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!

by ITS Tactical

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.

by ITS Tactical

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.

by ITS Tactical

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.

by ITS Tactical

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.

Pace Count Beads

The premise behind Pace Count Beads is to pull down a bead from the bottom stack of nine beads each time you hit your “Pace Count.” Your Pace Count needs to be determined prior to setting off on your trek and we’ve got a great article here on ITS that explains how to determine your Pace Count.

The single bead pulled from the bottom represents 100 meters traveled. At each 100 meter increment another bead is pulled down. After the ninth bead is pulled down, the next 100 meters traveled (1000 meters total / 1 Kilometer total / 1 Klick total) resets the stack of nine beads and a single bead from the top stack of four is pulled down.

by ITS Tactical

Once 5000 meters are traveled, the top and bottom stack of beads can be reset and the process can start all over again.

How to Make Your Pace Count Beads

For this project you’ll need a 26″ length of Paracord and 13 beads. There’s quite a few options available as far as what kind of beads to use. What’s show here are simple plastic craft beads from the hobby store.

Through the video and photos below you should be able to follow along with the creation process for making your own Pace Count Beads. The use of one of the guts from your 26″ strand of Paracord will help tremendously when you go to thread them on.

Simply girth hitching the Pace Count Beads onto a backpack strap or belt loop will keep them readily accessible when you need to track your distance traveled.

This not only provides a better tip than fused paracord alone, but will give you a helping hand to weave paracord, somewhat similar to a fid or a marlinspike  in traditional ropework.

Nick started with a medium sized bullet-head nail that he filed the tip on, to avoid snagging. He then inserted the nail into the working end of the paracord sheath and fused the sheath to the nail.

by ITS Tactical

by ITS Tactical

by ITS Tactical

We’d like to thank Nick for providing the tip and hope that everyone got something out of it! Try it on your next paracord project!

While we use the term coiling, the real definition of this method is called flaking. Flaking allows the rope to be gathered in the natural way it lies and doesn’t add any unnecessary twists to the rope. Twists can kink over time reducing the life of the rope fibers, as well as lead to knotting when undoing the rope.

Carrying a rope in this configuration will allow a climber to move with the least amount of weight possible to reach their destination.  Carrying the rope like this also helps a climber maintain a good center of gravity. Trying to free-climb with a backpack full of rope adds unnecessary risk to an already dangerous task.

Rope Coil » Misc.

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

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

Make sure to leave at least six feet of rope on the working end to make the turns and have enough to tie around your body.

Uses:

• Carrying a rope while climbing
• Storing a rope in a natural configuration

Instructions:

1. Find the center of the rope
2. Lay the bight of the center across your left hand hanging down
3. Flake the rope forwards and backwards trying to reach the same low point each time
4. When you get to the last six feet or so, wrap a few turns around the upper part of the flakes
5. Pull the working end through the loop you’ve made with the flakes
6. *At this point you can tie off the working end for storage or continue for carry*
7. Separate the working ends across the base of your neck
8. Pull the working ends to the small of your back and cross them
9. Bring the working ends to your waist and tie off with a square knot
10. Go climb!

View The Full Gallery of Step-by-Step Photos on Flickr

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)

by ITS Tactical

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.

This Knot Tying Station is modeled after one I saw at Boy Scout Summer Camp this year when I attended with my son as an adult volunteer. I’ve been involved in his troop for a few years now as an Assistant Scoutmaster and it’s been very rewarding to help teach the next generation what I know.

One of the events this year at camp was a knot tying race, where two competitions took place, one on the scouts side and one on the adult leader side. The objective was to tie the six Boy Scout knots in the fastest time.  We utilized one of these Knot Tying Stations to compete on and I loved it so much I constructed one for our troop the next weekend.

Making notes on how I put one together, I thought it would be excellent to  share with everyone at ITS, so let’s get into how to build your own!

DIY Knot Tying Station

First off, let me explain the six Boy Scout knots, as it will help you understand the premise behind the seven ropes shown on the station. The first two pieces of cordage on the far left, are used to tie the Square Knot. Working from left to right, the next four strands are for the four hitches; Taut-Line Hitch, Timber Hitch, Clove Hitch and Two Half Hitches. The far right strand is for the Bowline.

by ITS Tactical

The hitching post is what truly makes this Knot Tying Station, as it’s always difficult to find something to hitch on to when practicing your knots. You can always use your fingers to tie around for some of these hitches, but what’s great about this station is that it’s all there for you.

At summer camp, the supposed camp record is 13 seconds, but I finding that hard to believe. I recorded the fastest adult time of 30:36 and there was a scout there that beat my time by a second. Now that I’ve constructed one of these for myself, I’ve been able to lower my time, but certainly not down to 13 seconds.

To highlight even more versatility from this station, it can also be used to tie the five BUD/s knots that are tied by Navy SEAL candidates in the Underwater Knot Tying Test. Those knots are slightly similar to the Boy Scout knots with a few changes. The Square Knot is still utilized, as are the Clove Hitch and Bowline. Added are the Becket’s Bend (Sheet Bend) and the Right Angle, which is essentially a Clove Hitch with an extra turn.

For SEAL candidates, these knots may seem simple, but let me tell you that with all the stress that’s added onto you during this evolution and the multiple times you’re heading down to the bottom of a 15 ft. pool on a breath hold, it can certainly be challenging. Not to mention that the instructor checking your knot for approval can take his sweet time, causing you to do the funky chicken while you patiently wait to be able to untie it and ascend.

As for the simplicity, these knots are chosen due to their use underwater to rig demo in beach clearing operations. The knots in the test are utilized on det cord to link sections together, tie off to a trunk line, or to tie on objects to be detonated. The primary mission of the UDTs (Underwater Demolition Teams) was to clear obstacles such as coral and jap scullys (horned scullys) so that amphibious landings were unhindered.

If you’re interested in more information on the BUD/s Underwater Knot Tying Test, we put together a video where I go through the whole test underwater, check it out here!

Creating Your Knot Tying Station

Now that you understand the functionality and purpose behind the Knot Tying Station, let’s get into how you can make your own. The video embedded below goes over the step-by-step instruction for creating your own and rather than put into words what the video does a great job explaining, I’ll refer you to this for starters.

by ITS Tactical

Below, I’ll list the required materials and some notes on the cuts and measurements you’ll see described in the video. This should give you a good reference for what to gather and  how to mark your cuts on assembly.

Materials

• 
  by ITS Tactical 1″ x 12″ x 10′ pine board – have the hardware store cut it in half, making two 5′ long sections (Home Depot and Lowes both will cut this for you)
• 41″ long by 1 1/4″ or preferably 1 1/2″ diameter dowel rod (poplar) – These come in 6′ and 8′ lengths
• (3) 7 1/2″ long sections of 5/8″ dowel rod (poplar) – Purchased in 4′ section.
• (2) 23″ lengths of rope    (no larger than 1/2″ in diameter)
• (5) 36″ lengths of rope (no larger than 1/2″ in diameter)
• Rope Cutting Gun (optional) – This will save you an immense amount of time on this and future projects, it both cuts and fuses synthetic rope simultaneously.
• Box of 1 5/8″ screws
• 5/8″ Speedbor Spade Bit
• 1/2″ drill bit (optional, can use 5/8 Speedbore Bit for cleaner holes)
• 7/64″ drill bit for pilot holes
• Countersink set (optional)
• Power Drill
• Hacksaw (to cut 5/8″ and 1 1/4″ – 1 1/2″ dowel rod)
• Wood Glue
• Sandpaper (optional – 180 and 220 grit)
• Measuring Tape
• Pencil
• Spray Paint or Stain (optional – either/or – used flat black spray paint and Maxim Canyon Brown Stain in video)

Measurements

• Two 5′ lengths of pine are assembled with screws drilled with pilot holes and counter sunk at approx. 6″ intervals and a 1/4″ from the edge.
• Pilot holes for the 5/8″ dowel rod sections are drilled through the bottom at 12″, 30″ and 48″ approx. 4 1/2″ from front edge.
• From the top those holes are then routed out with the 5/8″ Speedbor Bit (don’t drill too far!)
• 5/8″ Speedbor holes are drilled in the 1 1/4″ – 1 1/2″ dowel rod at 2 1/2″, 20 1/2″ and 38 1/2″ (ensure they’re kept in line and at the top of the dowel)
• 5/8″ Speedbor holes are drilled in the backside of the Knot Tying Station 1 1/2″ from the top edge at 3″, 8″, 18″, 26″, 34″, 42″ and 54″ to create the holes your rope will be fed through.

Notes

In all this project shouldn’t take you anymore than about an hour and a half of total construction time. As mentioned, Home Depot and Lowes will gladly cut that 10 ft. piece of lumber for you at no charge and I’d highly recommend you take them up on that.

by ITS Tactical

Total cost was right around $40 and could even be cheaper if you don’t want to use the better pine that I did for the 5 ft. sections. That cost is also based on you having some of the tools already, like the drill, hacksaw, tape measure and pencil. I hope you’ve enjoyed the DIY on the Knot Tying Station, I’d love to see photos of yours once you build it!

Feel free to leave any questions here in the comments and I’ll help you out however I can. There’s a little incentive for you to build your own Knot Tying Station too, there will be a contest soon on ITS, so start practicing!

No matter how often I remind them they need to read our KOTW articles and watch the videos here on ITS, I thought I’d put together an article on what I consider to be the knots I use the most on a regular basis and why you should have them at your disposal. Below you’ll find links to our original articles on ITS with tying instructions, as well as embedded videos that take you step-by-step through each of them.

Let’s face it, it’s hard to remember all the knots we teach here on ITS and knot tying is a depreciable skill that needs to be practiced. So let’s look at five, in no particular order, that you should know how to tie with your eyes closed or even underwater.

Bowline / One-Handed Bowline

A Bowline is one of those knots that useful for many applications, putting a loop into a knot that won’t seize up on you, or more importantly a One-Handed Bowline that could save your life one of these days.

It seems like I’m always tying a bowline to secure a line to a fixed point. It’s a great all-around knot and one you should definitely know both on its own and one-handed.

Taut-Line Hitch

by ITS Tactical I feel like the Taut-Line Hitch is one of the most underrated knots out there, it’s extremely versatile and great for applications where you can have varying tension, such as securing a load. It’s most common application is providing adjustable tension for guy lines on a tent or tarp.

Some interesting sliders and devices now appear on tents’ guy lines to adjust tension. Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer a Taut-Line Hitch.

Threaded Figure-Eight

by ITS Tactical Another knot that’s underrated in it’s ability to get you out of a jam is the Threaded Figure 8.

While the application I’m mentioning almost needs to be paired with a Swiss Seat at the least, nothing beats the Threaded Figure 8 to safely get you down from heights, whether on purpose or in an emergency situation.

Double Fisherman’s Knot

by ITS Tactical For joining rope together or making an adjustable loop out of two of these knots, the Double Fisherman’s Knot can’t be beat. Preferably the rope you’re joining together should be around the same diameter, as there’s better knots to join sections of different diameter rope such as a Beckett’s Bend or as it’s commonly known, a Sheet Bend.

Power Cinch Knot

by ITS Tactical Another little known and underrated knot is the Power Cinch. Another great way to add tension to a line without the possibility of it slipping loose like I’ve seen Taut-Line Hitches do, yet very easy to pull down in a hurry. This is what I use for any kind of trunk line while I’m camping or putting up a shelter. Tensioning knots are something you should know and the reason I’ve included two of them in these five. I always see people over-tying objects in the back of a truck or in many situations where all they’re doing is trying to secure a load. Regular half hitches work fine, but that extra effort both in tying and removing all those knots simply isn’t necessary if you know the right knots to use in the first place.

Honorable Mention – Chain Sinnet

by ITS Tactical One last knot I’d like to mention is the Chain Sinnet, I literally tie this multiple times a week into all my extension cords and I can’t tell you how much time and aggravation it’s saved me over the years. I was first taught this by an old employer who wanted their extension cords tied this way and I’ve always remembered it because of it’s efficiency. Mark this down as one to take a look at too if you’ve got the time for a bonus knot.

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.

by ITS Tactical

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.

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:

by ITS Tactical 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!

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.

by ITS Tactical 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.