Over the years you’ve more than likely come to the conclusion that different tools you have around the house can be used for more than one purpose. Sometimes, we figure this out by necessity in an urgent situation and other times a light bulb goes off in our heads as we look at something and think up a new idea. The latter is what happened to me one day while I was looking at coiled Type 3 Paracord sitting on my desk.

As I looked at the loose paracord and a tool I had within reach, I pondered a way that would help me make a better use of the unused cord. Tools and rope have gone hand-in-hand for a long time. Rope work can require the use of tools, like marlinspikes and fids, when it comes to rope manufacturing, splicing or repair. Even though paracord isn’t quite the same as rope, I wondered if the this idea would transmogrify.

Type 3 Paracord Storage Mat

I’ve mentioned in previous articles that one of my hobbies is to crochet. I have a rather large collection of crochet hooks in all sizes that I’ve accumulated over the years and it occurred to me that one of my large crochet hooks would be a great tool to transform this loose coil of paracord into something more secure. I gave it a shot and it worked!

I found that by crocheting a simple chain, followed by slip stitches, I was able to create square or rectangle shapes that made paracord storage more utilitarian. (Check out the video below for instructions) It’s no secret that a  large coiled loop of cordage can come undone or get tangled. With this new “crocheted” configuration, paracord can be stored almost anywhere and lay flat.

A section of 100 feet of Type 3 Paracord can be transformed into a small mat that would store well in a trunk or a “go bag” without worry of  becoming a tangled mess when you need to use it. Smaller sections of 20 – 30 feet make great coaster size squares, which could easily be stored on a shelf, in a drawer, or in the small compartment of your car door.

Another thing that’s great about storing paracord after its been crocheted, is that it can easily be unraveled for use and you don’t have to worry about knots or tangles in your line.

Don’t have a crochet hook? You can also make these stitches using your fingers. The result may be a little less uniform, but with practice you can perfect your work.

Once I realized crocheting Type 3 Paracord would work well as a storage solution, I started thinking about other ways I store fine/thin yarns that would translate into alternatives for Type 1 Paracord storage. Sure, I could crochet the finer weight of cordage with a smaller crochet hook, however another idea quickly popped into my head.

Type 1 Paracord Storage Nest

When I unravel a crocheted or knitted project, sometimes it’s easiest to rewind the yarn into a center-pull ball using my thumb. This works really well for small amounts of yarn and creates a small nest that can be reused by pulling the working end strand from the center.

I’ve found that winding the Type 1 Paracord on my thumb can be a bit fiddly at first , however with a little practice it becomes easier to manage. The nest of cord would probably store best in a location where it wouldn’t get jostled around, but if you have a piece of netting to go over the nest, it will hold everything together firmly. You can buy yarn/cord nets or save the netting that comes on apples and pears when you buy produce, or on certain types of flowers at your local flower shop.

These are just a couple of ideas for you to consider for paracord storage, if you’re looking to eliminate coils of cord hanging around here and there. Do you have other ways of storing paracord that works well for you? If so, please share them in the comments below and check out the other storage methods we’ve shown here on ITS linked below.

On today’s latest Knot of the Week, I’ll be explaining a method I’ve found for not only storing paracord on a boonie hat, but to weave it using a Chain Sinnet. This will allow you to quickly remove it if and when you need it.

If you remember previous knots we’ve taught here on ITS, we’ve gone over a Paracord Storage Sinnet and a Chain Sinnet in the past. With the storage sinnet we created you wind up with a donut looking paracord spool that can quickly unravel as you need the cordage. While this is a great method for storage, the downside is the time it takes you to create it.

You’re certainly not saving yourself any time with the method below, but you’re also not spooling 50 or 100 feet into a storage sinnet either, which can take up to an hour and a half. With the Boonie Hat Paracord Storage Sinnet, you can take a 20-30 ft. section of paracord and weave it on in about 30-45 minutes.

This may seem like a long time, but think of it as an investment. If you wear a boonie hat and have seen other methods for storing paracord on one, you’ve probably seen it all like I have. My issue with other methods is that they may look great, or have an awesome pattern, but how long is it going to take you to untie that when you need it?

I feel that this method I’ll show you today will solve that issue. Again, investing the time now to weave in this sinnet fashion will save you time in the long run when you most need it.

Boonie Hat Paracord Storage Sinnet » Coils

(Strength: 4/Secure: 4/Stability: 4/Difficulty: 3)

For this project, you’ll need around 20-30 feet of paracord. It’s always better to start on the longer side so that you don’t run out along the way.

Tying Instructions

Please refer to the embedded video and detailed photos below for instructions.

You might have recently seen our Knot of the Week video for the Quick Release Paracord Bracelet that can be used for emergency deployment. While we’re all about usability here at ITS, sometimes you might just want a paracord bracelet to wear, without a need for a secondary use.

For today’s KOTW, I’ll show you how to use Type I Paracord to make a micro version of the Soloman Bar Paracord Bracelet to make for yourself, give as a gift, or keep in mind for a future project.

While you’ll see me weaving this bracelet to fit my wrist, these are great for men, kids and women alike. Our friend Raquel Rusing of Triple Aught Design was wearing one of these at SHOT Show this year and we talked about not only how easy the smaller sized paracord bracelet is to wear on a regular basis, but also about how there are more people out there looking for an alternative.

Type III bracelets can be clunky and make writing and typing uncomfortable, so for anyone like me who’s at a desk most of the day and still wants to wear a paracord bracelet, the micro version is a much more utilitarian option.

Micro Paracord Bracelet » Decorative

(Strength: 4/Secure: 4/Stability: 3/Difficulty: 4) **Ratings shown are for Solomon Bar Knot, not the Micro Paracord Bracelet**

Uses:

• Decorative Bracelet

When making a Type I Paracord Bracelet we’ll be fusing the working ends of your cord to the bracelet itself, which means you won’t be able to easily untie the bracelet to use the paracord at a later time.

Note: The closure that we show on the first completed bracelet in the video was made by tying a Lanyard Knot which is a bit more complex than the Double-Overhand Knot which is shown at the end of the video. The Lanyard Knot is definitely a better option, so if you have the time and patience, give it a shot!

ITS now offers Mil-Spec Type I Paracord in our store so be sure to stock up if you need some for paracord projects or dummy cording your sensitive items.

While we’ll refer you to our original article for instructions on tying a Solomon Bar Paracord Bracelet, I go through each step on the video below. I’ll also mention that you’ll need two lengths of Type I Paracord; between 2 ft. & 5 ft. for the foundation cord and between 5 ft. & 10 ft. for the working cord.

The bracelet shown in the video comfortably fits a wrist with a 6″ circumference and is roughly 7″ in length. Make sure to fuse the ends of your cord to prevent unraveling while tying your bracelet.

How many of you have either purchased or made your own Paracord Bracelet and ever had to unravel it to actually use the paracord? If so, you’ve probably realized how much of a pain it is to untie each part of the Solomon Bar Knot that’s used to tie these bracelets.

Today on our latest Knot of the Week, we’ll show you how to use a Chain Sinnet knot concept to tie a Paracord Bracelet that will allow you to quickly pull apart your bracelet for immediate access to your continuous 10 feet of paracord for emergency use.

This method will take a bit longer to tie than a normal Solomon Bar Paracord Bracelet, but if quick access is what you need out of your bracelet’s paracord, then this is the answer.

ITS now offers Mil-Spec Type III Paracord in our store!

Paracord Bracelet » Decorative

(Strength: 4/Secure: 4/Stability: 3/Difficulty: 4) **Ratings shown are for Solomon Bar Knot, not the Quick Release Paracord Bracelet**

Uses:

• Decorative Bracelet
• Carrying Paracord for Immediate Access in Emergencies

Tying Instructions:

Pay particular attention to the beginning steps of this instruction in the video, photos and description below. If the beginning doesn’t get started correctly, it won’t tie right as you progress through.

This method of tying was first discovered by a Dan, a reader who sent in this YouTube video of a Chain Sinnet Square Knot tied by Andy Smith. In Andy’s video he actually ties this so that the buckles fall off as the bracelet is pulled apart. We’ve chosen to tie this as shown below so that the buckle is retained as the paracord is unraveled.

Note: The buckle we show is a National Molding Weinerlock buckle. These contoured buckles are definitely nice to have when you’re wearing your bracelet all day. You also don’t have to use a buckle and this can be ended in this configuration shown on our Twisted Solomon Bar Paracord Bracelet.

ITS now offers Mil-Spec Type III Paracord in our store!

1. Find the middle of a 10-12 ft. section of Paracord and halve it
2. Take the middle and girth hitch it into the female portion of the buckle
3. Thread the two working ends through the bottom bar of the male portion of the buckle
4. Now place what you’ve created around your wrist and tighten the working ends until you have the desired size
5. *You’ll want it snug, but not tight, as the pattern we’ll be creating will add some girth to the bracelet
6. Once the size is determined, you’re ready to start the pattern.
7. Take the right side working end and create a bight (loop) and bring it over the standing center part
8. Take the left side working end, create a bight and loop it through the loop you just made with the right side working end
9. Ensure the new bight passes through your initial bight from the top, not the bottom
10. Pull on the standing right hand strand to tighten the loop that’s now holding your second bight
11. Take this secondary left side working end bight and take it under the standing center part
12. Repeating the same type of work you just did, you’re now going to create a new bight with the standing right side line
13. This bight now passes through the bottom, rather than the top as you just did with the last side
14. Now you’re just repeating those steps, alternating from the right side going over the standing part and the left side going around the back of the standing part
15. Remember to tighten and push the “knots” down as you go
16. As you pull through your last bight near the male buckle, you’ll actually pull this side all the way through and into the female buckle (see photos)
17. The opposite strand you’re left with will be also threaded into the male buckle
18. Now that both strands are out the backside of the male buckle simply tuck them behind the topmost loop of the solomon bar type wrapping
19. Tighten them up and trim to your desired length, in the video you can see that we’ve melted these ends together slightly so that they’ll stay together until pulled apart, but not so much that these ends won’t pull apart
20. To quick release your bracelet, simply untuck the ends from the loop and pass them back through the male buckle and unlock the side you pulled through the bight
21. You can now pull the two sides of paracord apart quickly to deploy your paracord!

View the gallery or YouTube video below and follow along with the steps above, be sure to let us know in the comments if you have any questions!

In our newest Knot of the Week, we’ll be taking a look at a way to add a leash to the lid from your Liberty Bottle so it doesn’t grow legs and walk away.

One thing that I felt was missing from the US made ITS Liberty Bottles that we sell in our store, was a way to lanyard in the lid so it didn’t get lost. As I started taking Liberty Bottles with me while hiking and climbing, I quickly missed the ability to drink one-handed after removing the lid; which can be done with Nalgenes.

With a couple of easy knots and some Type 1 Paracord or the guts from standard Type III Paracord, you’ll be able to create your own Liberty Bottle Leash in no time!

Liberty Bottle Leash » Loops/Bends

(Strength: 5/Security: 5/Stability: 4/Difficulty: 3)

Please refer to our Knot of the Week introduction post for a description of what these ratings mean.

We’ll be using the Double Fisherman’s Knot and the Bowline for this Liberty Bottle Leash. Both are knots we’ve already gone over in our Knot of the Week series and while we show them being tied in the photos and video below, for a detailed look at each knot’s tying instructions, please refer to the following articles on the Bowline and Double Fisherman’s Knot.

Tying Instructions

• Start with a 24″ section of Type 1 Paracord, or a strand from the guts of Type III Paracord and follow along with the video or photos below.
• For detailed instructions on tying either the Bowline or Double Fisherman’s Knot, please refer to our articles for more info.

The Paracord Deployment Lanyard has been a long time coming on our Knot of the Week and much like our last KOTW on the Paracord Storage Lanyard, this too is a request from a reader.

This lanyard enables you to not only carry paracord ready to use, but can quickly deploy various lengths of it in a way that’s easy to manage. As most know that have worked with stored paracord, it can easily become unwieldy and tangled.

Just as the storage lanyard keeps paracord ready to deploy, the deployment lanyard is a vast improvement that we think you’ll immediately integrate.

Paracord Deployment Lanyard » Misc.

(Strength: 2/Secure: 3/Stability: 2/Difficulty: 2)

This method for storing paracord can be used in nearly any length of Paracord, but for this demonstration we’ll be using 25 feet.

Uses:

• Keeping paracord handy and ready to use at a moment’s notice
• Decorative way to store paracord
• Storing paracord in a “fob” design that can be quickly deployed

Tying Instructions:

1. Start by creating a bight in one end of the paracord, using a closed fist as a height guide.
2. *Ensure that the amount of bight exposed above your closed fist is the size that you’d like your “loop” to be.
3. Take the working end of this bight and melt it to the standing part of the paracord.
4. *You may need to heat up the standing part of the paracord as well to get it to bind.*
5. After the bight is secured and a loop has been made, start either wrapping the paracord around your hand like the pictures below, or in loops like in the video.
6. *Leave yourself a length of around six feet at the end to start making the overwrapping for the deployment lanyard.*
7. Starting near the top of the wrapped paracord, wrap a lock into the paracord (see video) and continue to tightly wrap downward.
8. At the end of the wrapping, simply tuck the working end into itself and melt it down for added security.
9. The loop can now be used to hook onto a keychain or carabiner for fast deployment of your paracord.

Video and Photos

A special thanks to Thunder Chicken for suggesting this Knot of the Week!