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.

Have you always wondered how to achieve the technique that Strider uses to wrap their knife handles with paracord? On Today’s Knot of the Week we’ll show you exactly how to do it with a detailed video in HD!

We’ve previously demonstrated this method on a County Comm Breacher Bar, but if left a lot of you asking further questions and if we could demonstrate it on a Strider Knife. Using a Strider/Triple Aught Design DUK we’ll show you how you can utilize this wrapping on anything that has at least two holes drilled and optionally a lanyard hole as well.

You can apply this wrapping principle to just about anything you want to and we hope you find something of your own to wrap!

Strider Knives / TAD Gear DUK Paracord Wrapping » Decorative

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

We’d highly recommend you have a vise to hold your knife while you wrap the outer layer of the pattern. In fact, its almost mandatory, as without a tight wrap on this section it may loosen up with use.

This paracord wrapping will require two separate lengths of 550. A gutted section being around five feet and another right around 15 feet. Another benefit to this wrapping is that you’ll have around 15 feet of paracord at your disposal should you need it.

If you’re wrapping a knife with this method, do yourself a favor and tape the blade up so you don’t get cut. It will also prevent your knife from getting scratched up in the vise if you don’t have rubber jaws.

Uses:

• Increase the grip of an object
• Storing Paracord
• Decorating an object

Tying Instructions:

1. To follow along with these instructions, your object will need to have at least two holes for paracord.
2. *Have your two sections of paracord ready (5 foot gutted section and 15 foot section)*
3. Starting with the longer of the two sections, find the midpoint of the paracord and double.
4. Insert the doubled end in and through the top most hole.
5. Pull the doubled end out through the bottom most hole (not the smaller lanyard hole).
6. Insert the remaining paracord ends through the loop, creating a girth hitch.
7. Tighten up the girth hitch and pull the paracord ends up and out of the way.
8. Take the small five foot section of gutted paracord and wrap it tightly, starting above the created girth hitch.
9. *The wrapping of the gutted paracord should lock around itself holding tightly*
10. Wrap the remaining paracord all the way down and tuck it into itself to lock it down.
11. Trim the excess and burn the end, pressing it into the wrapped paracord to bind it.
12. *Now return to your new working ends on the longer paracord*
13. Where these ends now exit the wrapping, pull them behind to the backside.
14. To make the weave/hook pattern, remember right over left then left over right.
15. Create the pattern on this side of the handle, ensuring its tightness.
16. Bring the paracord to the opposite side and repeat the same pattern *right over left, left over right, tighten*
17. Continue this pattern, alternating from one side of the handle to the other, until you’ve reached the bottom.
18. Once at the bottom, tie a tight square knot to hold your wrapping in place.
19. Feed the ends through the remaining lanyard hole in the handle, flip the handle over and tie a second square knot.
20. This effectively locks the wrapping completely and allows you to know work with the remaining paracord.
21. You can tie any kind of lanyard knot with the remaining paracord, or if desired, trim the paracord and forgo the lanyard.
22. Enjoy!

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!

This knot of the week started off as a request from a reader who wanted to know how to create a lanyard he saw at the end of a knife sheath.

On analyzing the knot, typically tied to shorten up loose ends, we’ve come up with a few more uses for it and another way to tie it.

When tied in this manner it creates a way to keep a few feet of paracord ready to deploy quickly. While not a quick-release per se, there’s just one knot to untie at the end to unwrap it.

Paracord Storage Lanyard » Misc.

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

As mentioned you typically see this kind of wrapping hanging down from longer fixed-blade knife sheaths, as it allows you to store a length of cordage to untie and tie around your leg to further secure the sheath from flapping around.

Another useful method for tying this knot is to follow the instructions below, but use more paracord and double up the wrapping to make a fatter lanyard.

Uses:

• Keeping paracord handy and ready to use
• Decorative way to store paracord
• Shorten loose ends of a lanyard

Tying Instructions:

1. Start by finding the mid-point of your paracord, for this we used a four foot section.
2. Create a bight in the midpoint and gather it your hand.
3. Using your hand as a guide, create another bight in the working ends.
4. Bring working end up to the original bight and wrap a lock just under the original bight loop (see photo)
5. Continue to tightly wrap the working ends around until you reach the lower double bight.
6. Thread the working ends through the double bight to secure the wrapping.
7. Grab the loop that’s now created and push/twist the wrapping down toward the point you secured it.
8. This will not only tighten up the wrapping and further secure it, but create a larger loop on the top.
9. This larger loop can now be used to girth hitch the Paracord Storage Lanyard onto an object or hook it on a keychain or carabiner.

Video and Photos

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

In our previous two knots in our Knot of the Week series, we showed you how to tie a Diamond Hitch and Artilleryman’s Loop. Today we’re going to show you how to combine these two knots for use as a tie down in a truck bed.

There were some comments in our Diamond Hitch article asking for a method to be able to use it with only four lashing points rather than the six our article required. Utilizing the Artilleryman’s Loop and some extra paracord, we’ll show you how to make this happen!

Diamond Hitch » Hitches

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

The first thing you’ll need to do to utilize a Diamond Hitch as a tie down in a truck bed, is to create the two missing mid-point lashing loops required to make it work. This can be done one of two ways.

One way is to take a line all the way through each of the four existing tie down points, making a box. After creating the box, tie in one mid-point Artilleryman’s Loop on the bight within each of the long sides.

Another option would be to simply have two sections of paracord, or other rope, strung between each long side of the truck bed tie downs with an Artilleryman’s Loop at the mid-point. It’s important to note that while we used paracord in the video and photos, stronger and thicker rope might need to be used depending on the load that’s being tied down.

Uses:

• Securing a load
• Tie down for a roof rack, truck bed or pack animal

Tying Instructions:

1. Once you create your additional midpoints using the Artilleryman’s loop, attach the standing end of your line to one of the fixed midpoints.
2. Use the working end to span across the load and to the opposite midpoint.
3. Route the working end through the second midpoint and back to the original midpoint.
4. Wrap or pass the working end through this original midpoint.
5. Grasp the double line created over your load and twist the two lines six times or so, creating a diamond pattern in the center.
6. Ensuring to keep the diamond pattern, run your working end to the closest corner of your tie-down points.
7. Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and through the backside of the center diamond before passing it down to the opposite corner.
8. Wrap or pass the working end through the opposite corner and down through the top of the center diamond and out to the bottom-most corner.
9. Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and back through the backside of the center diamond before passing it to the last corner.
10. At this point take a few seconds to adjust the lines and tighten them up.
11. Pull tension at the last corner and secure the working end to the midpoint you started at, which completes the Diamond Hitch.
12. Optionally we’ve used the Taut-Line Hitch to secure the working end so if the load shifts you can adjust the tension.

Video and Photos

Our newest Knot of the Week features an intermediary step in what we’ll be showing you next week, which is a method requested in the comments of our last KOTW to use four points to secure a load

While the intent is to show this knot used in that, The Artilleryman’s Loop is a quick method for tying a loop on a bight. Tying this loop on a bight requires your line to be free of tension, as tension would make it difficult to pull the slack needed for tying this.

The Artilleryman’s Loop can be used for creating a tie-in point on a line or dragline, securing a third climber on a line or simply making a quick drop loop for attachments or adding tension to a lashing.

Artilleryman’s Loop » Loops

(Strength: 3/Secure: 5/Stability: 4/Difficulty: 2)

Uses:

• Quick tie-in point on a line or dragline
• Secure a third climber in a string
• Trunk line or tether line attachment point
• Adding tension to a lashing

Tying Instructions:

1. Create an overhand loop in a bight in your line.
2. Flip the overhand loop on top on top of the standing part of the line.
3. Take the lower section of the overhand loop around the back and through the original overhand loop.
4. Pull on the created loop and the standing parts to tighten.

Video and Photos

In our latest installment of the Knot of the Week, we’ll teach you how to tie the Diamond Hitch and explain what benefits it offers over traditional methods of securing a load.

What’s truly versatile about the Diamond Hitch is that once tied, it creates a diamond pattern in the center which not only is where its namesake comes from, but is what gives it the ability to compensate for the load shifting.

Whether being used to secure a load to a roof rack, truck bed or even a pack animal, the Diamond Hitch is definitely one to put into your knot tying toolbox.

Diamond Hitch » Hitches

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

Uses:

• Securing a load
• Tie down for a roof rack, truck bed or pack animal

Tying Instructions:

1. Attach the standing end of your line to a fixed midpoint in an array of 6 tie-down points.
2. Use the working end to span across the load and to the opposite midpoint.
3. Route the working end through the second midpoint and back to the original midpoint.
4. Wrap or pass the working end through this original midpoint.
5. Grasp the double line created over your load and twist the two lines six times or so, creating a diamond pattern in the center.
6. Ensuring to keep the diamond pattern, run your working end to the closest corner of your tie-down points.
7. Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and through the backside of the center diamond before passing it down to the opposite corner.
8. Wrap or pass the working end through the opposite corner and down through the top of the center diamond and out to the bottom-most corner.
9. Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and back through the backside of the center diamond before passing it to the last corner.
10. At this point take a few seconds to adjust the lines and tighten them up.
11. Pull tension at the last corner and secure the working end to the midpoint you started at, which completes the Diamond Hitch.

Video and Photos

Today’s Knot of the Week is a bit of a departure from our usual knots and is more of a paracord wrapping. What we’ll be demonstrating is wrapping a small hand sanitizer bottle, often referred to as a Germ Grenade.

We’re demonstrating this not to simply have a bottle of hand sanitizer at the ready, but to show the overall wrapping with a Solomon Bar and get you to see that you can realistically wrap just about any bottle or container using this method.

Germ Grenade Paracord Wrapping » Decorative

(Strength: 4/Secure: 4/Stability: 3/Difficulty: 4) **Ratings shown are for Solomon Bar Knot**

Uses:

• Enclosing and Carrying Hand Sanitizer
• Wrapping Larger Containers for Transport

Tying Instructions:

We wrapped this Germ Grenade using a 8 ft. length of paracord for the foundation and a 9 ft. length of paracord for the working cord.

1. Find the middle of the foundation cord (8 ft. section) and halve it.
2. Take the bight (loop formed) and check that the size will fit over the shoulder of the object your wrapping.
3. Find the middle of the working cord (9 ft. section) and halve it.
4. Place the middle of the working cord across the bight in the foundation cord and tie and overhand knot.
5. Bring the left side over the front of the foundation cord.
6. Let the right side hang down in front of the left side.
7. Run the right side behind the foundation cord and through the loop created.
8. Repeat steps 8 – 10 by bringing the right side over the front now.
9. Continue alternating between starting from the left or the right until you have the length needed to span the length of the object you’re wrapping.
10. Take the leftover working ends of the working cord and tie and overhand knot.
11. Attach the loop created by the foundation cord around the neck of the object.
12. Take your foundation strands and girth hitch through the loop.
13. Use a pen and loosen the outer wrapping of the Solomon Bar and weave the foundation cord through the respective sides (see video and photos).
14. Don’t forget to trim and fuse the ends of the working cord (see video).
15. Continue weaving the foundation cord on each side until reaching the desired amount of wraps on each side.
16. At this point you’ll want to terminate the working ends by cutting and fusing them (see photos and video)
17. Your germ grenade is now complete with the exception of threading a keychain or any desired attachment method to the bottom of the Solomon Bar.
18. Please refer to the instructions in our Lanyard Knot KOTW to create a lanyard, or you could even simply use a length of paracord with a CordLoc on the end.

Video and Photo Instructions

Check out all our detailed photos of the Germ Grenade Paracord Wrapping on Flickr!

On today’s Knot of the Week, we’re going to go over instructions for creating your own Bola or Boleadora from natural fiber rope and a few golf balls for weighted cores. While we’ve gone over the Monkey’s Fist Knot in a previous KOTW, we’ve never show in quite like this.

Bolas throwing weapons were primarily used by South American Gauchos to capture/hobble running cattle or game, by utilizing an over-the-head swinging motion and releasing it on target. While I’m sure our readers could come up with a multitude of uses for these, one could come in handy in case of Zombies!

DIY Boleadora

What we’ve created is a version that features two heavier weighted balls and one lightweight ball on a slightly longer cord. This follows tradition, as when throwing the Boleadora, you simply grasp the lightweight end and swing it over your head.

Upon releasing, the heavier ends allow the weapon to fly as the lightweight end wraps upon impact. Ideally you want to hit your target with the middle of the Boleadora so that both the heavier ends and the lightweight end end up wrapping.

While the traditional Boleadora utilizes stones or much heavier objects, we’re going to stick with golf balls for the heavier ends and a plastic practice golf ball for the lightweight end.

(Strength: 4/Secure: 4/Stability: 2/Difficulty: 5) – Taken from Monkey’s Fist Knot

Uses:

• Hobbling/Capturing an Animal
• Heaving Line
• Tripping up a Zombie

Tying Instructions:

• To start you’ll need two regular golf balls, a practice golf ball and 32 feet of natural fiber rope, like Sisal. (Optionally you’ll need waxed dental floss for whipping)
• Cut the rope into one 20 ft. piece and one 12 ft. piece.
• Form a bight in the 20 ft. rope and mark off 1 1/2 ft. on each side of the bight, this will be your starting point for each Monkey’s Fist.
• Rather than restate the steps to form these two Monkey’s Fist’s, please refer to this article and the video embedded below.
• After forming these two Monkey’s Fist’s using the regular golf balls as weighted cores, move over to the 12 ft. section of rope.
• Mark off 2 to 2 1/2 ft. from the end of the rope, this is where you’ll start the third Monkey’s Fist.
• Use the lightweight practice golf ball for the weighted core in this section of rope.
• What you should have now is one section of rope with two Monkey’s Fists and a single section of rope with a single Monkey’s Fist.
• Using a Beckett’s Bend (Sheet Bend), join the two sections of rope together.
• Optionally at this point you can whip the joined sections with dental floss for a more permanent attachment.
• Enjoy your Boleadora throwing! Please refer to our photos and video below for further instructions.

Photos and Video

Check out all our detailed DIY Boleadora photos on Flickr!