would also work.  Also shown in my photo is a loop of paracord with a double fisherman's bend.  Other bends could also be used for the same effect.  Roger also mentioned maybe making a smaller loop to fit around the pocket clip, and I think a small split ring would work for that too, and either would keep the paracord loop/ring better in place/attached on a pocket clip...

I show an example with a small split ring that is just big enough to slide over the pocket with a paracord ring run through it, and another with a small split ring through the pocket clip's built in lanyard attachment point, which this model flashlight just happened to have.  The other paracord finger loop bends that I tied were sized around a tube vault(baby soda bottle), around 1.5" diameter, but you may make them larger or smaller depending on your own flashlight/pocket clip/finger size variables for your own custom fit.

The flashlight in the photo is my six year old Nuwai Q3.  It only gets about an hour and a half of good output off a single 123 lithium battery before getting dimmer, but I'd found a custom made aluminum adapter(ebay) to convert it to use a single AA battery, and although much dimmer output, I get longer runtime, so it's still a useful flashlight. Using rechargeable batteries also keeps it inexpensive to operate. ;)

Some useful knots and bends...

I tied these knots with paracord, following diagrams from John Shaw's 'The Directory of Knots:  A Step-by-Step Guide to Tying Knots [Spiral -bound]'.

I had a little deja vu when tying the 'Arms-Akimbo' lanyard knot,  remembering trying one of JD's(TIAT) videos a couple of years ago, for the 'Eternity Knot', just a slightly different knot, some might even not notice the difference.

The 'Gibbet' and 'Ichabod' knots are both sliding loop type knots, and the author mentions the 'Ichabod' knot as having been used as hangman's noose in the last century at an American penitentiary, and a 'gibbet' is a gallows type structure so it too served the same purpose, but both knots certainly work just fine as attachment loops with paracord lanyards. The 'Broach Loop' is a fixed type loop like the bowline.

I also tied a few 'bends', knots used to join two ropes/cords together, from the book's diagrams.  The Broach Bend, Tucked Broach Bend, Symmetric Hawser Bend I, and Symmetric Hawser Bend II.

Reinforced Ring Hitch...

I uploaded a short video for tying a 'reinforced ring hitch'.  This hitch is #1863 in 'The Ashley Book of Knots', and is also shown in 'The Directory of Knots' by John Shaw.

When using paracord with a lanyard, I've found this hitch makes for a slightly more secure grip on a key ring compared with the common ring hitch, also known as a cow hitch, lark's head, lanyard hitch, bale sling hitch, etc...

Knot Tying Challenges...

The 'Chief Knot Head' on the Knot Heads World Wide website(Brian), has put up a few knot tying challenges with diagrams from an Argentine knot book.  I gave the third one a try today and manged to work it out.  

You can see the diagrams for the first and second challenges from the links, and I just noticed a fourth was added to the forums this afternoon, so I'll be certain to give it a try when I get a chance.

They can make for an interesting bit of time spent puzzling them out, and looking for ways to apply the decorative patterns to some useful knot work...

I made an ID badge lanyard from the knot work of the second challenge, and a paracord bracelet for my mom with the third.  

I had four strands coming from the third pattern, so I modified a single strand sack knot/bracelet binding knot, that I found in 'The Directory of Knots', to use as a closure on the bracelet, shown before I trimmed the ends close to the knot...

Bonobo Bar Paracord Bracelet with Side Release Buckle...

JD (TyingItAllTogether) put up a YouTube video tutorial for tying the 'Bonobo Bar Bracelet'.  I used a 1/2" side release buckle instead of a knot/loop closure as shown in the video, and used dark olive drab and black paracord for mine.


The bracelet is done with making a couple of half knots, as you would to start when making a twisted cobra stitch/Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet, but alternating with each color for the knots and core.  

I looped the the two 6 ft long paracord strands(more than was needed) onto one buckle end, making the knots until I had enough for my wrist size, then ran the strands though the other buckle end, tucking two strands back under the bracelet's inside knot work, using the remaining two strands to tie a square knot around all the other strands, and also tucking them under a couple of knots on the inside of the bracelet, trimming the ends to finish.

Cord Ends...

I recently received some new 'cord ends' from County Comm. They come in handy to use with zipper pulls, lanyards, and fobs, clipping onto the end strands of cord. You can use them with simple loops of paracord to quickly make zipper pulls, or add them after knot work to cover and finish the ends.  Examples shown with some gaucho knot beads over paracord.  The pocket knife is an Opinel #6 with carbon steel blade.

I also got a couple of rolls of Extreme Tape, but haven't put them to use yet.  I've used this type of grippy wrap under turks head knots in the past, to keep the knots from sliding off of smooth bodied flashlights

The cord ends can provide added grip to open/close zippers when wearing gloves, and are available in a variety of colors and even a glow-in-the-dark version.

They can be used to identify the contents of your bag/pack/pouch, perhaps using the glow-in-the-dark version on a zippered pouch/compartment for flashlights, orange for pocket knives, green for tools, etc... Just tell a friend, family member, or stranger to look for the 'red' cord end zippered pouch to quickly find the first aid kit if needed, etc...

I tested the glow-in-the-dark cord end on the nightstand, and 8 hours after turning out the lights, I was still able to see the dim glow of the cord end with my dark adjusted eyes.