The last paracord watchband that I tied, was using JD of TIAT's 'Stitched Solomon Bar', and I liked that pattern so much, that I used it again with my Maratac Mid Pilot Automatic Watch from County Comm. The differences in this watchband version and the previous one, are a four strand core that's paired off and knotted around, and it's made in two sections, so no strands run across the underside of the watch.
Each section of paracord was tied between the watch pins and one half of the 5/8" side release buckle. So sizing is in three measurements, of each of the two paracord sections and the space between the watch pins across the back side of the watch.I started with a six foot length of paracord for each side of the band, and ended up using between 10 and 11 of those 12 feet of paracord in the end.
I tucked the end strands into the knot work on the underside of the band to finish, and they can be further secured with sewing needle and thread, melting, or a drop of super glue.
30 comments:
Stormdrane:
That's an awesome watch band. The first thing it came to mind when I saw it..........it's that it has a look or feel of a tactical watch band. Someone that it's in the law enforcement, special ops, or S.W.A.T. Team would use. :-) Thankyou for sharing your work Stormdrane.
Peace,
Manny. :-)
Love your work! one thing that use on my watch bands is a piece of 3/4" elastic sewn to the middle of the band and attach the watch to that. Similar to sports watch bands, If the watch "snags" it's less apt to break the pins.
Again thanks for your web site
Brad
Hi! I have two questions..where do order the watch faces? Also, what would be the best closure for a paracord necklace? Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Tricia
@Tricia, The watch I used came from County Comm, but you can use an old watch that you already have or buy a new one, just remove the original watchband and tie a paracord one to replace it.
how much could i pay you to make one of these?
@Erin, I appreciate the interest, but I try to keep away from custom work to keep from getting burned out on my hobby.
I recommend folks give tying a try themselves, and in the case of making a paracord bracelet or watchband, with a little practice you'll be making them for friends and family before you know it. ;)
too cool, SD. That is a pretty serious wrist band. Compliments the Maratac nicely.
Have you seen the new metal clevis they are using at survivalstrapsDOTcom They are neat and i sure would like to find some.
@BBQ, That's probably something they have custom made just for them.
Stormdrane-
Sooo glad I stumbled onto your site! Made my first couple Christmas gifts in years because of all your great ideas. Looking to do a watch band for myself, and I like the idea of not having cord running underneath the watch itself. I've watched the youtube vid you gave from JD, and the process looks easy enough, but I'm thinking of having the core strands be one color and the working strands be another. I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how you started the 'core' of each side of the band so you got four strands in the center. Did you just run a single strand through the watch pins and buckle several times to get your four strands? If so, how did you secure it? Trying a knot seems like it'd be bulky underneath the work? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm following this blog now, so I have you to blame for my recent paracord purchases!
Thanks for any tips
Matt
@Matt, For the four strand core, I looped the center of the paracord onto one buckle end, run the cord to the watch pin then looped around the watch pins twice, back to and around the buckle end, then start knotting around the paired off four strand core.
If making the core strands a different color, loop them around the buckle and pins as normal, then securely sew the ends in place. The second color can then be used over the core.
what's the best place you've found for the plastic snap buckles you use on your projects. i'm getting ready to deploy, and would like to take a possible bulk amount with me.
love your blog, by the way!
@Anonymous, Creative Designworks(cdwplus.com) is a reliable source for side release buckles, also in my links list. ;)
Hello. I am just getting started with para cord and want to try this watch band out. The others that I've seen had the strands going under the watch. I like this idea and want to try it out with two colors. I am better at learning if I can visualize, and was hoping you could show how to start this project with two colors. You don't need to do a whole band just enough so I can see how to start.
Thanks.
Greetings ~
I like this style of watch band would like to try it and make an attempt in re-creating it...
I have seen the video, as it was stated prior, would like to see the process after the initial core is done, so I can do it properly.
As always, loving your creations..
Respects!
Home Depot has some closures like those that survival straps uses. They're called Anchor Straps at Home Depot.
Hi I made your previous model watch with cords running under the watch. Could you explain how to run the cords for this one? Do you start with 2 reversed half knots on the watch like like you did on the buckle of the old model?
@Frits NL, For this one I used a single strand of cord, cow hitching onto one buckle end, run the cord to the other buckle end, looped around it twice, making sure you've got it sized for your wrist. Run the cords back to and around the starting end buckle and begin the knotting process. That gives you a four strand core to pair off and knot around. ;)
@Frits NL, The previous comment is if you run the cords under the watch, if you just tie two separate strap pieces, you treat the watch pins like they are the other half of the buckle, running the cords between each buckle half and pins, only shorter as part of your wrist measurement of both strap pieces and the length of the watch itself.
Thanks a lot for your fast response,
I'll start on it today. By the way I lived in Augusta,Ga for 5 years and my brother Jan (we're Dutch) lives there still, he likes to hunt too. Georgia is beautiful.
You are a bloody genius! Oh the countless books on tying knots are completely useless. Thank you Thank you thank you for all you do here. LOVE your work!
I don't understand this: "...and ended up using between 10 and 11 of those 12 feet of paracord in the end." Could you explain that sentence?
@Kevin, It means I started with a total of 12 feet of paracord but did not end up needing or using that much for the finished watchband.
How much cord someone needs for they project will depend on how large or small their wrist size is, so you may need more or less cord, but it's always better to have too much, than to come up short when tying a project. ;)
How would I turn this concept into one with a two tone color cobra stitch? I'm making one of these for my friend's father and he'd like a two tone color cobra stitch and and I want to make it so that the back of the watch isn't covered by paracord. This will allow easy access for battery replacement.
Thank you!
@Anonymous, For a two color cobra stitch/Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet that doesn't go under the watch, you tie two separate sections that attach to each watch pin and half of each buckle.
Sizing is trickier with figuring the lengths of each knotted section with buckle and watch. You'll have to figure that out based on the watch you have and buckle you use.
Replacing a battery on a single long paracord watchband that runs under the watch is fairly easy, you just remove one watch pin to allow access to the back of the watch, change the battery, then lay the watchband back down and replace the watch pin. ;)
Thank you, well I would use the same size watch as you have shown above with the 5/8" buckle like you have shown above. Would I start with 6' of each color on each side or would I have to have 4 (6') of each color on each side? I've been trying to find videos etc. of the two separate sections style without much luck. He wants to pay me for it but I want it to be a gift to him for being a Veteran. Also do you have step by step instructions for the watch band above that you did? Sorry to ask, I'm new at this stuff but really enjoy it.
When tying two colors instead of one, you use half the cord for each color that one color would use, so if 10 foot for a one color bracelet, then 5 foot for each color of a two color bracelet, so when they are attached, you have one 10 foot length of two colors to work with.
For a two piece watchband, you're using less than would be used for a regular bracelet/watchband since it is not running under the watch. The usual guesstimate for a basic cobra stitch/Solomon bar is one foot of cord per inch of knotting, and add extra to be on the safe side.
JD(TIAT) posted a YouTube video tutorial for the Stitched Solomon Bar on his channel, so you can learn the pattern there. I do not have a tutorial on it. Hope that helps.
Thank you. I'll post how it came out.
I'm hoping this watchband will be the same width as yours.
nice
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