Paracords

It's been a couple of months experimenting making different paracord bracelets.. One thing quick to develop as I went along was not using buckles. It started out because I didn't have any lying around and impatient me wouldn't wait for the time it's delivered if ordered online. Lazy me simply just can't get off the chair and walk into a local store either...

As time went on.. it soon became apparent my preference is for buckle-less bracelets. It's all just the paracord itself. Minimalist approach as in so many things with me.

Thus endings are usually just a loop at the start and a diamond knot at the end. But with no core strands like snakeknot bracelets which simply needs u-turning the strand.. all the way to 2 4 or 6 core strands... it gets a bit tricky figuring out how to start things off.


Usually it involves a Cow Hitch which can be formed from the core strands or the outer weaving strands as in the right column below.

Left: 2 strand core with cow hitch using core strandMiddle: 4 strand core with cow hitch using core strand
Right: 4 strand core with cow hitch using outer weaving strand

The other thing I don't quite like is fusing 2 different colored strands but this can't really be helped in many cases that need a different color on each side to start off.

Especially when 4 strands need to be alternating...  For a secure loop, such bracelets I'll usually have a diamond knot of both ends. Adjusted nicely with the ending knot, result can still be quite clean looking.


Keeping the fuse end inside the knot.











The often seen method of sticking a newly melted end into another cord is rather messy and hard to secure.

I prefer the Manny's method when there is a need to fuse

In the event you ever need to fuse multiple color cords together, this is how to.





 But if you can live with a slightly asymetric look on the loop section, A bight threaded through a loop without having to fuse 2 different cords can give those weaves needing diff color outer ends. Should be able to adapt easily to a 6 strand 3 color weave as well

8-Strand: By far the widest I made is the 4 core 4 weaving strand, Wide Side-Step bracelet. Took a while to figure out how best to go buckle-less...

... and the resulting work

Other variations... most times ends are cut off , melted and tucked away somewhere near the end braided section of the bracelet. In the case of the Micro sanctified bracelet, I thread the micro strands into the ending diamond knot and end it with yet another micr diamond knot..  These two were for the Missus... and I just called it a rattlesnake tail ending.

Pretty rewarding walking out during a family outing and everyone is decked up with colorful wrists :)