Thanks Migs! After making a few lanyards with the knitting spool/corker and 'Type I' paracord, I wanted to try it with 550 paracord. Only problem was that the spool I had was too small for the larger diameter cord. I couldn't find a suitable spool with a large enough hole in the center, so I made my own using wooden napkin rings and some 1 inch brads/nails. I predrilled the holes so the brads/nails wouldn't split the wood and it worked out fine. I also found an old dental pick to work the cord with. The larger diameter paracord makes a tighter weave than the smaller cord, but is still very flexible. I'm guesstimating about 1.25 feet of paracord used for each inch of braid. I started making a lanyard, but figure I'd keep going with this one and make this a hatband. With around 24 inches of finished length,the hatband should use 30+ feet of paracord, which when untied from the working end, the whole thing can be quickly unraveled for use in seconds. You can get an idea of the process for 'knitting' these from here and here. I like a simple 3 peg/nail version for lanyard type uses, but the potential of paracord uses goes up with more pegs/nails making a hollow center in the braid, to the point of possible paracord pouches, etc. using one of those larger weaving hoops. I had to stop and remind myself that I like to keep it simple :laugh:, but the potential is there for those that want to explore it. *Added: The diameter of the braided 'Type I' paracord is about 3/8 inch and for the regular paracord it's about 5/8 inch.
:speechless: You are definitely the master of paracord, Stormdrane! AlphaZ, the links are in Stormdrane's post.
Starting with the knitting spool/corker, I usually keep about an extra foot of cord at the start for whatever tying off method I might use. At this point is where you use a pick/hook to pull the lower cord over the top cord and peg/nail. Keep tension on the cord from underneath and tighten as you go. Just keep going till you've got your desired length. Take it off the spool, and to keep it from unraveling, just run the working end once thru each loop(where it was on the peg/nail) and pull tight.
Here's a neck lanyard I made with 'Type I' paracord in foliage green. I made the braid with a small 3 peg/nail knitting spool and finished with the snake knot and a small swivel clip.
Great tutorial Stormdrane, the snake knot was my favorite so far, but we'll see after I try one of these! Master of Paracord is a fitting title indeed!
+1 from me as well, I'm gonna have to try this out... One more thing, after the last picture, you then take it off the 3 nails, pull it down and start the process again? I don't suppose you could make a short video? It wouldn't have to star Brad Pitt, just your fingers...... :laugh: Thanks, Jim
The working end keeps going to the next nail where the lower cord goes up and over it and the nail, and so on. You don't take it off the spool until the braided part is as long as you want it. Here's another link with the basic 'how to'. Instead of taking the working end around all three nails after the initial wrapping, I just go to the next nail, hook the lower cord up and over, pull down with cord underneath to tighten, move to the next nail and repeat. If you're making your own spool, the distance between the nails and the width of the hole affect the diameter/tightness of the braid. This can be done with 2, 3, 4, 5 nails on the spools on up to the large hoops with like 40 pegs, but that's just for the tactical paracord hoodie ;D Here's a wrist lanyard made with white 'Type I' paracord on a Victorinox Ranger and next to it is a small spool I bought off ebay(has cotter pins instead of nails, nicely made) for the smaller diameter cord. Flexible wire can also be used with the spool for something like a nice wallet chain(craft shops have nylon coated stainless steel for something like that) .
T_T i really dont like you stormdrane. Ive got finals coming up and your poping in with all this great stuff that i NEED to try
The knitting tool can also be used to braid around a paracord core. I've used some black nylon cord I found that is similar to 'Type I' paracord and put it around a section of this paracord monkey fist fob. It would also work around paracord on a neck or wrist lanyard and the core can be seen thru the braid on all sides.
Stormdrane thanks for sharing it really looks awesome. The links and tutorials are not yet clear to me, after winding the cord in anti-clockwise direction I really don't know what to do, I can't understand the text explanation and I can't find a good picture of where to pass the cord through and how. Maybe I'm too stupid. Luigi
Maybe this will help. Short video with knitting spool and 550 paracord. Sorry if it's a bit dark, it will be a hard sell to get the Oscar for Cinematography.
Maybe it helps? Yikes that was the bomb!!! Thanks a lot Stormdrane!! it was exactly what I was needing to be able to learn it and practice it. I have to make myself a spool which I think I can do and then go to the store to get a crotchet needle. (I can imagine the looks) Thanks a loooot! Luigi
