After watching a Man Vs. Wild marathon, I noticed in his later seasons, one thing he always relies on is his para-cord. I’ve seen some para-cord bracelets on the web and thought it would be an awesome/ man-crafting experience and a cool thing to do with my girlfriend as we prep for a Denali backpacking trip. She is far craftier than I, and quickly outdid me by making herself a belt using this technique.
I’ve seen many websites for survival bracelets that leave out the pesky details. I am also not a fan of paying for instructions that leave out important details; Instructables guides- I’m talking about you, especially when there are free and better videos on the web. To give them credit- here is the instructables link to a paracord bracelet with side buckle. Here is a link to some of the best Instructable guides Torrent file- Why? Because they stole the information from the web anyway! Please don’t click the link if you don’t know what a torrent file is. On with the post.
I like the looks of bracelets found on the survival straps website and wanted to mimic them. If you want to spend $22, you can purchase one well made paracord survival strap from their website. I found I could make better straps and take personal pride in my work and for the same price, make several bracelets for friends and relatives. I plan on making quite a few of these and carrying them with me, if for nothing else than to use for barter and trade with fellow travelers and passers by.
Materials
Clasps
1/4″ Stainless Steel Marine Grade Shackle-$2.50 Home Depot This is used as the clasp or fastener. You can also purchase small plastic buckles on Ebay but I prefer something stronger with more utility.
You can also use these Nite Ize S-Biner Size #0 Clips that come in a package of 2 at REI for $1.49 Here is a link
*Note- if you use the S-Biner- be sure to cut off the tooth in the gate, so you can easily take on and off the bracelet.
Cord
Paracord 550 military spec. You only need 12-24 feet of this depending on the type of bracelet and the size. You can purchase it in many colors for $4.39 per 50 feet from this Ebay seller
Scissors- or a knife- I bought some scissors from Dollar Tree that did the job, and guess how much they cost?
Fireplace Lighter- for melting and fusing cord. You’ll see youtube videos of guys using Zippos but I find it easier to work with these and I am less likely to burn the rest of the cord.
A quarter
Tweezers/toothpick/paper clip- come in handy at the final stages.
You can buy also buy one from survival straps or other websites for $22- or make one for $3.00-$6.00 and have plenty of cord left over to make more for family and friends.
Here are some video tutorials
My variations:
I used a clasp and at the end of the knot- I wove a little excess back through the knot work- about 3 notches from the last knot and then fused the ends with the lighter. This ensures that the bracelet won’t fall apart until I need to use it.
*When tucking the excess back into the knot, t after weaving it back through the 3rd to the last knot, cut any excess and bend the bracelet, burn the edges and use a quarter to flatten them against the bracelet. This will ensure that you have a secure bracelet that is comfortable to wear.
Cobra Knot
Awesome Video of how a father used the bracelet technique to send money to his son who was on deployment. What an awesome dad!
I just wanted to leave you a big thank you for this wealth of knowledge. I myself don’t want to spend more than absolutely necessary. I prefer the plastic clips for the ends, (especially the contoured ones, I pilfered one from my old gameboy case…lol). The one thing that does elude me is how to attach the clips to the bracelet so the ends are clean and looped under the clips. I might work on trying to integrate a small knife system for emergency purposes if I can pull it off. If not for the bracelet at least for some sort of lanyard. One thing Bear Grilles also relies on is his knife. If you have a knife and some cord you can live just about anywhere…lol. Take care and once again thank you. Oh PS, both your girlfriend and yourself have a safe and happy trip to Denali.
Thanks Steve. I appreciate the comment. We got home safe and sound and had a wonderful time in Denali. We had to self-rescue out of the trail we were on- a 30 mile with 45 lb backpack endeavor. It was crazy, but the challenges of being out in nature are awe inspiring and defining moments. As for the bracelets, I will have to admit, I am shopping for a new fastener system. I like the clips and the S biners work well too but the shackle is a pain to put on.
At wrist 6, a site that sells these bracelets, we use size 1 metal S-biner. They work out grate and it seems that would be slightly more useful in a survival situation (granted probably not much).
Just and FYI those shackles are now $3.75 at Home Depot so if you or anyone else knows where we can get them cheaper I would like to know.
Thanks
Badger
Update: I’ve actually started using plastic clasp because the shackles are hard to get on and off your wrist.
Hey this looks great! Thanks for putting this post together. I’ve been looking at those Survival Straps bracelets and I honestly don’t want to blow $25 if I don’t have to.
I checked that link for the ebay seller, and its apparantly invalid, so I wanted to see if you could let me know where I could get some 550# paracord. Thanks! Much appreciated.
Steve
A very convenient location to get 550 para cord at is supply captain dot com. It is not exact military spec but it is just as strong.
It seems too complicated and very general for me to understand.
If you live anywhere near Knoxville, TN, the Smoky Mountain Knife Works sells several different colors of 550 paracord.
I can’t see the videos, but they sound like many on youtube. You can also add a few more loops on the inside of the cobra knots to give you a few more feet. I have made a larger version for my boony hat that includes some wire (actually a long fishing lead), a small spark stick, a micro pulley and two shackles. This version has a couple of down sides: The biggest if you need the line fast you goning to have a BAD time. The next is the bulk of the thing on your wrist.
This is a wealth of knowledge and very useful. I always wanted to learn how to make survival bands while on deployments, but was always on the move. And spending 50.00 to over 100.00$ for some of these products online. Thanks to this site I have already made several and getting better with each band.
I looked at survival straps, but like many others, did not want to pay $25 for one. I ended up getting mine from paracord outfitters for half that price. I could probably make my own, but call me lazy. Been happy with the survival bracelet I received, you can use get it with a stainless shackle or with the curved buckle which I prefer.
marinepartdepot dot com has a good selection of styles and sizes of shackles, including really small ones.
if you don’t want to try online then check out boating stores if there are some in your area.
near me there’s a camping store that has para cord but it’s a local one not a chain store.
what size of paracord is needed
I believe it’s 1/8th Inch.
wondering if you girlfriend would share how she did the belt ?? love that idea ! thanks
Just use longer (start with 20 ft) of Paracord and keep going until you have satisfactory length.
I am excited to try my hand at making some of these bracelets. And a belt? How cool is that! I love making many different kind of stuff. This sounds like a great project for my 13 yr. old son and me to make as gifts for our family. Thanks for the info.
Love the blog! I’ve been making my own paracord bracelets for a couple of years. I get all my cord from Supply Captain and my buckles from Creative Designworks. There’s a great YouTube channel that shows very detailed instructions for how to make paracord bracelets, fobs, and other decorative knots. Do a YouTube search for Tying It All Together.